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Original poster

How important is teeth brushing?

126 replies

howsoonisnow85 · 23/01/2021 07:52

My DD is 11 months & has 8 teeth, it is absolutely impossible to brush her teeth, she just will not let me. The routine I have come to with her is that whilst I am brushing mine I have her in the bathroom & give her a baby toothbrush which she sucks/ chews on.
Do I need to force this more with her as it will cause her issues later on, or should I pick my battles & this isn't one until shes older?
Thanks!

OP posts:

Poppins2016 · 23/01/2021 08:27

Another vote for picking this battle and making it non-negotiable. It's one of the most important health-related battles you'll ever fight. Start as you mean to go on, develop the habit early and it'll be easier later.

My DS is now 2 and we've found it tricky but worth persevering with. He knows that brushing teeth is part of his morning/evening routine whether he wants to or not.

*When DS was a baby we used the finger brushes as PPs recommended. Far less fiddly than a standard toothbrush!

*We've had to pin down (probably more often than not) but try to make it as good natured and fun as possible.

*Lots of praise for staying still, opening wide, etc

*We let DS brush our teeth (with our electric brushes... interesting experience) and play with his own brush (mostly sucking and chewing)

user1471523870 · 23/01/2021 08:29

Non-negotiable here too (it's the only thing I use this word for!). Some days are better than others, but hopefully it will become a habit at some point.
Watching videos of children brushing their teeth, pointing to the flashcard for toothbrush etc helps. What also helps is doing it as a family activity (recently he would only brush his teeth if also mummy and daddy do it).
My main challenge is not convincing him to do it, it's the technique. He's happy to put toothpaste on the toothbrush...but then most of the time he only sucks it! I keep encouraging him to actually brush and when he does it it's only the front teeth. Basically I end up doing it. But I think it's ok for now that he's two and hopefully it will get better.

justanotherneighinparadise · 23/01/2021 08:29

Yep it’s non negotiable.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

9-12 months old Babies & sleep Dental health Families

Poppins2016 · 23/01/2021 08:33

...forgot to add:

We currently do DSs teeth with him lying down on a changing mat, makes it sooo much easier to see what you're doing!

"Pinning down" if we have to do it simply consists of holding his hands so that he can't wrench the toothbrush away from us. We usually try to compromise at letting him hold the toothbrush at the same time and brush his own teeth "with" us. This tends to work quite well!

Alfaix · 23/01/2021 08:34

I held DS down at that age and he’s fine now, not traumatised and good teeth.
Dentist btw

ShinyGreenElephant · 23/01/2021 08:35

Yeah even at that age its really important. I've seen several y1 and y2 children I taught have to be put under a general anaesthetic to have rotten teeth removed and while that is quite extreme, even a filling is very distressing for a young child. We use the hey duggee tooth brushing song and she has to let me brush the whole time its on. She also plays at brushing hers and her dolls teeth with her electric toothbrush a lot but her technique is crap so I will be brushing them for her for a good few years to come still (she's 2).

Crimblecrumble1990 · 23/01/2021 08:37

I'm glad you asked this, my 10 month old has seems to have got teeth overnight. He rarely opens his mouth and when he does keeps his tongue out covering his teeth so it's impossible to 'brush' his teeth. So I end up giving him the tooth brush and he chomps on it. I was hoping it was the fluoride that does the main work so it was ok but reading this thread, I'm definitely going to try 'brushing' them.

IMissFrance · 23/01/2021 08:38

We had a little chewy thing we put the toothpaste on and gave them when DC were babies.

Now school aged and perfect teeth.

Ticklemynickel · 23/01/2021 08:39

Non negotiable here. Had to hold DD1 for weeks to get her teeth cleaned and used to it, all part of our morning & night routine now so no problems. I'd rather have to hold down an under 1 than a much bigger, stronger and older toddler!

MisiSam · 23/01/2021 08:40

I have a 20 month old and I usually let him brush on his own at first(which means chewing the brush usually) and then I take over and give them a brush the best I can although I have never been about to do it for 2 to 3 minutes like they recommend for adults!
Does anyone know how long we are supposed to brush baby/toddlers teeth for?

ChasingRainbows19 · 23/01/2021 08:46

Please find a way, we see many young children with bad teeth having to undergo an anaesthetic.

Finger brushes, maybe an old brush she can play with ( supervised) just so it’s familiar. Is it the taste she doesn’t like of the toothpaste or the feel of the brushes? Lots of babies refuse things like food, nappy changes etc they don’t get left in dirty nappies though.

