AIBU to wonder how the hell you are supposed to brush a 12 month olds teeth?!

[Elsiejane]

My DS is 12 months old. He is very happy, sociable. Honestly the perfect baby. However when it comes to brushing teeth I struggle. He has 6 (4 at top, 2 on bottom).
He can take the toothbrush, place it in his mouth and more or less just chew the bristles but obviously this isnt him brushing his teeth properly.
AIBU to almost make him cry by brushing his teeth? I sit him on my lap and let him explore the toothbrush, when i feel he is getting bored of it (or usually after around two minutes) i take the brush off him and brush his teeth but he has started refusing to open his mouth/ turning away. Is there anyway i can brush his teeth without having to do it while hes crying?

I found it much easier to lie DD on her back to brush her teeth at that age. We also got her a buzzy toothbrush which she liked. Now she's 2, she actively likes the "brish brush". You could try those options?

I would try counting 5 seconds per tooth plus maybe cleaning yours at the same time. It is important to brush their teeth still, even if they cry. If you think 2 minutes is for 20 teeth, 6 teeth should be around a minute, a little less. Even chewing on the toothbrush will help clean them.
14,000 children under 5 have a general anaesthetic to have teeth extracted it's the most common reason for a GA in children. Even in very young children its important that you clean their teeth, because the consequences can be quite severe

My Dentist has told me not to worry about 2 minutes for such young children she said;
get toothpaste on each tooth twice a day, brush as well as you can, avoid juice, dried fruit and sweets, nothing other than water after night time toothbrushing if at all possible.

Thank you i will definitely look into and try these other methods. He has a toothbrush that flashes red for 2 minutes so hes interested in that.

I find this really hard too. My baby got her first tooth at 4 months and has always hated teeth brushing other than a small 3 week period at around 15 months when she was an angel. Now at 18 months she is a clever little thing and has worked out how to scream with her mouth shut making it really bloody hard to get the toothbrush in. She is really stubborn so tickles, singing, crying don’t help get her mouth open. I think she’s cutting her last molars though which is perhaps why she hates it poor thing. I’d rather 2 small periods of resistance than the pain of tooth decay but I do worry we’re not brushing effectively.

Brush Brush Brush song on YouTube.

Also chewable toothbrushes.

Electric toothbrush.

And/or headlock

I found holding them on my knee in a cradled / reclining position helped - better angle and its a position they associated with being cuddled / looked after. Also opening my own mouth wide.

But also insisting and (when met with full on physical refusal) just sitting in front of the bathroom door reading on my phone and making it clear neither of us would leave until teeth were brushed (that's with older toddlers / preschoolers who can understand the 'when your teeth are done, then we will eat breakfast' concept).

Youve all been extremely helpful and made me feel better!