How do I get my 2 year old brush her teeth

[BrownBearr]

Please help.

My two year old daughter is stubborn, getting her do things is a challenge in who outsmarts who.

Brushing teeth is one where she is definitely winning at the moment.

we tried brush teeth song and it worked for a while but no more

we tried sticker chart and well, doesn’t quite work either (much)

I tried to explain why it’s important but well, too young for that.

Tried to say once you brush your teeth you can do X, ended up not doing X at all as she’d rather not do that than brushes her teeth…

I need tips from you smart people. How do I outwit my two year (and 4 months) old. I’m not going to physically force her….

I don't think you can really convince a 2 year old..you will have to pin her down... its non negotiable..they do get better at it.

Teeth brushing is non-negotiable. Wrap her in a towel with her arms pinned to her sides, stand her between your legs and brush while she screams.

Eventually, she'll learn that allowing it to be done nicely or doing it herself (with help) is better.

I found that brushing my teeth at the same time helped a lot. So I brush mine (with my toothbrush of course 🤣) then I say ‘your turn’ to my son and help him. Just a few seconds then do mine again, then his. Works a lot better than pinning him down for 2 minutes.

The blippi tooth brushing video on YouTube worked for my son (for a while). But yes, I had to pin him down and brush them at times. Which doesn’t feel good!

Oh, and I also used to sing Michael Finnegan while brushing his teeth, and he would tell me to speed up or slow down, and I would do silly voices and the like. That worked too.

Spiderman toothpaste solved this for my DD. Tastes of bubblegum. Got it from Savers.

A lot of parents I know have had to pin down their children to make them have their teeth brushed.

you’ll only have to do it afew times and then she’ll just let you do it.

If all the stickers, songs, gadgets and bribery won't work then you have to pin her down (I had to do it loads of times). There isn't a magical fun solution I'm afraid. Teeth brushing is essential.

Sing a song, be silly, say you can see bits of the days food hidden in there (or make up crazy stuff that's in there), get snazzy new toothbrush or toothpaste, play music etc

But ultimately, hold her down and do it if all else fails. It's kinder and less violent than letting her teeth rot and having them removed.

So if you’re not going to force her, what happens when she has rotten teeth?

did you watch that panaroma (sp) documentary about children’s health? That was on about teeth brushing, there was a parent on there who’s child had severe tooth decay and was in a lot of pain. He wouldn’t let his mum brush his teeth and she wasn’t forcing him.

so you have a choice:

1. Tooth decay, which is traumatic for a child who’s in severe pain and it’s affecting their eating.

2. pin them down for a short time until they realise it’s being done whether they like it or not?

which one is your choice op?

Wrap them in a towel and just do it. A few minutes of stress is a lot better than tooth ache. They can't brush their teeth properly until they are 7 and even then I would go over them.

2 of my kids had small "weevils" that lived in their mouths & we had to keep the rooms clean /repaint them another colour (chosen by child) with a toothbrush
The weevils had voices 🙈 & made requests if there was a lack of enthusiasm from the toddler. We also did a lot of "ooh look that tooth is red we need to change it to blue" etc

My eldest used to brush youngest teeth by getting her to make animal faces - big hippo wahh to brush back teeth, snarling tiger for front teeth roaring lion for the rest I think there were other animals too but I can't remember because she only let her biggest sister brush her teeth that way!

The disclosing tablets are quite good motivation too

My daughter is autistic and doesn't like brushing her teeth. (In no way suggesting your daughter is my older one hated it too) three things that worked

1. A two headed toothbrush from Amazon . Hits more spots in your small time window!

2 oranurse flavourless toothpaste. 3 a brushing timer with flashing lights

Good luck we had a long time of pinning her down which was such a stressful thing before bedtime

Your approach about 'who outsmarts who' is bonkers. She's 2, essentially like a fairly switched-on Labrador.

Get her arms down by her sides, sit her on your knee, brush her teeth. Millions of parents have done it before you and will after.

Anything else is shit parenting, and you'll feel it when the dentist has to start taking teeth out. Just get it done. It's one of life's non-negotiables.

You’ve tried all the right things!

my kids used to like brushing my teeth for me with my toothbrush, while I did theirs. You could try that.

I would have a chat with your little one saying you are getting worried that her teeth do not always get a proper clean, and that one of your jobs as her mummy is to make sure they get really clean in the morning and evening. Tell her she can choose to let you, but if not, she is choosing for you to hold her while you do it.

also forcing them does not have to be some violent, angry act. You need to stay calm, have a phrase ready that you always say eg “I’m going to hold you tight so I can brush your teeth”. Sit on the floor with her in between your legs, wrap yours around so little one can’t kick you. Hold arms tight and brush teeth. Narrating calmly. Eg “I’m just brushing all the food off your teeth, nearly done, oh wow they’re so sparkly”.

afterwards and when the child has calmed down, talk to them again saying you’re sorry it wasn’t very nice, repeating it’s your job to make sure teeth are clean. Ask them if next time they can help you.

honestly it doesn’t take many times like that and they will do-operate. I agree with other posters it is not an optional activity. Still can be done with kindness.

This is how I've got my ds who wouldn't brush to do his now too

He also decided against every toothbrush except mine so I bought the same one with child toothbrush heads so we are using the same

Take her to the dentist and get the dentist to explain why she has to do it. A two year old is old enough to understand.

Teeth brushing is non-negotiable. No breakfast until she’s brushed her teeth. No bedtime story until she’s brushed her teeth etc.

I pinned mine down. He’s 24 now and brushes his teeth for bloody ages. Nice gnashers though.

Do it while she's watching her favourite TV programme or a specific tooth brushing video eg the sesame Street one or Blippi (absolutely hate Blippi but the brushing video is good) . We started off this way then slowly weaned our way into brushing in the bathroom. She's now really loving it and way too obsessed with spitting it out every few seconds 😂

Teeth don't naturally just decay - that would be an evolutionary disaster! They decay because of the sugars/carbs in children's diet. I've seen many skeletons of mature adults who lived long before we invented toothbrushes and toothpaste with fabulous teeth and not a carious lesion in sight.

When my children refused to brush their teeth we said fine, but you cannot eat anything with sugar in it and can only drink water and milk (yes I know it has sugar in it but it is offset to a degree by the high calcium/low acidity) - they didn't last long before caving in and brushing!

I try my best to be a kind and empathic parent but sometimes you have to just do what's best for your child even if they don't like it. I would just physically do it whether she wanted it or not. So many children have tooth decay and so many problems which are painful and upsetting. Being a parent isn't always doing things your child likes.

I printed off a picture of rotten teeth and stuck it on the bathroom mirror above the sink

It did the trick

🤣🤣

Snazzy toothpaste. My kid only wants the blue one. Fine, does the job.

Lie her on her back and clamp her head between your thighs. Works a dream.