nightmare of brushing 16 month old's teeth

[StarExpat]

Please give me your tips. I'm trying so hard. He's 16 months next week. He loves carrying around toothbrushes, loves his baby toothpaste, will suck on it forever, and loves to watch us brush our teeth (we've tried showing him how fun it is...etc) and he loves to suck/bite on his own while we do it, but when I try to actually brush them, he goes bonkers.

He has 4 on the top, 2 (and a half) on the bottom and a definite molar coming through on the top, too. But this has been going on for a long while now.

Since I know how important it is that he gets them brushed and has healthy teeth/gums, I've resorted to cradling him, holding his hands down and brushing them while he yells and screams I know it sounds horrid but I'm not hurting him at all and it doesn't take long.

I just want it to be something that he will allow me to do or take part in, even. I'm sick of the battle.

Any tips on how to make this time less of a forced activity and more of an enjoyable (or at the very least bearable) one? please?

I have similar experiences! I had a toothbrushing hater and did everything you describe above. However my DS is now 2.5 and it's slowly getting better. Sorry but i don't think there are any magic tricks to make it better overnight.

There are various other tricks you could try, a couple come to mind but I'm sure other people will be along soon...
Pretending to see bits of food in there (listing what he had for dinner, tea etc), pretending there are animals in there, getting DH to do it, letting DS stand at the sink on a stool/the toilet, try it in the bath (also search for similar threads on here?)

I found the Peppa Pig dentist epsiode ("open wide please! Wider!") very good, also TV is a great distraction - DS opens his mouth for ages if he's engrossed in a programme so I can have a really good brush.

I'm a dental hygienist - these tips might help.

Stand behind him as it is less threatening. Get him to hold the brush and put your hand over it, then you can guide him and he is still in control.

Young children can't get gum disease so all you really need at a young age is the fluoride application of the toothpaste. Use a children's fluoride toothpaste, preferably one with a mild mint flavour than one that tastes of bubblegum.

It doesn't matter if he swallows it (as long as it is a children's toothpaste) but it is best if he doesn't rinse out with water after brushing so the fluoride can sit on the teeth and penetrate them.

If you really can't get anywhere, a last resort is a children's fluoride mouthwash, although it's best to persevere with brushing and use the mouthwash as a last resort.

Thank you so much TheLemur and HelenRosie.
Getting him while watching TV standing behind him might work well.

HelenRosie- which toothpaste would you recommend? We used dentinox toothpaste for teething for a bit but then moved to aquafresh milkteeth... is that one ok? I have no idea what it tastes like as I don't use it.

What are children's mouthwash like? I doubt he'd swish - I can only see him swallowing it as he wouldn't understand me if I said spit it out.

I never rinse with water because he's such a nightmare while I'm brushing that I just wipe the foam and excess off of his face and let him run to dh, away from evil tooth brushing mummy.

We do a game of pretending to see characters (usually Thomas the Tank trains!) in DS's mouth and "tickling" them with the brush. It doesn't always work but when it does, it works a treat - DS will say who's in his mouth and where and then open wide for a tickle. I do really over the top praise when he does open wide.

Standing him in front of the mirror helps sometimes too as does both of us holding the brush. We also take toys into the bathroom - "can you show teddy how we brush our teeth?" etc.

In the past I've resorted to holding him tight on my lap and just doing it but he's very much into being a big boy recently (he's 2.3) so if he starts messing around I'll say "do you want to sit on mummy's lap like a baby?" he'll usually comply!

I can't wait until he gets to the age where I can somewhat reason with him.

Would you say it's not worth a fight or should I keep just restraining him and brushing them if other strategies don't work?

AvrilHeytch: It does matter very much so. The baby teeth hold the spaces for the permanent teeth and it is also good to establish good habits early in life. Baby teeth are very susceptible to tooth decay, just not gum disease, hence why fluoride is important - brushing prevents gum disease while the use of the fluoride in the toothpaste is what pretects from decay.

aquahfresh milk teeth is a good one to use.

what's a good children's mouthwash to use? I want to use it along with brushing. And can a 16 month old use it? And how to teach not to swallow it?

you don't need to use a mouthwash along side toothbrushing as it will do the same thing as toothpaste, it's only good as a last resort if you really can't get them to brush.

Reading with interest as my 15-month DS is just the same. He has 15 teeth (!) and sometimes is absolutely fine, and sometimes kicks and screams and we just have to hold him down and do it, which is horrible

I've tried a variety of distractions. he still acts as though I'm trying to cut his tongue off

My 18 month old was awful for weeks at letting me brush her teeth and suddenly she's fine about it. Maybe your DS has a sore bit of gum where a tooth is coming through that's putting him off? That's what I guessed was going on with DD.
She has her own toothbrush and has a go herself, then I "check them for her", I count her teeth with my finger and brush them one by one with my toothbrush. She looks in the mirror while I do it.

Sometimes my DD is happy to let me brush her teeth, but it is often a battle. I can second the effect of watching the Peppa Pig dentist episode (open wide just like Peppa). Letting DD hold my electric toothbrush often distracts her long enough.

I took DD with me to the dentist a few months ago. She sat on DH's lap and he explained what was happening. DD was happy to open her mouth for brushing for several weeks afterwards.

If your DS only wants to chew the brush, you could try this. It is also in the JoJo Maman Bebe catalogue.

oh, runningoutofideas, ironically (because of your name) that is a fantastic idea!! I'm going to look for one of those Thanks!

DS is not at a stage yet where I can even say "let me count your teeth" or well, anything - he just doesn't reason at all. Maybe he's not cognitively where he should be at nearly 16 months

Have you tried a 'Brushbaby'. It's a silicone brush and handle that they're just supposed to chew and it cleans the teeth - the packaging says up to age 4 I think. I know it won't help teach the proper brushing technique but 16 months is so young to understand. My 5 month old has two teeth and loves chewing the Brushbaby. (She looks cute doing it too!).