to start 'cracking down' on toothbrushing at the age of 2?

[Bellyrub1980]

For my daughter's 2nd birthday I'm going to try and make brushing her teeth more of a routine morning/evening thing, rather than waving a toothbrush in her face when she's in the bath.

Obviously she's really young so I've bought her a second hand Barbie vanity mirror and will create a toothbrushing station with lots of different brushes and an egg timer and maybe a reward chart. Maybe even find a you tube video of peppa pig brushing her teeth or something.

Anyhoo, my head this seems like a really good idea. The kind of 'enthusiastic mum' stuff you see on Pinterest. But after yet ANOTHER failed attempt at brushing her teeth tonight I'm wondering, is she too young to start cracking down on this? We've let her chew and suck on a toothbrush ever since her first tooth, but she won't let me brush them for her (unless I sedate her/restrain her!!) and whilst she will make a cursory attempt to brush them herself, she is far more interested in doing the exact opposite of what I ask her to do.

So.... when did you start really working on a morn/eve toothbrushing rountine? And do reward charts work for just turned 2 year olds??

What worked for us with reluctant brushers was having a toothbrush each and taking turns to clean.

Teeth non negotiable here too. When they didn't comply they were held down to have them done properly. I figured it was kinder in the long term than them needing teeth filled.

The tomliboos on in the night garden do a toothbrushing dance and woolly and tug had a visit the dentist episode. DD is 2.2 and is getting better but she doesn't have sweets or choc apart from the odd digestive biscuit. They are banned until she brushes properly or let's me brush.

My DS (2) will tolerate an electric toothbrush for much longer than a normal one. I was a bit lax about doing it then realised his teeth were looking plaquey round the gum line. It is now completely non negotiable and his teeth look much much better.

There is a song 'Brush brush brush' on YouTube, and also Elmo from Sesame Street brushing teeth. If these fail, pinning down all the way. Yes it is horrible, but it has got to be better than rotten teeth.

Another thing that worked briefly was seeing dinosaurs of different colours in different parts of his mouth and brushing them away. Or bits of the food he had eaten, so 'what is that broccoli doing there?' Style

superstar our dentist has said not to use an electric tootbrush with toddlers, and only to use it from the age of 6 upwards.

Another one here who makes tooth brushing non-negotiable. One trick that worked with our 2 year old is to brush her teeth in the bath while singing songs and then let her do it with a top up toothpaste. She wanted to do it all on her own so we did a deal. We explain daily that if she has sugar (biscuits, highly watered squash, fruit, cake etc) then we must clean her teeth properly.

Toothbrushing also non negotiable here. From first teeth with both my children. It's so important and I think a bit of gentle but firm coaxing, no matter how long it takes to get the actual brush in, is what is needed. In my view it's crueler to let them eat and drink foods with sugars in and not brush them, than it is to make them brush their teeth.

My youngest has fought against more than my eldest did. But when he is clamping his lips shit and shaking his head or shouting out, he isn't upset because it hurts. He's cross because he doesn't want a toothbrush in his mouth because he's 1 and a half and stubborn. Has been from the start when toothbrush inhibits concerned. He actual is compliant, more often than not these days because he knows, whatever happens, he will end up with me brushing his teeth. He likes to play with the brush after so is starting to understand if I say, 'Mummy brush first, and you can have the toothbrush'.

Maybe if your DD likes playing with the brush in the bath, use that as leverage. There's no problem with you brushing her teeth in the bath, then letting her play with it. You could make that the routine, then it's a natural extension of what happens anyway.

Excuse nonsensical typos.

Id be amazed if anyone didn't think teeth brushing wasn't important, ugh!

We bought an electric toothbrush (battery powered) that sang an annoying tune for 2 minutes, they LOVE it and they get used to having their teeth cleaned, when you have done it, she can have a go, it is a non negotiable as someone said, the level of kids rotten teeth in the dentists and at the hospital dentist department is a national disgrace and wholly down to the parents who dont think it important. If this sounds judgy, (not of you, but of people that have allowed their child to have rotten teeth, yes it is :-)

Yanbu. Teeth brushing is non negotiable here. Hold tight / down if neccesary.

