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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

How do I get these bloody teeth brushed!!!!! ARHHHHH!!!

26 replies

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 20:25

DS 15 months has always been fine having his teeth brushed, until now. For the last 2 weeks he has jammed his mouth shut and won't budge! He has been poorly for a while but this is madness! Help!

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whomovedmychocolate · 31/01/2009 20:27

I used to turn DD upside down and this always opened her mouth. Then we tried encouraging her to sing when she did it, then we tried 'you can finish up if I can start'. Then finally bought her a sonic toothbrush and insisted we were 'tickling' her teeth. That did the trick. Tis tough. Don't pay too much heed they will get bored. It won't kill their teeth if they miss a day if it means they don't think they get attention for being little buggers!

LuckySalem · 31/01/2009 20:27

Have you tried just giving him the toothbrush to do it himself for a while?

DD likes doing it herself and dipping the toothbrush in the running water?

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 20:34

Well being just 15 months its not easy. We have turned him upside down but the screaming fit etc gets a bit much. Do you think teething would make it painful? He will sometimes hold his toothbrush but just recently he has throw it across the room in disgust! Do you think I should get floride drops until he sorts himself out and just keep trying to get the dam things brushed.

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rempy · 31/01/2009 20:37

Sing. Or do Ahhhs, and Eeeees.

Give him your toothbrush and take turns, you do his, he does yours.

Let him start, then you finish.

Or headlock.

whomovedmychocolate · 31/01/2009 20:39

Flouride drops are a generally bad idea because you can't calibrate how much he's getting from the water supply and can get discoloured teeth.

There's nothing wrong with scrubbing them with a flannel you know if that's the best you can do. He will grow out of this, he's just being a gittish 15 month old - they all do this - you wait till he's two and he can run at high speed while swiping an angry paw across the countertop to knock everything flying .

Teething could be making it painful but I'll bet you've reacted quite strongly when he's refused. Can you get someone else to try who just doesn't care too much? Or just say 'all right, we won't do it, but of course that means you can only eat mush for a day' then serve pureed carrots because that's what you eat if you have no teeth?

LuckySalem · 31/01/2009 20:39

I'd say the main thing would be not to let it become a battle. Take your time but dont keep at it for more than say 15 mins.

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 21:02

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try making it fun again. "You brush my teeth" etc..... Think we have reached headlock sadly, I didn't think I had reacted strongly whomovemychoc, but we have had 2 weeks of not eating, not brushing teeth, continuous crying, all after MMR and being off colour etc. Its been a tough 2 weeks!

whomovemychoc - its not added to our water in our area.....

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Servalan · 31/01/2009 22:02

I tickle DD if she jams her teeth together during toothbrushing - she opens her mouth to laugh and I get brushing!!

trixiethepixie · 31/01/2009 22:17

Yesterday I could have written this post. Ds, also 15 months refused to get his teeth brushed when previously had been fine. Clamped down tight as soon as he saw a toothbrush or threw it away if we put it in his hand.

I'd assumed it was because ds is teething. He has 3 coming through atm. I remember how painful it was to brush my own teeth at the back when my wisdom teeth were coming through. Would your ds be teething at all?

I'd tried everything myself with no result and then tonight he let me take a bit of swipe at them. Hoping he'll be as good tomorrow but I wouldn't stress about it. Babies are fickle creatures.

Twinklemegan · 31/01/2009 22:24

I'm pretty sure it's teething, but it could become habitual because my DS has been doing this for about 9 months now (he's 2 and a half). Your DS may be too young yet, but things improved immeasurable in our house when the Tooth Brushing Bear moved in. He's a little bear with a big toothbrush and horrible tasting toothpaste. DS is pretty keen to have his teeth brushed before the bear comes to do them.

FairyMum · 31/01/2009 22:31

I sit on mine and pin them down. better than being pinned down by a dentist with a drill surely?

Twinklemegan · 31/01/2009 22:33

Yes pinning down works too. And, I probably shouldn't say this, but if they're screaming they do at least open their mouth and you can get in there.

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 22:36

GOSH you have this thing sorted! Would it be wrong and damaging to pin down a 15 month old?

