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Original poster

how do you brush your baby's teeth?

52 replies

happygilmore · 07/07/2011 15:11

I admit we haven't tried as often as we should, but when we do she just clamps her mouth shut and won't let us anywhere near her. The only way I think we could do it would be for one person to pin her down and the other do it, which I'm reluctant to do..

What does everyone else do? (She's 13 months)

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Original poster
happygilmore · 07/07/2011 19:12

See I thought that's what we'd do, just let her get used to it,play with it a bit, chew it etc. Whenever I try that she just throws it and gives me a hard stare as if to say, don't do that again!

Stubborn baby, I'm sure it's a trait that will stand her in good stead for the rest of her life!

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/07/2011 19:16

Clamp arms and hold nose till she opens her mouth and shove the brush in quickly

Use force Wink

Original poster
happygilmore · 07/07/2011 19:18

Gwendoline that is exactly it Grin

Had to force her mouth open just to get the bloody brush in tonight. As Combine rightly pointed out earlier, we needed to man up and do it! Not sure my 30 seconds will save her from poor dental hygiene but it's a start I suppose.

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headfairy · 07/07/2011 19:20

I bought dd one of these and she chews it with some toothpaste on. Sometimes I'm afraid I do hold her on her lap with her head slightly back and as she yells I get in with a toothbrush, but only occasionally. She quite enjoys chewing those little brushes though, but sometimes she only does one side hence the screaming and wailing as I get in with a brush to do the other side.

She's 18 months btw and has never ever liked having her teeth done. But as someone else said, it's non negotiable really. Either she does them or I do.

Original poster
happygilmore · 07/07/2011 19:25

Sorry link just takes me to an overview headfairy. She used to chew her toothbrush before she had any teeth, so I think it's the association with toothpaste and/or brushing that's the problem. Will have to do our best til she gets used to it I suppose, but feeling a bit guilty we didn't before now. Is it likely her teeth will be very damaged by this?

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headfairy · 07/07/2011 19:37

sorry, try this

Original poster
happygilmore · 07/07/2011 19:54

thanks headfairy, worth a shot

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worldgonecrazy · 08/07/2011 08:23

Can I suggest that those who use force, lie on the floor with their mouth clamped shut and ask an adult to sit on them, force a toothbrush into their mouth and forcibly brush their teeth. Toothpaste makes foam which trickles to the back of the mouth and feels as though you are choking when it happens.

Teeth cleaning does not have to be done every day. Your child will not end up having GA for removals if you don't torture them, because believe me, what is being described sounds like torture. Gentler methods may not be as 'instant' and may take more time but are less stressful for everyone.

I am absolutely horrified and sickened by some of the suggestions on this thread that anyone could do that to a child thinking they were somehow helping them. No force in our family and we all have great teeth.

Original poster
happygilmore · 08/07/2011 09:00

To be fair, I think people were emphasising that as she is so averse to it, unless we force the issue a bit, it's not going to happen. I've done all the - watch mummy and daddy brush their teeth, she had her toothbrush to play with for weeks before she even got any teeth etc etc and she just won't open her mouth. I've got to use some force (for want of a better word) if I ever want to brush her teeth, if I wait til I'm able to reason I think it might be months before we get there.

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 08/07/2011 09:05

Wind your neck in worldgonecrazy. Do you really think that anyone is literally sitting on their child and assaulting them with the toothbrush in the manner you describe? Hmm

"horrified and sickened" ffs.

worldgonecrazy · 08/07/2011 09:16

gwendoline may I suggest you read the thread and you will see that is exactly what some people are suggesting.

Original poster
happygilmore · 08/07/2011 09:24

I couldn't assault her with the toothbrush if I tried, she won't let me near her!

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Udderly · 08/07/2011 09:35

I have just taste tested the Dentinox toothpaste on your behalf after buying some at the weekend! It doesn't taste of mint. Not sure what it does taste like, weird and a bit ugh, but not mint :)

Original poster
happygilmore · 08/07/2011 09:38

Udderly you are a kind woman! Not sure why she doesn't like mint anyway, this is the same child who will eat cat food given half the chance.

