Brushing teeth!!!

[JodeyP]

I've been brushing my sons teeth since he was 18 wks when his first ones cut through. He's now 15 months and every morning and evening we have a battle trying to brush his teeth. If we give him the brush he simply sucks on it and when I try to brush them he closes his lips so tight that I can't even get the toothbrush in his mouth. We currently have 3 toothbrushes so he can hold one in each hand and I gave the third but this is no longer working as he just goes mental when I try to use mine. I've tried making up a song, turning it into a game so just wondered if anyone had any other strategies for me to try so that it isn't such a battle. I really don't want him to have decaying teeth due to them not being cleaned properly!

i share your pain, no real tips apart from Ds sitting on DH's lap and Dh holds his arms and i have a quick brush while he protests. sounds a bit much but its just looking after his teeth and he will need to get used to it. we do this in the evening and let him have a go himself in the morning while i try and teach him. he normally just ends up sucking the toothpaste off, but at least he's having a go and his teeth have a better clean in the evening. He's 22 months, read somewhere they tend to be more co-operative after 2, have no idea is this is true, probably varies from child to child.

At this age healthy teeth depend more on diet than teeth cleaning. As long as some toothpaste is meeting the teeth don't worry, just give a piece of cheese or something instead to neutralise any acids.

My DD has great teeth and we just let her 'brush' her own teeth. Now at 2 years she lets us help her. We wanted to avoid any trauma being associated with teeth cleaning so took the gentle route and our dentist has told us that it's fine and that many parents worry too much that they are going ruin their children's teeth by not brushing them for 2 mins every day.

Personally, I hold them in my lap, trap their left hand between me and them, hold their right hand, give a little tickle and when their mouth opens the toothbrush goes in - brush furiously for 20 seconds and hey presto - have to say that I haven't done this for a long time as they are much older - but they get the message pretty quickly. Doesn't need to be abusive or torturous!! - just give them a warning then scoop them up and get on with it quickly. If they scream - even better - more room to get the toothbrush in. Coaxing only goes so far then they need to just get on with it. All the time they know they can prolong the agony - they will - they've got nothing better to do and don't care if you have!! There are some things that they have to learn HAVE to be done like eating your greens and homework. Just ain't optional!!! Sorry if that sounds harsh - but the approach works well for me. Good Luck.

I saw a post on here a while back about brush baby toothbrushes, bought one for DD when she was about OP's DS age and find it very good just to get the fluoride round the mouth as she is willing to just chew on it herself for a couple of minutes.

I was discussing this exact same issue with a friend today and her sons (2.6 & 5.3) use little electric spiderman toothbrushes. She says they have made a big difference to their willingness to have them in their mouths!

ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH!
Don't know why but DS loves it, normal brush and we need to pin him down!?

Not sure whether it'll work for all but I just tend to make it into a game. Seeing how big you/child can open their mouths. Counting how many teeth they have, and then doing the same. She also has a Peppa pig toothbrush so she's really liking that too, with her own toothpaste (I call it her special tooth paste). Sometimes she's a little distracted but I'd just say give lots of encouragement, and not worry too much (I guess that's just common sense, but it's a point we all have to remember with bringing up a child).