Teeth brushing....

[AliGrylls]

This is a weird question but I need to know when you people out there started teeth brushing and how you did it.

I have been giving DS his toothbrush twice a day since his first tooth broke through and initially he loved playing with it, putting it in his mouth and copying me.

More recently though he has been really bad tempered about his toothbrush going anywhere near his mouth. His molars have just started to come through and I have been trying to brush his teeth for him but he really cries.

He is 16 months. Please tell me how to do it and also whether I should be forcing it on him at this stage. I am becoming really paranoid now about all his baby teeth falling out because I don't brush his teeth properly.

My little boy went through a phase where he hated brushing his teeth and it always involved tantrums when we did it, i just stuck with it and now he's good with his teeth- once he could understand i'd explain mummy does it 1st then he can do it after that way i know they've had one quick proper brush, i could never do it for long just a quick brush over all his teeth and done. He's 3 now and would happily let you brush his teeth all day so it never put him off.

My 22 month old used to love having her teeth cleaned but now hates it. I'm assuming her gums are sore, but I decided tonight to clean her teeth during the day when she's not tired to see if I have more luck. I'd say don't force it as you do't want him becoming phobic, and maybe make a game out of it - plane flying in with plane noises? Still learning myself!