Brushing teeth battle with my 19 month old

[hanbee]

Hello,

I wondered if anyone had any advice on how I can overcome what is becoming a battle ground with my DS who is 19 months. I started brushing his teeth as soon as they appeared at 6 months and he's always been really good.

We have a tooth brushing song that he enjoys and up till now he's been happy to brush his own teeth with me holding the end of the brush and making sure some actual brushing happens alongside the chewing the brush and eating the toothpaste!

Now though he doesn't want me to help at all and any attempt I make t touch the brush results in screaming and him throwing the brush down. At the moment I'm not trying to fight him and just let him chew the brush and make sure he's covered all the areas where the teeth are but I'm getting concerned that his teeth aren't being cleaned well enough. Any ideas or thoughts about what I could do?

Thanks

Hannah

Every evening I approach teeth-brushing with a slight sense of trepidation (23 month old DD). So far, some tactics which have worked:

Saying "let's brush out those peas / raisins / whatever else your DC had eaten that day. I can see a raisin - let's get it!". Was surprised to find this tip actually makes DD open her mouth nice and wide sometimes!

"Mummy brush for 5, DD brush for 5". And count to five. Counting while I am brushing goes one....two.......three........four......five. And counting while she is brushing goes "1,2,3,4,5!).

Giving DD my toothbrush and letting her brush my teeth while I brush her teeth. She loves this. Although does try to ram the brush down my throat sometimes.

Good luck and if you find anything else which works let me know!

THere was about a year where NOTHING worked with dd2 (and I mean nothing). Between the age of about 18m-2.3 or so...

So you have my sympathies

I used to let her get on with it in the mornings (as you describe, chewing brush etc)

But in the evening I felt she had to have them done properly. So I'm afraid it was a control and restraint job (often a 2-man affair)

They say you have to pick your battles, and for me this was one I had to be in charge of

I usually end up clamping my dc's (3.6 and 20mo) with my legs and giving their teeth a good brush.

I'm beyond obsessive about dental hygiene so no matter how much they tantrum I make sure it gets done. I am horrible, and I don't have any fillings .

You have my sympathies. My ds hates having his teeth cleaned. He clamps his jaw shut and cries the house down. Anyone would think he was being tortured and I feel like a very evil Mummy each time I clean them. Got to be done though.

ds (14mo) won't let me brush his teeth but he will brush his if I brush mine at the same time so we sit and do it together with him copying me - I'm not sure that he gets them very clean but he's only got 6 teeth and at this stage I'd rather he got used to the routine of it than making it a battleground iyswim

I bought an electric toothbrush to use on DS (18mo). Boots have a kids one for about £8.

Although it says on the packaging not to use on a child under 7, my good friend is a dentist and said he can't think of any reason why this would be as long as you just use it twice a day and don't go mad with it, and obviously don't leave them unattended with it in case the brush end comes off (pretty difficult to do!).

I know it's not ideal but to be honest the other alternative is him not letting me get near him so it's been working for the last few weeks!

Second the advice on here. Some nights my DD is a little darling about it ('open wide like a big hippo having a yawn')), sometimes she wants me to sing her favourite song while I am brushing them - will only open wide once I've started 'row row row your boat'. Other nights I have to pin her to the floor with my legs and just do it . Like with most things, I give her 3 chances to comply and then she's pinned to the floor. She'll get the idea eventually

I have never brushed my 19 month old's teeth... he only has the front ones though. Am I an awful mother? 3.6 mth old uses Disney princess electric happily enough but DS is neurotic beyond extreme and can't quite work out how to get him to do it..

Thanks for all the replies. We've had some progress he still seems to be enjoying "brushing" his own teeth if only for my slightly crazy, made-up brushing your teeth song! (Inspired by the tooth brushing advert in "Grease")

I've started letting him brush and then saying now Mummy'll brush for 5 and this is currently working a treat. Tonight he even let DH brush his teeth properly.

I've also bought a MAM toothbrush which has an extra bit for the parent to hold onto at the end, this has helped make sure hat his brushing at least can be guided to cover all his teeth.

Thanks again,

Hannah

My DS has always gone mad about it and now at 2.8 is ok if on his terms - basically him doing it. Well obviously he can't so it ends with his head clamped between my knees, holding his hands, him yelling - therefore giving me the perfect opportunity to clean all those pegs It's not debateable I'm afraid so he just screams it out. All stops as soon as the brushing is over anyway. But I do just ignore him tbh. I made him watch that programme with all the young children having their teeth removed - that helped a lot and I often refer back to it, then he often complies

why not buy a tooth brush that does something like light up?? or let him choose one??

why not buy a tooth brush that does something like light up?? or let him choose one??

I have always struggled with my DS who is 2.8 sometimes it is fine "singing our brushing song" and other time a complete nightmare. About a month ago, my BIL told me that they always looked for treasure in their DC's mouth or just random things our favourites are dinosaurs, cricket bats, kangaroos, pineapples etc you get the idea. I say lets see what is in your mouth today - and how did that get in there!! It has worked a treat he thinks it is very funny!! We have not had a problem for the last month. He also likes to make things up as well. Your DS may be a little young at the moment but it is worth a try. Good luck - my mum always says she barely brushed my teeth!!

Sonic toothbrush and making farting noises works with my DS (he's 22 months).

I've been through most of these tactics with 21mo DS and I have to say, the most frequently used has been the pin-and-clean wrestling move Both DP and I have really cruddy teeth though and the thought of my little one having to go through all the horrid dental work that we've had makes it easier to tune out his indignance

Recently though, I started saying 'shall I tickle your teeth? tickly tickly tickly tickly tickly' which seems to make him laugh, so now he thinks it's a great game. Might be worth a go.