DS aged 2 won't brush his teeth and won't let me near his mouth

[bigspender30]

Any tips or hints o wise ones?

I found a combination of headlock and silly games/songs worked best. At least it keeps you calmer while you're doing the headlock.

But I think I tend to lean towards the "too important to ignore" school. If you can't force them to do things for fear that they will have negative feelings, what do you do the day they have to have life-saving medicine? What if they develop diabetes and have to have an injection a day? Or (as in my dd's case) have to do painful physio twice a day?

Yes, I know I'm exaggerating and tooth decay is not serious in the same way. But having a filling done can be quite traumatic for a 4-year-old. Ds had one done when he was 6 and it really really hurt. And toothache is horrible.

We started, can't remember at what age, with a toothbrush in the bath to play with. Seemed to help. And also cleaning our own teeth when dcs around so they want to copy.

Now at age 3, my dd often disappears into the bathroom to 'clean' her teeth. She particularly loves her cinderella electric toothbrush that father christmas bought her.

Ds (6yrs) could go for weeks without cleaning them but at least he will when threatened told to

My 2YO DS is exactly the same.

DP also gets him pinned down to brush but I hate it makes him sound like he's being battered! Makes him think it's bad I guess but straight after he gets his brush to chew with a tad of toothpaste. LOL.

Some counter-intuitive ideas here, including various foods which promote dental health like hard cheese, celery... and of course the magic of xylitol.

Both mine DS5 and DS2 were both jaw clampers but soon resolved with a big tight towel after bathtime and just did it. If they cried at least their mouths were open!

Now they are both brill at brushing. They soon cottoned on that it was not an option and was going to happen anyway. Bit mean but that and medicine are not really choices.

Well, Ds is usually fine with teeth brushing but he does have those days when he refuses. I go with either singing the cbeebies teeth brushing song, which usually works, or then resorting to holding him down. Once I have got the brush in started he's usually ok.

you kind of have to get them in a headlock on your lap, and do it that way after a while they just let youdo it

We did - different toothpaste; different brushes; pinning down; silly songs; soft toys doing brushing; sticker charts; group tooth-brushing sessions; sobbing, wailing and tantrums (me, not here). All sorts. All sufficed to get a toothbrush and paste in DD's mouth once a day, willingly or otherwise. It was the low point of the day for MONTHS. Now (4.4) she's fine, no residual trauma from the pinning down, doesn't require silly songs any more. Still get the Kevin-the-Teenager 'ohhhhhh' when teeth-cleaning is requested, but she does it (or lets us). I think the key is that we NEVER let up, well, apart from one time when she had a sore mouth from an accident, however grim it got she DID clean her teeth ever day.

Now just have to get working on cleaning them TWICE a day. Joy.

I remember reading an article by a Mother of older teenage boys. She said it pains her that they will not brush their teeth and she can no longer make them. All the years of wasted effort, the headlocks, the cajoling......