How old was your DS (DD?) before they brushed their teeth of their own accord

[BalloonSlayer]

I say DS because DD is fine and I sense this is a boy thing.

I know when I have not brushed my teeth. My entire being shrieks: "Where's the fur-free shiney feeling? Where's the minty freshness?" I could no more leave the house in the morning without brushing my teeth than I could without putting any clothes on, emergency excluded (in both cases).

DD seems to have "got it" and brushes her teeth twice a day, no problem.

DS1 (1.5 years older) is a different matter. EVERY day, I have to say (morning or evening) "Have you brushed your teeth?"

A look of intense, not unintelligent, perplexity crosses his handsome face. I am convinced his thoughts run thus:

"Teeth. Teeth? Teeth! Mammals have teeth. They use them to bite. I am a mammal! I have teeth. Yes. Those are the things in my mouth that are white-ish yet not as white as those in my sister's mouth. I wonder why? I digress . . . have I cleaned my teeth? Why would I clean them? Why would they need cleaning? What would I clean them with anyway? Some sort of brush I suppose . . . WAIT!!! . . . Someone gave me a little brush for Christmas, ahhh perhaps that's it. Have I used it today?, hmm, it's hard to think with Mummy yelling at me FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DS1 ANSWER ME. Now she is stamping upstairs to "feel my toothbrush" - she is one weiiiiiird woman."

DH brushes his teeth.
Every grown man I know brushes his teeth.
Please tell me at what age the switch clicks and they start to do it by themselves?

Please don't tell me it's 13, when they want a snog. That means I have another 4 years of this...

Well I have to constantly tell my teenagers to clean there teeth...it drives me mad as they are 15 & 14

I still always have to remind my 10yr old DD.
She may have occasionally done it without reminder at night, as it does at least keep her out of bed two minutes longer, but never in the morning.

Hahaha My ds1 is 10 and amazingly once in a blue moon will remember to brush his teeth without being reminded

dd is 8 and not much better.

DS is nine and I was having to smell his breath to check that the teeth were brushed...then I discovered that he was putting toothpaste on his finger and rubbing it over his teeth!!!

So now we are back to me standing over him in the bathroom until it's done.

You inspired me Boys are odd

my dd is 11 and have to remind her all the time. My ds is 21 months and got his teeth at 13 months and ever since they came through every morning he asks to brush his teeth as soon as he gets up and at bedtime too.
However I am sure this will change as he gets older.