I asked his nursery worker how he gets on with teeth brushing.......they said......ummmm,I THINK he is ok with it.......you shouldn't brush them too often you know......

I guess that means they don't brush them at all then!

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MinkyBorage · 31/01/2009 22:44

When DD1 went through this stage, I used to do a very impressive () ventriloquist act where I would pretend to be 'tooth' and say stuff like "Ineed to be brushed, I'm dirty" etc etc, it worked a treat, and she isn't scarred by it thank goodness. It was fine until DH decided to try to get 'tooth' to sing baa baa black sheep. Bastard!
DD2, I used to pin her down and brush them. Stage soon passed, thank goodenss.

treacletart · 31/01/2009 22:46

getting a glove puppet to do it is a good trick

Twinklemegan · 31/01/2009 22:48

tryingtobemarypoppins - how often are you trying to brush them? I wouldn't expect them to be brushing them at nursery. Once in the morning and once before bed.

AlexanderPandasmum · 31/01/2009 22:51

My DS is 2 and had a problem with me brushing his teeth since about that age. I used to sit on the sofa with him on my knee, sitting with one side facing me, my arm around him, grabbing hold of the arm furthest away. Then I would use my other hand to brush his teeth.

A few months ago it stopped working so well, so I bought him one of those toothbrushes that flashed and he had 2 toothbrushes for a while. I let him choose one and then we 'took turns' brushing his teeth (still had to hold him down though!).

A few weeks ago he got too strong to do that so I enlisted help of DP. I held him in the crook of my arm while DP grabbed his hands and I would brush his teeth while DP sang "The toothbrushing song" (very ad lib!). Then I would give him the brush to do it himself.

Yesterday night we got ready to do the usual but instead DS opened his mouth and said "Aaah!" and just let me brush them! Hope that continues!

Good luck whatever you try. DS actually likes toothpaste so is happier when there is toothpaste on the brush, and gets cross when the flavour is gone!

thepuddingchef · 31/01/2009 22:58

Hi, I have been struggling with teeth brushing for months, ds is 2.6..then I remembered a tip I read on here about brushing teeth while there in the bath....didn't think for a second it would work......how wrong was I .....it's been 2 weeks now and ds actually asks to have his teeth cleaned when he's in the bath....I have no explanation why....but it worked for us

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 23:02

twinklemegan they asked me to pay for a nursery brush and toothpaste so I hope they brush them after breakfast.

The flashing toothbrush sounds great - he would like that! Still going to have to pin him down I think though!

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Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 31/01/2009 23:03

tried the bath.......he almost drowned as the process was more slippery

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Twinklemegan · 31/01/2009 23:07

Oh righto. My DS doesn't get breakfast at nursery. We do his after breakfast too. Hope some of this advice helps you.

devientenigma · 01/02/2009 09:53

Hi, my son is 8 years old. Brushed his teeth very quickly twice in all those years. We have tried everything also. Although my son is Down syndrome with severe sensory processing and severe learning disability. He also has a heart condition so is at risk of endochartitis, a fatal disease of bacteria in the mouth. Although from the quick views the dentist has been able to see inside his teeth are starting to go, however its been a good diet that has prevented this earlier. They are waiting to justify anasethtic to give his teeth a good seeing to. He also plays with a teething ring bought from boots. This also had a hard toothbrush built in, not that he uses it much. Also brush aways you put on your finger. You can also buy a silicone finger brush. Or try a musical brush (we have the lion King). Sons favourite film not that hes watched it since we got him the brush. You could also check special needs sites for other types of toothbrush. HTH.

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 01/02/2009 19:05

Thanks devientenigma that must be so frustrating for you. I hope you get the go ahead with the anasethtic. x

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wotulookinat · 01/02/2009 19:15

My DS would happily have his teeth brushed and then let us do, until about 20 months. Then we went through a long period of having to hold him down to do it. Now we have started doing it in the bath, and although at first we were holding him down (not under the water, obviously!) to do it, over the last few weeks he was got more co-operative with it. I guess don't stress about it, do it as best you can, and put it down to being a phase.

lizziemun · 01/02/2009 20:15

what about this

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