To stop brushing 18 month olds teeth

Edited to get rid of double post

Actually there’s a version that had an actual video with characters brushing their teeth. You could look for that one.

Absolutely do not listen to this op. DO NOT pin him down and "go for it".

We had success playing this video while brushing teeth

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GXZzhzTAedw&ra=m

My DS went to school with another kid who in Year 1 had to have 11 teeth out in one session due to not brushing and they had rotten and he had assesses.

If distraction doesnt work then pinning him down it will have to be. You are in charge and its parenting.
If you can finger brush do that at least x

Please tell me when the fight ends???

I'm 8 years down the road and still fighting. Marginally better with Sensodyne kids toothpaste recommended by dentist, less foamy than other kids toothpaste.
And we skip toothpaste in the morning, just brush with the remains of the night before toothpaste

I couldn't use force. We introduced a brush as soon as they got their teeth and let them chew on it. We always let them do it first then play hunt the sugar bug, so I would look in their mouth and see a sugar bug and have to use the brush to get rid of it. Letting them choose a new tooth brush and a different flavoured toothpaste also made it more fun for them. Of they were being reluctant I would let them have the toothbrush whilst they were allowed to watch a programme. If they were really refusing I wouldn't battle with them but this was quite rare as they felt in control using the steps we did. No fillings, no issues and they all would happily brush their teeth twice a day without being asked as children.

Find it bizarre how many people think it's normal and the correct thing to pin a child down to do there teeth no wonder there terrified of dentists when they come. As a dental nurse we say let a child play with toothbrushes from when they can hold one, transfer that to bath, get them to copy you no paste just at play for a few weeks increasing amount of time, slowly add paste....we currently have 4 toddlers and all will go to there toothbrush pots on the sink every morning don't need to be asked and at night they want squeaky clean teeth in case the fairies come to visit lol. Did same with olders and never had problems with brushing or dentist trips.

Brush your teeth at the same time as him and maybe put some music on, saying that you have to brush your teeth together until the song has finished. Make a reward chart. Buy a few different brushes and let him choose the colour. Try kids toothpaste. Keep foing. You'll get there.

My son had to have six crowns at 2 years old under general anaesthetic due to tooth decay (breastmilk at night).

Do not do this.

Have you tried turning it into a game? This turned things around for us. We'd pretend there were lots of little 'monsters' hiding in DD's mouth, who we had to brush away. We'd pretend they were darting around and hiding from us - 'ooh look, there's a blue one, let's get him... oh no! He's darted behind that tooth there, let me get him.... PING! He's out. Yes!! Let's get the others... oh, there's a cheeky red one... oh she's really sneaky, she's running away and hiding...'

You get the picture.

Making things into a game was really the only way to get DD to do anything for a while. Thankfully that phase is now long gone, but it did get us through these years.

These are completely ineffective.
As others have said OP, you have to continue however distressing it is for both of you. You are doing it in his best interests.

Yeah! Just let his teeth fall out! Sounds like a great plan!!

Why on earth would anyone pin a child down to brush their teeth no wonder why they are scared

There is no way dentists would advise this and yes brushing teeth is important, at that ag3 we just got them to chew on a brush and slowly took ot from there

Way to traumatise kids

We’ve done various things at different times. Our current routine is to let him zone out watching Bluey while holding a baby electric toothbrush with a bit of paste on. Every now and then I manage to get control of the toothbrush and do a few teeth, or to ask him to move the brush to the other side. If he takes the brush out of his mouth we pause the cartoon to remind him to brush. I aim to get both sides top and bottom and the back and front of the front teeth most attempts and do it twice a day. We spend about ten minutes each time doing that, feels better to me to have the screen time than to be physically forcing it and creating negative associations. We also try to keep sweet snacks to meal times, follow meals and snacks with a bit of cheese and water and not give any juice drinks or anything like that to sip on through the day.

I'm another one that pinned mine down between my legs, they are teens now and really good at brushing, the resistance didn't last long (although to be fair they are fairly obedient children so it might not work for everyone) at that age I told them it was the good way (them opening nicely,) or the pinning down, that was the 2 options. Oral hygiene is a non negotiable as its just so important.

It’s my least favourite time of day, twice a day! I don’t remember my older child being this awful over it but I’m sure they were, all kids seem to be. I’ve been warned off (solely) letting them do it themselves due to people in childcare telling me stories of bad tooth rot so I’ve always insisted it’s a me job, we did older child’s exclusively (they could do a top up) until they were 5 and the dentist said they could do it. What currently seems to work is they choose what song I sing to them whilst I brush, I do a few verses of whatever’s being demanded until I’m happy I’m done. With my older child I made up a tooth brushing song to their favourite nursery rhyme. Sometimes they also want to ‘do’ mine if they let me do theirs. I let them go over their own with their toothbrush after I’ve done it though they just seem to suck on the water or try and eat pure toothpaste. I know it’s a (hellish) phase but it will pass and it’s so important. I’ve always taught my older child that my job is to “keep you safe” and that involves all things health including dreaded teeth!

I wouldn't be wrapping him in a towel or holding him between my legs or prying his jaw open. His response is a stress response and you will be breaking trust of you respond with force

I would take a break for 2 or 3 days entirely and let him calm down. The come back to it with a bit of toothpaste on his or your finger, or both and you rub your finger over your teeth and he rub his finger over his. Give him lots of smiles and cuddles when he's done it.

Do that for a few days of it's not stressful.
Then repeat with a soft manual toothbrush. Let him see you do what you want to do to him.

But overall try to remove the anxiety and stress form the current situation and start again.

Finger brushing is better than no brushing.

So many kids in my reception class are having to have teeth removed! I’m sure there’s more to it than not brushing but anything is better than stopping.

If you stop it may become even more difficult to brush his teeth (if that’s possible).

Have you got one of those bendy silicone baby toothbrushes? Can you distract him with Peppa Pig or a game. I feel like I crept in and brush my children’s teeth when they were asleep sometimes, but maybe they were older than 18 months!

If he'll tolerate the finger brush do that, most important thing is getting flouride toothpaste on his teeth.

And be really strict with his diet for the time being - no raisins or dried fruits, no crisps, puffs or crackers.

Electric toothbrush with Spider-Man heads
sorted this for us and strawberry toothpaste

my 5 year old will only brush hers sitting on her bed at the moment and again she’s got a frozen electric brush and the strawberry tooothpast 🤷‍♀️

I chose my battles to make them
seem in control of my he situation like sometimes the older one says no I only will brush after my book so I’m like ok then and and as soon as the book gone I bring the toothbrush in and she sighs then does it

I do still once a week sort of hold the 2 year old down so I can be sure we’ve done a more thorough job - but mostly he’s just doing it himself - at least it’s better than nothing I think anyway 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I told my daughter there's a dragon in her mouth and I have to get it out 😂 Then she realised there wasn't and I went back to pinning her down. She's 4 now and we don't struggle any more

Where is the gentle parenting with all the pin them down suggestions?

None of those suggestions will do f all with an 18 month old. You do just have to pin them down.