I also decided that I'd rather hold him down at home than at the dentist for fillings. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the reality. He hated it for ages but it has to be done.

Yup, by age 2 it really should be cracked down on. Ds didn't like it much age 1-2.5 so we did a variety of changing things to distract and make it more fun - singing songs, using the toothbrush with various vehicle noises, having a conversation about something he likes to avoid him concentrating on what's happening etc etc. Now at almost 3 he just gets on with it. Persevere!

I think some like it and some hate it. Dc1 hated it and we had to pin him down, at times holding his nose to get him to open his mouth (sounds so awful looking back!). We felt better after dentist said pinning them down to do it was better than fillings. It took him a while to get used to it, we're talking months, but fine now aged 5.5 with no fillings. Dc2 loved it from the start plus she has been in more of a routine thanks to dc1. I am also strict on sweets and juice. I have good teeth and am very thankful for them as over the years have seen my friends and dh shell out thousands at the dentist.

at the pp who flosses her 3yo teeth. How does that work?!

My dentist gave me a great tip. Brush teeth while your child is lying down. I let my 4 year old DC wave the toothbrush around for a bit & then lie him down on the bed. I can get a good view of his teeth & hold him a bit to stop the wriggling.

I wrap ds (2.9) in a towel and pin him down to do it. He is slowly getting better. I 'chase' his tooth bugs around his mouth with the toothbrush.

Sometimes it works and we have a happy brush. Sometimes not and we have a screamy brush. But it is definitely done twice a day.

Teeth brushing like arse wiping is something that has to be done in our house.

We've tried different flavour paste, flashing brushes but it's still a case of pinning them down and getting on with it until they understand compliance makes things a damn sight easier.

My dentist gave me a great tip. Brush teeth while your child is lying down. I let my 4 year old DC wave the toothbrush around for a bit & then lie him down on the bed. I can get a good view of his teeth & hold him a bit to stop the wriggling.

I have 4dcs. Dd2 has massive sensory issues and ASD. From around 3, she would refuse to brush her teeth. If I managed to get a tooth brush in her mouth, she would bite the head of the toothbrush. Aged 8, she has two fillings and must go to the dentist every. 3 months. Other dcs have no tooth brushing issues, no cavities. It really shows how important tooth brushing is.

You can get flavourless toothpaste (it's expensive ).

We still have loads of tooth brushing issues today. Our dentist is very helpful. He suggests eating dairy at the end of every meal?

Tooth decay is becoming a bigger issue with children than it was for the last generation. Having fillings or baby teeth removed due to decay is not normal but a lot of parents now seem to think it is. Definitely persevere and make it a must do.

At 2 you really should be brushing her teeth for her. Don't accept no for an answer. Have a nice reward straight afterwards to ease the pain!

A game I found DS liked when he was two was to "look for the colours" in his mouth. I'd just pick some random food he'd eaten that day and say "Ooh I can see a bit of orange, have you been eating fishes?" He'd say no, carrots! Or whatever.

A friend did a different one where she had to "brush the animals" and they'd think of a different animal living in her mouth every day and make the animal sound.

Actually thinking about it the colours might have been more like 3 years old, before he could talk so well I used to get DS to sing any old random tune using the wording "Eee, eee, eee," and then "Ahh, ahh, ahh" Eee to get to the front teeth and Ah to get to the back ones. Nursery rhymes or TV theme tunes, anything.

I don't think you need to buy a load of consumerist crap. Hold them down sing a song and be done with it.

Oh flossing for young children, you can do with those little y-shaped things with the floss over the end. DS's dentist was shocked when I said I'd never done his, aged five We live in Germany and apparently it's normal here. I asked my friend who is a dentist and she said you don't need to do it if they still have credit card sized gaps between their teeth, but once they get closer together, it's important. If DS's mouth is anything like mine he will need it. I get tooth decay very easily.

DD and I do our teeth together. We both do AAAAH and EEEE noises very loudly

Then I check DDs and give them a little brush myself just to be sure.

We have done this since she was about 18 months. Like PP, I say no brushing = no juice/sweets/chocolate and she knows I follow through on this. I also say look at granny's teeth to see what happens if you don't brush properly