Brushing Teeth!

[karma]

Anyone got any good tips for getting a 19 month old to brush his teeth, or at the very least let me do it for him. He didn't used to mind having them brushed, but now just wants to eat the strawberry toothpaste and the brush doesn't touch any teeth. Should I be concerned about this, or do you think it's something he'll grow out of? Any suggestions gratefully received!

[treacletart]

how about an electric brush? he might enjoy the buzzing...

[madgirl]

oh blimey i still struggle with ds who is now 3. in the end i just withdrew all puddings sweets and ice creams unless he consented to my giving him a really good going over in the evening, and in the mornings now he is allowed to do them himself which is is utterly pants at. he is at the dentist for the first time on tuesday and i am bricking it- i had about 5 fillings by the age of 7 and i was never even allowed sweets! have you tried letting him choose his own t/brush and getting a book about dentist? these things helped with ds........good luck, and if you hit a winning formula let us know!

[madgirl]

treacle tart is there no minimum age for these? if not that's a fab idea

[strangerthanfiction]

I posted about this when dd was 18 months old, she's now 19 months. Previously she was a toothpaste sucker but no brushing happened unless I took her by force. But suddenly she's changed. There was no rhyme or reason for it. One evening
I was sitting behind her in the bathroom while her bath was pouring and I got her toothbrush with toothpaste on it, sat her on my knee facing the bath and said 'I'm going to brush your teeth now, say aaahhh' and she put her head back said 'aaahhh' and let me clean them all, top and bottom, front and back. She's done it every night for a week now. It'll probably change again tomorrow but even still at least she's had a week's good brushing before bed.

[madgirl]

just goes to show you that some kids just do it when THEY want to do it! just amazing.

[treacletart]

not sure Karma - but i don't think so - my nephew is 18m and he uses one. Boots dont mention an age limit, how about ths one (flashing lights and a timer wow!) and they do a fimbles one, so I reckon it must be safe for little ones.

[treacletart]

sorry Madgirl meant you, not Karma, woops!

[Saker]

I got both my children to co-operate with (terrible) stories and songs. My ds1 who is now 4 and a half, still often likes to have a version of a story my husband made up when he was about 3. It's about an animal of his choice that moves into his mouth and thinks it's a cave and decides to clean it all around to make it really nice - enter the toothbrush. Just as he's finished cleaning ds1 shouts "it's not a cave it's my mouth" and the animal runs away and doesn't come back. I know it's terrible but it works.

For the younger one - now 2 and 9 months we have a song which is sung to the tune of the Grand old Duke of York
"Oh the Grand old "child's name" toothbrush, He cleaned a thousand teeth, he cleaned them up at the top of his mouth and he cleaned them underneath, etc etc"

I don't know if either will tempt a 19 month old - the story will probably be too complicated but some kind of game might be worth a try. Some people say it's easier to do from behind because it hurts them less plus you can hold them in an iron grip.

[karma]

Thanks guys for those ideas, will give them a try!