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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

What the hell do you do with a toddler who won't let you brush his teeth?

38 replies

dottytablecloth · 30/11/2014 13:48

I have a host of other issues at the minute but I'm putting them down to him being unwell.

However for the last week or so he has point blank refused to let us brush his teeth, morning or evening.

His breath is smelly now and I feel like a crappy mum

He howls and screams to the point of making himself sick. He refuses to open his mouth and I really don't want to hurt him by forcing it open and even if I do it's hardly ideal.

I've tried four different kinds of toothbrushes, electric, normal, the one you out over your finger and a two sided brush.

What on earth am I going to do? I'm really worried about this and worried about tooth decay.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

shattered77 · 30/11/2014 20:13

I agree with all the above. pinning down etc. our son is now three, and yesterday my husband Google imaged brown and rotten teeth. Our son was horrified / fascinated.He now knows that this is what will happen if he doesn't brush. Hopefully this tactic will work for at least the next few weeks.

Moleyjay · 30/11/2014 20:14

I used to pin down, wrap in towel ( straight jacket style) for a good while. No issues now!

RhubarbAndMustard · 30/11/2014 20:21

My DS hated it until I gave him his own brush, and I use a separate one. I put toothpaste on both. I brush first (while he's holding his) and then he gets to do it himself, with his afterwards, while I clean my teeth. We then take it in turns to spit into the bowl (toddlers love this bit).

They tend to chew theirs, so having a separate decent one that you use makes sense.

I also started off letting him clean mine but no need for that now.

hazeyjane · 30/11/2014 20:30

Wrap in a towel, for some reason being upside down means it is easier to get into dss mouth, so dh lies him upside down between his legs. The dentist also looks into his mouth upside down!

Ds is a lot better than he used to be, so I don't think it has had a lasting negative effect, and it is far better than the 4 teeth he had to have removed at the age of 3.

didireallysaythat · 30/11/2014 20:34

We have crazy Ted who does crazy brushing. Basically I hold Ted's arm so he's holding the brush and then crazy Ted brushes. Sometimes crazy Ted brushes eyebrows and noses but he always does a good job of teeth.

mrstowers · 03/12/2014 22:47

DD just turned 2 loves to brush her teeth and asks several times a day if she can. She has a go herself first whilst also playing with the toothbrush and the running tap water which she loves. During this time I get another toothbrush and brush her teeth properly for her. We make up a story where her teeth talk to the toothbrush (noise of the bristles) and she thinks it's hilarious. Can you try and make it into a fun game?

BlackeyedSusan · 03/12/2014 23:00

I use mokums technique with added tickling of ears to encourage nouth opening.

indignant howling is useful too, after all they do that with their mouths wide open.

I also use the three toothbrushes technique. one for each of their hands and one for mine... less hands to grab my brush.

toothpaste on a muslin over a little finger.

yes it sounds horrible but if their teeth rot then they will need an extraction/filing under a general anaesthetic which has it's own risks.

BB01 · 13/12/2014 10:10

Might not work if he's older but you could try watching the episodes of In the Night Garden (often on iPlayer) where the Tombliboos brush their teeth?! It seemed to help our DD start enjoying it, that and letting her do it herself before or after us doing it.

Lurkingintheshadows · 13/12/2014 10:13

Have you tried giving him a mirror so he can see what he is doing? I found that helped as well as pinning down

Andcake · 14/12/2014 21:59

We either do them together - with mum doing the last bit! Or sat on dads lap whilst mummy brushes. Getting a step so he can stand at the sink helped for a while. It's a battle which I feel as long as I win at least once a day I'm doing ok

gugliell · 15/12/2014 21:07

taking turns: first she washes her teeth and than I do it

explaining her in plain english that if she does not let me brush them they will go black, hurt and fall and she will no longer be able to eat her fav foods

brushing them together (both our hands on the toothbrush OR with two brushes)

Jaffakake · 16/12/2014 19:53

We went through this & tried all sorts, but basically had to find a motivation for him.

Stickers from eBay with George Pig on saying 'I've brushed my teeth' worked well in the mornings. I had a deal with nursery that if he was wearing one they'd make a fuss & congratulate him, but if not they'd ignore him.

Role playing with teddies & letting him do mine worked a little bit.

We did no bedtime story if no teeth brushing. Straight to bed if not. He didn't like that a bit!

No chocolate tomorrow didn't quite work as he thought if he did his teeth right there & then he'd get choc!

We have pinned him down but he bit his lip once & it bled & really upset me!

There's a couple of episodes of Bing! on Cbeebies that motivated him to do it himself.

Now at 3 we let him do it himself & we finish off.

Good luck, but as with many things it's a phase & rationality will hit before they're 18!

WastingMyYoungYears · 16/12/2014 19:59

Lots of great advice on this thread . We've had a lot of success using the Aquafresh app, giving DS his turn then taking our turn, and using YouTube videos that DS gets to choose.

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