teeth brushing is impossible!

[duckyisback]

Does anyone have any tips on how I can get ds to have his teeth brushed.

At first he used to love having them done, now it is a full on battle. He clamps his mouth shut and will hit and push away.

I'm worried because of the struggle to clean them they aren't being brushed properly.

Is there any way to make this easier or do I have to just battle on?

[SaveSomeSpendSome]

An electric toothbrush helped in our house.

Even now though dd will use the toothbrush but not 100% and then we have tears whilst i go over what she has done.

I hate teeth cleaning, dd can make it quite difficult. However whether she likes it or not it gets done.

She is 3.5

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

Watching with interest! If I manage to make contact with most of DS's teeth I consider it a success,

[duckyisback]

Oh no I was expecting this to be just a phase! Looks like it could go on for a little longer than I thought then! I haven't been able to find many toothbrushes that are for under 3yrs, will maybe ask at the dentist if they sell any.

I did ask them too if there was any way to make it easier and she said no

Bubbins, I'm the same! As long as I can get contact it's classes as a success!

[MrsKCastle]

What worked for me was playing 'silly mummy'. I'd put on a false strict voice and (holding the toothbrush ) do a routine of 'come here and let me brush your ears, I need to get them really clean. What's that? Not your ears? Oh! Errm.... Must be your cheeks then, let's get this toothpaste on your cheeks.' Repeat with random body parts until small child stands in front of you, opening mouth and pointing to teeth.

This takes a lot of patience, especially at first, but probably no longer than a standard toothbrushing battle. And it's fun. You can also tell them that you're putting custard/gravy/ketchup on their toothbrush etc.

My DD2 is 4 now and still sometimes asks 'can we do the silly ones?'. I let her choose 3 silly ones and pretend, then she has to do it properly.

[InformalMother]

How old is he? Mine went through this stage at 5yrs old and in the end I googled images of children's rotten teeth and showed them to her.

I told her that she'd end up with teeth looking like that if she didn't let me brush them properly.

I understand some will be too young for the images but it was the only thing that worked. We'd tried bribing her, sticker charts etc and that made no difference.

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

i think teething hadn't helped us - brushing a sore mouth must be horrible.

[FlyingGoose]

Electric toothbrushes helped here. DTs are 3.9 and they got them for Christmas. No battles at all now, they are happy to have their teeth brushed. We have the braun oral b ones- a Disney princess one and a Disney cars one.

[KatyN]

I had to have a filling when I went to the dentist last time with my son- he's been a lot better at tooth brushing since!!!

[PurpleRibbons]

In the evening we do it while she's sitting in the bath and playing with bath toys. It's easy.
In the morning it's a fiasco as she runs away, clamps her teeth shut etc. She wants to do it herself but can't do them properly.
I console myself with the fact they get properly brushed once a day.

[ODog]

Electric toothbrush and doing it in front of the TV helps with my almost 2yo. He is currently in the depths of ITNG obsession so it helps that the tombliboos do brushing teeth.

[duckyisback]

Sorry forgot to add age, he's only 16 months so don't think he'd understand games.

At the moment my husband has to sit him on his lap and I kind of have to try and shove the tooth brush in his mouth as much as possible but I'm worried he'll have a negative association with brushing his teeth then.

[Spottyladybird]

The Elmo tooth brushing song helps us on bad days!! It's on YouTube.

[Lucked]

Up until well after two we swaddled in a large towel and did it on the change table, usually using the crying to get good access. My ds is now 4 and compliant and dd 2.5 is variable we mostly have a good laugh whilst doing it. They know they get their teeth brushed come hell or high water so it isn't really an issue anymore.

[Cloudybutwarm]

I was coming on to post exactly the same as spotty
My ds is 18m and he watches the Sesame Street tooth brushing video on YouTube most of the time when I need to brush his teeth. It's probably not a great habit but frankly I'd rather his teeth were well brushed. I have horrible memories of having to pin down my eldest and force his mouth open to do it, and although he's fine about it now (4.5) id rather use a video than go through that again!

[mawbroon]

Different toothpaste?

You get strawberry flavour and all sorts (they are minging IMO, but if it helps.....)

Mine sometimes complain that the mint flavour is too powerful

[Eyre89]

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+brush-baby-babysonic-toothbrush-in-bathtime-and-healthcare+b1905?gclid=CMu8l_6MhMwCFdEy0wodp1cAuQ

We go this one when ds was around that age and he loved it. It lights up and lasts two minutes and he got to understanding when the light went out and it stopped vibrating that was it done.

Some of my friends pretend to brush a favourite soft toys teeth or let their dc brush theirs and take turns. And that helped. We always do his bedtime one in the bath so he couldn't escape and it worked well. I'd definitely recommend the Toothbrush above.

[BindiBarbarella]

I'd love to know if there is a magic solution as I'm yet to find one. DD, nearly 2 used to like hers being done too. She goes through phases of being ok with it and screaming/clamping mouth shut etc. I do exactly the same thing each time - let her have a go first and then it's 'Mammy's turn'.

I tell her I have to brush them if she refuses and she has an option of standing up and opening her mouth nicely or the alternative of basically restraining her while I do it. When she's kicking off I acknowledge that she doesn't like it but repeat that they have to be done. Afterwards I give her a cuddle and reiterate that I know she sometimes doesn't like it but she has to have them brushed twice a day just like Mammy and Daddy.

If she stands up and opens her mouth she gets no end of praise.

I never get stressed about it and don't let it show it's frustrating, just get on with it.

Good luck - hope it gets easier!

[duckyisback]

Thanks, will have a look At the song and tooth brush.

He's just so bloody strong!

[Backhometothenorth]

Try brushbaby chewable toothbrush- we used in addition to brushing (when possible) and they do an amazing job. Also help no end with teething. DD is now almost 4 and brushes with no issues but it used to be a tedious mind-numbing nightmare of a job until we discovered these. Bit pricey but last ages and dentist always comments how clean her teeth are.

[Backhometothenorth]

Ok to use until age 3 I think.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Yes, we used brushbabies until they were past 2. Now they have electric brushes at 3 and 6. DD's (6 year old) lower front teeth are really yellow though. Dentist says they're clean and it's not plaque. I don't know how to improve them really.

[Micromanageit]

Another vote for electric toothbrush.
I used a Jack and Jill musical toothbrush from Planet Organic when DD was 2yrs and it made it so much easier.

We now use the oral b one. Dd didn't like dribbling on her chin so now I give her a towel to dab herself and she's much happier.

We went through a rocky patch recently where she refused to let me brush (3.5yrs) but I made a reward chart where the end prize was ridiculously expensive (eg £10 of playmobil) and it worked for a couple of weeks. Now the prize is something tiny

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

I will give the brush-baby a try as my DS loves chewing his toothbrush, he just doesn't appreciate me trying to brush!

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

We use a mirror and 3 toothbrushes with our 2yo. She gets to watch in the mirror, I try and smile at her as well, and she has a toothbrush in each hand, then I brush with the 3rd. Mostly works

[duckyisback]

Will look at the chewable brushes then

Susan that sounds like hard work!