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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

Help! Tooth brushing stressssss....

12 replies

wastingmyeducation · 11/06/2009 21:18

It is impossible to brush DS (13 month) teeth anything approaching properly.

He wriggles, he fights, he cries, he nearly gets poked in the
eye.

I tried a different toothpaste today, but I still barely got the brush in his mouth.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Curiousmama · 11/06/2009 21:19

How many teeth has he got? I wouldn't stress too much at that age. Have you tried giving him a toothbrush too and getting him to copy you? Getting the right taste toothpaste can be trial and error.

giddykipper · 11/06/2009 21:22

You need one of these

Original poster

wastingmyeducation · 11/06/2009 21:33

He's got 8 teeth. If he has the toothbrush himself he does chew on it a little, but it isn't getting them clean.

That looks interesting giddykipper.

OP posts:

wolfear · 11/06/2009 21:52

My DS (22 months) is exactly the same. A dentist friend recommended trying berry flavoured toothpaste. It made things marginally better for a few days only. He's fine with having his bottom teeth done but flips when we try to do the top teeth. I just have to hold him down to be honest. He kicks and screams but is totally fine as soon as I stop. I'm just hoping he'll gorw out of it.

Evie1 · 05/07/2009 13:36

My daughter (30 months) is just the same, at first she seemed to enjoy doing it, but now and for the last 3 months it has been a complete and utter nightmare with her running away, screaming, throwing her toothbrush away, then out of desperation us holding her down to try and do at least something although I am not doing this any longer as I am sure it will make things worse in the long run. We have tried a selection of tooth brushes, different toothpaste, an electric toothbrush, brushing each others teeth while giggling and having fun...the list goes on. I am now desperate for a solution! Anyone got any ideas?

Dalrymps · 05/07/2009 13:39

Same here with ds 20 months. Often have to hold him and do it whilst he wriggles. Harldy ever get them brushed 'properly'. Thankfully he's only got 4 teeth but at the mo.

fettle · 05/07/2009 14:51

Can only sympathsise and say I'm still having battles most morning and nights with my 5yo DD! A battery powered toothbrush has helped a bit now, but I'm still getting in there with a manual one as well as I don't think she's getting them done properly. And don't think they're suitable for younger children?

Luckily 21mo DS seems to love brushing his teeth although he's getting less compliant at times, he still rushes to the bathroom when I say teethbrush time!

Anyway, pretending there are animals in her mouth (a wonderful MN tip from someone!) works a treat - we find all sorts of interesting animals in her mouth chasing others (zebras, armadillos etc). Use your imagination and theirs! Someone else on here suggested naming all the teeth and saying hello to each of them! May take some time with 20 teeth, but if it works I'd say give it a go!!

Good luck!

spiderlight · 05/07/2009 21:39

My OH came up with a genius strategy to solve our tooth-brushing traumas - he made a big deal of the sound of tooth-brushing being like a train and the open mouth being a tunnel, so we have lots of chuff-chuff-chuffing and train-related songs while we're brushing. It's completely solved the problem for us

jooseyfruit · 05/07/2009 21:47

Have just bought one of those toothbrushes that giddykipper linked to.
They are amazing, and toothbrushing is no longer the trauma it used to be.

Buy one!!!

copperbottom · 12/07/2009 20:24

We had the same kind of toothbrushing problems with our son. He's now 22m and until very recently we were only managing to get an occasional swipe at his bottom teeth.. He was happy with us brushing the top ones and quite happy to chew and suck the brush, but bottom teeth were a bit of a battle ground.

Our dentist told us not to worry about thorough brushing, that at this age it's sufficient to get the tiny amount of fluoride in his mouth, let him have a good old chew at the brush and just work on the brushing without forcing the issue..

Made us feel much better

TomThumbMum · 12/07/2009 20:51

We're looking forward to this with my ds....
My dh is a dentist, according to him the single most important thing is to limit the amount of sugar and frequency of sugar intake in the diet. He says that chewing on a toothbrush and getting flouride from the toothpaste is fine at this stage and work on establishing the routine of doing it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. So don't worry about the actual brushing at this stage, it will come with time but keep up the routine.

Alicious · 12/07/2009 22:11

Hi, my DS (now 18 months) hated toothbrushing too! Now I hold him sitting on the edge of the sink with one hand and brush with the other. He loves playing with the water running over his feet and also trying to spit out the toothpaste like his mum and dad do!
Keep it up, but as everyone else says-don't force it!

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