Cleaning teeth

[burtie2u]

Help... I have been trying to clean my DS (13 months) teeth every evening and morning. But it's really hard, he's teething so won't let me do much and I am worried that his teeth will go bad. He does chew the brush, so I know they will be cleaned a little, but I don't know if it will be enough.
Has anyone got any advice?
Thanks from a worried mother

Hi, i remember having the same problem with dd, i know it sounds awfull put i used to kind of restrain her on my lap and try my hardest to give her teeth a good brush, she hated it but after a while she just let me do it.

Dentist told me, and I was talking about my nearly 3 yr old that as long as you get a good layer of flouride toothpaste on their teeth then you shouldn't worry too much. And I haven't even started with 13 month old DS, he'd go mental if I tried. Don't forget they'll get some more teeth once they're capable of brushing themselves. Just avoid sugary stuff as much as you can.

Our dentist advised us to sit on the floor with your child lying down between your legs with their head towards you (so you're looking at them upside down).

That way you can access their mouth more easily and get a better view of what you're doing. We started this with DS about 6 months ago and now he just comes over and lies down when he sees the toothbrush. He still isn't too keen on it though, but generally he's OK with it. It's also the same kind of position a dentist uses (although on a chair not on the floor!), so it apparently makes things easier when they go for checkups too.

DS is 14 months old. He hates having his teeth brushed sitting on my lap, but will happily comply if he is allowed to stand up, and I lean over him from behind.

Thank you all, I will try a few different things. But I feel less stressed about it now. Cheers Burtie

Stupid question alert - so how do you get them to spit the toothpaste out? DD (12 months)would just swallow the toothpaste - is that ok?

hi i have a terrible timd doing my ds2 teeth,he screams the bathroom down

Can I recommend this toothbrush? for LOs - especially when teething - it worked really well with my DD up till about 24mths

I will swap with anyone with top tips for getting a 3yo to co-operate, though - a combination of bribery and blackmail are my only resorts right now.

Wait till they get to 6....

I have found getting my 3 year old to look in her dad's mouth at all his 'black teeth' and then asking her if she wants teeth like daddy's works quite well as motivation for getting those teeth brushed

We also do 2 brushing sessions morning and night - she starts off brushing so she feels like she's doing it herself, and will then usually let me finish off (so she gets a good scrub all round)

lol at black teeth!

LastOrders - the 7yo I can deal with - scare stories about fillings and the need to look after your 'forever' teeth seem to work fine [fingers crossed].

It's the old enough to put up a fight but not quite old enough to reason with one who I am struggling with right now.

We found the baddie Polluto (in Tommy Zoom) worked well for this with DS's, he has green teeth!

DD is 17 months and will not let me put the toothbrush in her mouth but happily does it herself. She's teething (still!) so I let her do it. Am sure her teeth will be fine

My DS HATES having his teeth cleaned - he is 2.2 he goes really beserk. he does love to have his toothbrush all to himself at the sink, but when it comes to cleaning them properly - nightmare! I do kneel on the floor though with his head between my legs as another MNetter suggested, then I can grab his hands out of the way tis horrible. Then one day last week when he was driving me mad with it, I said "right! do you want your teeth to drop out all over the floor?" No he said right said I, open.......and he did, all calm and normal not one bit of fuss. I was amazed!!!! lol.