ComDummings · 23/01/2021 08:48

Teeth brushing was one of my very few non negotiables. We watched videos about it, sang songs while we did it, played with the toothbrush during the day and cheered when he put it in his mouth etc. If he didn’t want to, was screaming or crying I’d still do it. I didn’t want to I didn’t like to but to me it was essential, as essential as eating (something), drinking and so on.

katmarie · 23/01/2021 08:49

I asked our dentist this as ds's first check up when he was about 18 months I think. Dentist said it was important to get them into good habits, but not to make brushing traumatic if possible. A quick scrub with the toothbrush twice a day, as much or as little as you can do without it being too stressful. Or failing that give them a wet flannel to chomp on and rub their teeth on while in the bath. Build up the habit firmly and gently. Ds is 3 now and it's still a debate sometimes but it happens every day usually without huge amounts of drama unless he's very tired.

BertieBotts · 23/01/2021 08:50

At that age it's really more about establishing a routine than worrying too much if they get perfectly brushed. I did try to have a go but if I got one quarter of the mouth I considered it a win.

By 18 months/2 they are more open to games with it which makes it easier.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/01/2021 08:53

Its totally non negotiable.DD would never cooperate, I pin her down if necessary, I've even enlisted DH to hold her down at times.

Both kids teeth get brushed morning and night and there is NOTHING they can do to stop me.

LittleBearPad · 23/01/2021 08:59

@IHaveBrilloHair

I disagree with everyone else. Whilst of course I think its important her teeth aren't going to all rot and suddenly fall out because she won't have them brushed properly. Carry on as you are, brush your teeth, let her "brush" hers and as she gets older she'll probably let you. Forcing her now may well make it a much bigger problem for years.

I agree.

All this talk of pinning children down is absurd.

Let her chew her toothbrush, with a smidge of toothpaste on it, as she gets a little bigger try to move on to proper brushing but making toothbrushing upsetting isn’t going to help long term .

Ohdoleavemealone · 23/01/2021 09:00

I can't believe people pin their kids down!

Yes it is important but don't traumatise them! Let her chew the brush with toothpaste on and give them a brush for as much as you can after she has finished.

SummerHouse · 23/01/2021 09:01

@IHaveBrilloHair

Absolutely agree. And would add I think you are doing a brilliant job and you instincts are spot on. All this non-negotiable pinning down of babies seems a bit OTT.

SimonJT · 23/01/2021 09:02

It really needs to be non-negotiable.

My sons birth parent never brushed his teeth, so he was 14 months old when they were first brushed. By this point he already had visible decay on his main two front teeth. They were bright/stark white areas on his teeth and visible cavities on his right front tooth.

musicalfrog · 23/01/2021 09:03

@MisiSam

I have a 20 month old and I usually let him brush on his own at first(which means chewing the brush usually) and then I take over and give them a brush the best I can although I have never been about to do it for 2 to 3 minutes like they recommend for adults! Does anyone know how long we are supposed to brush baby/toddlers teeth for?

Until age 8 I believe, although my 7yo does his own I always listen in case he doesn't spend enough time on it, and every few days I do them myself just to make sure they get a 'proper' clean. He's pretty laid back about it all!

SummerHouse · 23/01/2021 09:04

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Its totally non negotiable.DD would never cooperate, I pin her down if necessary, I've even enlisted DH to hold her down at times.

Both kids teeth get brushed morning and night and there is NOTHING they can do to stop me.

I wouldn't argue with you. The tooth terminator.

Eileen101 · 23/01/2021 09:05

Also non negotiable too.

I do nursery rhymes and make them laugh (tickles, round and round the garden etc) works enough to get to their teeth. If they're really protesting, I just do it while they're having a shout.

DS is almost 3 and will semi willingly have them done. He had a check up recently and his teeth are fine. I'd rather hold him still to brush his teeth than hold him still for dental work.

MisiSam · 23/01/2021 09:05

@musicalfrog sorry I meant how many minutes we are supposed to brush them for

CarriesFlower82 · 23/01/2021 09:06

My son is like this right now! He is almost 13 months and screams when I brush his teeth. I sing songs and talk as calmly as I can to him, but yes, it's non negotiable! Hoping things get easier soon!

Jubaju · 23/01/2021 09:08

Its very important.

You should also be booking her into the dentist to get her check ups started. ideally they like to start before 1.

Dentists can give great advice as refusal is pretty common.

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