To still brush my DC's teeth?

[upsideup]

3,4,8,10 years and I brush all their teeth, oldest two I will let try but will always do a bit after.
DD(10) is on a sleepover and I'm already imagining she hasnt brushed them properly and I will have to do it again when she gets home in the morning.

When did you stop?

You're meant to be bringing children up to adulthood not keeping them as perma-babies with no idea of selfcare! Do you wipe their arses too?

I supervise every so often (12 and 7) but never brush for them. They have proper children electric toothbrushes and neither has ever had any fillings or problems so far; our dentist comments every time how well they do brush their teeth.

My dentist said they should brush on their own when they can tie shoelaces ( manual dexterity)
Noooo, my 13 year old still struggles with his laces, he's over 6 foot I don't think I could reach his teeth

Yanbu.

I still do my 11yr olds teeth a few times a week, just as a top up. Although I'll stop soon. Dentist said it was advisable to still give them the odd brush. TBH I'm obsessive about dental hygiene, no fillings in this house.

I have to do my 9yr olds teeth most days as she won't brush them and has meltdowns about it. She's even gone off disclosing tablets . They'd rot if she was left to her own devices.

I do however brush my 5 and 7 year olds teeth with them at night. They do their own in the mornings and I do them at night. The youngest has enamel deficiency so I can't see me stopping anytime soon. Their toothpaste says supervised brushing until at least 7.

They are very independent, in the mornings they get fully showered/washed, dressed and teeth done ready for school before I've even got out of bed. I don't baby them.

Kids are 5 and 2. They both do them themselves then I finish off. Obviously the 2 year old requires me to pretty much do the whole lot again but my 5 year old does a pretty good job.

I wish my mum
Had brushed my teeth at 10. I didn't do them properly and they are full of fillings. I do think they should have a go first though. I brush my 5 year olds but the does them first himself. The dentist said do it as long as possible and at least til 8

To add to this - yes it's a life skill but their teeth will also get damaged in the learning process if they don't do it adequately. It's not comparable to getting dressed etc. Picking food is a life skill but you wouldn't let a child eat a diet of wotsits and fizzy fish whilst they leant about nutrition.

This makes me feel better as I still brush my 6.5yo's teeth, but feel slightly guilty about it. My 8yo does his own but needs to be really closely supervised as he does a frankly shite job. I may even re-introduce me going over then for a minute after reading responses on here.
I disagree that it's babying, or that a ten year old will fully understand the consequences of not brushing properly. Kids don't think that far into the future. I also disagree that a kids who has help with tooth brushing at that age will never be able to brush them independently.

I think it's a good thing to brush your children's teeth. There are plenty of things they can do themselves to be independent (where it doesn't matter as much if they don't do a good job). Dental health is so important though and if they don't brush properly they're likely to need fillings.

Some people here seem hell bent on keeping the apron strings primed for removal for fear their child might develop a bad case of over dependance. I supervised/helped brush my eldest child's teeth until she was at least 9, and not only has she got an impeccable set of teeth, but she is also an extremely sensible independent & mature young lady.