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bunnyfrance · 08/07/2011 09:40

I'm with worldgonecrazy here. I was speaking to our dentist recently about this. He said at this age (1 to 2) all you need is to get them used to the idea and into a routine. No need to obsess about it. He said not to bother with toothpaste initially. Just wet the brush a bit, if they open their mouths and chew on it, you're getting somewhere. If they don't want to know, nevermind, but keep at it.

happygilmore, I'd leave the toothbrushing totally for a week or two (maybe eliminate all sweets at the same time) and come back to it later. At her young age, she may then have forgotten all about the previous attempts.

Good luck!

Original poster
happygilmore · 08/07/2011 09:44

That's what we've done for the last few weeks bunny. She just won't open her mouth! I didn't expect her to like it first time, and fully expected to do the "softly, softly, getting used to it" approach. But she knows her own mind and doesn't like it, she's a bit like that with spoon feeding too. She used to chew the toothbrush when it had no paste on it, but won't with it on, hence me saying I think changing the toothpaste is a really good idea.

She only has raisins now and again, less recently as I know they're bad for her teeth.

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bunnyfrance · 08/07/2011 09:54

Trying a different toothpaste is a good idea. I don't know, maybe I'm a lax mother or something, but at that age, if they're not going to sleep with a boob/bottle in their mouths and eating sweets, chocs etc, then I think their teeth will be fine for a few weeks/months without toothpaste twice a day. I'll probably get flamed....

RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles · 08/07/2011 09:55

My dentist here (Spain) suggested an electric toothbrush which DD3 (now 2.4) has been using since about 18 months. She sits with it in the bath each evening and his idea was that 4 or 5 minutes of her whizzing it around her mouth will equate to about 2 minutes of brushing. She loved it from the beginning (had always wanted to use mine) and now would brush her teeth 20 times a day if she could.

I always found with my older children that simply giving them the toothbrush in the bath and after breakfast generally resulted in a bit of brushing and my dentist at the time said that was enough at that age. By 2.5 they were all very happy to clean their teeth or let me do it.

bunnyfrance · 08/07/2011 09:56

Also wanted to add that I think the imitation stage comes a bit later, at around 18 months. You may have more luck then, when she'll want to do as you do.

oldmum42 · 08/07/2011 15:46

Tesco (the larger stores anyway), sells kids fruit flavor toothpaste (strawberry, which I've used, and another friut ?tropical or something). With my DS3 it was the mint flavour he detested.
DS4 is 8 months and I find the silicone finger brushes (not available when my older kids were small), are a really great thing for babies - I think a toothbrush can be quite threatening, theu are big and it's easy to hurt them without realising it....... with the finger brush it's easy to know what bit of the mouth you are poking at. I usually give him his toothbrush to hold while I do the finger brushing and he will usually spend a moment or two sucking or chewing it, so he's getting used to the feel of it.

My dentist calls raisins "evil" as people think they are healthy but they stick to teeth very effectively so can cause a lot of damage..... she advises very strongly that they should not be used in lunch boxes etc - "fresh not dried" is her policy on fruit in general!

earshot · 08/07/2011 19:50

You are all making me feel better - I thought I was alone in pinning my screaming child down for his teeth! It's been going on for a year now and he still refuses to brush his own teeth. We tried everything Sad Wierdly after all the screaming and pining down, when you finally get the bloody thing in, he sits quietly and loves having his teeth brushed. Sigh.

MoonFaceMamaaaaargh · 08/07/2011 20:14

I'm with worldgonecrazy.

mousymouse · 09/07/2011 09:22

also with worldgonecrazy, I also think it is counterproductive to use force.
better do it gently and playfull at the beginning to get the dc used to it so the children like to do it later.

Original poster
happygilmore · 09/07/2011 12:15

But mousymouse, how do you do it playfully when your baby won't open their mouth? I don't want to force her in any way, and none of the "nicey nice" techniques are working on her. She will not open her mouth!

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missingmyflatbelly · 09/07/2011 22:20

This thread started out very worryingly but then after all the unbelievable suggestions of force it was refreshing to read worldgonecrazys post! U really don't need to force,if they dont brush then look at laternatives even dietary ones- perhaps cheese last thing eaten before be. If they don't brush just Give it time. If u had an older child then yes the concerns about poor dental hygiene, teeth removal, etc are valid but your dd is only 13months! Itsno big deal if she doesn't have properly brushed teeth for a couple of months while you take things more slowly. I agree with the suggestion of backing off for a while so she forgets all the bad associations then trying again. And trying doing it differently as some have said.