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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how the hell you're supposed to brush babies teeth?!

35 replies

Brushyourteethpls · 21/07/2022 07:02

My 18 month old has turned into a devil for this and I'm panicking about it.

He throws his head around, pushes my hand away, sticks his tongue in the way of the brush etc.. I have to literally hold his head with my other hand just to get the toothbrush in.

I feel like there's no possible way I am getting the actual teeth for long or well enough and I'm worried he's going to end up with horrid teeth but I'm at the end of my tether with it.

How do you do it!!!!!

OP posts:
Shakeitshakeitbaby · 21/07/2022 07:05

Brush baby silicone toothbrush and a lot of patience!

WinterMusings · 21/07/2022 07:13

Your title isn't going to help because he's not a baby! With a baby you can just use a soft cloth.

he's a toddler & if you can't bribe or make him see it just needs to be done, then wrap him in a tight towel (pinning his arms to his side) and sit him on your knee trapping his legs between yours & kind of rugby lock his head with your arm & get the job done.

have you tried a novelty electric toothbrush?

allowing him to watch something on your phone?

bedtime story of choice?

id go full on bribery before using the rugby technique, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it if necessary. Keep trying without though as they change overnight again and it's suddenly no longer an issue.

makevsure the brush you're using is soft enough too or it may genuinely be hurting him.

good luck, it's no fun!!

RaisinGhost · 21/07/2022 07:16

I give them a cuddle with their body and head sort of pinned by one arm/armpit and the toothbrush in the other. It's over in thirty seconds.

RomeoMcFlourish · 21/07/2022 07:18

I spent two years having to just pin my DD down. As much as she hated it at the time, I don’t regret it for a second, she has beautiful clean teeth and gums now. She doesn’t remember hating it, or being pinned down and she’s great at brushing her teeth now.

Original poster
Brushyourteethpls · 21/07/2022 07:19

Thanks!

With the bribery thing, I don't know if it's just him but he just seems far too young for this to work, I don't think he'd understand it yet. Have tried letting him watch things ect but doesn't seem to make a difference. I haven't tried a silicone brush, I'll get one and see thanks.

He used to be really good with it but just for the past month or so he's completely switched!

OP posts:
Singlebutmarried · 21/07/2022 07:19

We had a chewable gunshield type thing

Original poster
Brushyourteethpls · 21/07/2022 07:20

Me and DH tend to make it a team effort when he's here which makes it easier but he's often at work in the mornings by the time DS wakes up so have to do it by myself then.

OP posts:
Workyticket · 21/07/2022 07:21

Wrap him in a towel and go for it. Mine used to watch a youtube toothbrushing song - we called it the Headlock Tune

RomeoMcFlourish · 21/07/2022 07:23

The Hey Duggee toothbrush song is good!

Original poster
Brushyourteethpls · 21/07/2022 07:23

Workyticket · 21/07/2022 07:21

Wrap him in a towel and go for it. Mine used to watch a youtube toothbrushing song - we called it the Headlock Tune

Headlock tune 😂 love that.

I'll check out the hey duggee one thank you!

OP posts:
imshapedlikeatoenail · 21/07/2022 07:24

No tips, sorry. with my eldest, I just done my best, she soon grew out of it. Teeth are all fine. Now going through the same with my youngest.

3amAndImStillAwake · 21/07/2022 07:24

I'm terrible at remembering what age we did things, but when DD was younger (and she's only just turned 3 now) we got her a second toothbrush and she could use that on a doll or teddy before we then brushed her teeth. She was more compliant then. I also always let her have a go at brushing her own teeth after I had done it (no extra toothpaste or anything, she mainly just waved the brush around her mouth) which seemed to make her happier with the whole process as well.

But teeth brushing has always been non-negotiable in our house and if necessary I would hold her arms and just do it as PPs have described.

GoTraine · 21/07/2022 07:24

When my DS was about this age we had similar issues. We allowed him to choose a toothbrush and toothpaste, brushed our teeth at the same time as him brushing his, played a song on YouTube about brushing teeth for the time he was meant to brush and then gave him star stickers (one for his top and one for the chart). Not sure which bit stuck or translated or motivated - but it worked. We realised that if we make anything seem like something DS has to do then he'll resist - he'd refuse to eat ice cream and watch Peppa Pig if we said he had to...so we tried to make it seem like a choice.

Tee20x · 21/07/2022 07:27

Same here. Have the same battle twice a day, sometimes she's more compliant but majority of the time she just screams, puts hands in her mouth, puts tongue in the way etc etc. I too have been concerned that I haven't been getting all of them & also think she wouldn't "get" bribery.

I just hold her on my knee with something on the TV and stick the toothbrush in and brush as best as I can.

Hopefully one day it won't be a battle

Impatientwino · 21/07/2022 07:30

We put a baby toothbrush in the bath and just let ours play with it - it invariably went in their mouth and we would then gradually introduce tickling their teeth with it. We asked them to do it and then it was mummy or daddy's turn. Mainly worked, few nights we just had to let it go and accept that some toothpaste went in the direction of their teeth!

Not sure if it helped but I always thought if they voluntarily put the thing in their mouth in the first place there would be less resistance.

We made it part of bath time because they loved the bath so if teeth brushing became a bit of a battle it was all over by the time they got out!

10 and 5 now with good teeth!

PeterPomegranate · 21/07/2022 07:32

Give him his own toothbrush so you each have one. And just persevere. Good luck.

tallwivglasses · 21/07/2022 07:43

There's a pokemon tooth brushing app that transformed our lives (no exaggeration). As teeth get cleaned they bag the little critters and end up with a photo of one on their head. Weird, but it worked a treat.

WulyJmpr · 21/07/2022 08:05

Hello I find this works for my 15 month old:

I kneel down on the floor

Lie baby's head on my lap with her legs pointing away from me

Use one of my hands to gently but firmly hold her wiggling hands and arms that are trying to push me away!

Use my other hand to clean her teeth

My baby cannot easily get up from this position so I don't have to restrain her very hard

And I can see her mouth and teeth really well

I really wish I'd known this technique for my son who also hated having his teeth brushed!

Apollonia1 · 21/07/2022 08:10

I got the Brush Baby BabySonic electric toothbrush in Boots.
It's been a game changer! My twins LOVE them. They even have a handy light to see the back teeth!

ChagSameachDoreen · 21/07/2022 08:11

It might not be a popular opinion but you just have to hold him down. Some things are just non-negotiable, and teeth cleaning is one of them.

Caspianberg · 21/07/2022 08:38

I find it easier cleaning my 2 year olds teeth with him lying on changing Mat ontop of dresser. He’s high up so knows not to wriggle as much, and I think laying down he feels better about toothbrush not gagging him and I can see better. Have been doing since around 12 months.
( and now he’s toilet trained keep the mat there for this purpose).

He then gets to clean his teeth himself after standing at sink, just to get used to that too

JustJeans · 21/07/2022 08:49

What worked best for us was letting them clean our teeth first. Then (when it started to get painful) we'd say 'your turn!' and they'd let us clean theirs.
Giving them a doll or teddy to clean is a good idea too.

InChocolateWeTrust · 21/07/2022 08:55

At that age control is a big thing. Have you tried letting him start off himself then saying "right now its mummy's turn" and you finish off properly

pixienewbie · 21/07/2022 08:58

We used to watch baby shark on YouTube to distract at that age

bbqhulahoop · 21/07/2022 09:03

I'm not proud of having to do it like this but I do DD when she's in the high hair after dinner so she can't escape. I use my arm so her head is pinned to the back of the chair (gently but firmly) and that usually makes her whine so I can give her teeth a quick swipe

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