When should kids start going to dentist and how do you make your toddler brush their teeth?

[RamblingRosa]

Every evening is a bit of a showdown when it comes to brushing teeth. DD (23mo) does everything to resist it. Full on tantrums and clamping her jaw shut.

We usually manage to do a bit of a brush but it's rarely thorough.

I was just wondering if this is normal. Do all toddlers hate having their teeth brushed? How do you deal with it?

And when are you meant to take them for their first trip to the dentist?

Have you let her try and do it herself. Once she's had a go you can just 'make sure'. My DD was OK with brushing, but at that age very independent and that really helped. Along with the teeth brushing song....(DH made up silly songs/sounds to accompany the activity)

Started taking my child to the dentist at 2yrs old. I used to make a game out of teeth brushing, and if all else failed I'd pin him down on my knee and clean them. Cruel to be kind. I have had years of horrible dental treatment because my parents were slack with our dental hygeine and I do NOT want my kids going through the same. My oldest is 4 yrs old now and is briliant with teeth cleaning - he does it himself for a minute and then I do it 'properly' for another minute or two.

Ds3 is 20 months - last time ds1 was at dentist he sat in the chair on my lap so the dentist could have a look around - he has almost all his milk teeth.

He isn't overly keen on brushing but will let me do it if he can have a brush at the same time - I 'tickle' his teeth while he has a chew on his brush.

With my 17month DD we sing the Tombliboos brushing teeth song.....works every time.

my friend held their nose so they would let her brush

Yes, I make up songs which she seems to like but it doesn't always work. She does like trying to do it herself but she doesn't really brush. She just sucks the (strawberry flavoured) toothpaste off the brush and pretends to brush her teeth!

Maybe I should think about taking her to the dentist soon then. I don't think she'll like it. She's quite a scaredy cat and totally freaks out when she has to go to the doctors (even when they're being really nice and not even examining her). Can't imagine she'll take well to a stranger poking around in her mouth!

my dentist doesn't see children until they are 3 and a half.
my ds has an egg timer and we have to get all the teeth brushed before it runs out.
we also sing funny songs and we brush our teeth together and pull funny faces in the mirror.

as soon as they have teeth coming through i guess even if it is to get used to the chair. my dentist was great . he used to give them stickers and take them for a ride on his chair.

RamblingRosa, am having same probs with my son, of same age. Will not submit to teeth cleaning - will sometimes have a go himself, which involves chewing, usually on 2 brushes at once. I'm concerned about holding him down and forcing him, as he thrashes around which makes poking him in the mouth with the brush and hurting him , thus putting him off, even more likely. I manage to rub the fronts of his teeth with a cloth sometimes, which is what my dentist advised, and I try to limit sugary foods and juice. However, am not at all happy that his teeth are getting a clean and very keen on any other ideas. Is he too young to try incentives, like getting a treat if he cleans his teeth every day for a week? (Or even three days running would be good!)

I did take him with me last time i went for a check up -my dentist encourages this to get them used to the chair - but doesn't actually check their teeth at this stage.

buy a special toothbrush - saw a Thomas one for £4.50 today but they are not all that outrageous.

And don't have any compunction about forcing them.

Very normal to have problems at this age.

Bribery with vulgar nice toothbrushes and toothpaste. My normal taste reservations go out of the window when it comes to anything that will encourage teeth cleaning.

And we have a fabulous dentist who has managed, in two visits, a year apart, to really drum the importance of no sweets and regular brushing into DD.

i wouldn't force but i do clean my teeth a lot around ds. i don't have fillings and don't eat sweets at all. dh opposite so there is plenty to talk about.

DS is 2.11 and gets clamped between my legs so I can brush his teeth. He is allowed to do a little bit himself but always screams like a banshee when I do it. He is good at the dentists though, he's been a couple of times.

DS hated having them brushed until this weekend when I brought him......an electric one!!!!! He was brushed them all day today!

He screamed when he saw daddy and I at the dentist so much they said to leave! He thought we were being tortured I think!

record the episode of Peppa Pig where she and George go to the dentist, and play on a continuous loop. Then refer to it every time you attempt to brush their teeth, but be prepared to perform dental hygeine on every single soft toy they own...(this was the only thing that worked for us- have been using the battery operated jungle book themed toothbrush to clean the grouting..)

Electric brushes are a gift from the gods of dental hygiene. Our dd has gorgeous teeth (although currently too many) and I put this down to fluoride drops in her water then fluoride tablets* and the judicious use of toothbrushes and paste that she has chosen.
I do hate the idea of cola and bubblegum flavours, but it was her choice and she now uses a minty one with sparkles in it.
*We were living overseas and I was concerned about a lack of fluoride. Our current dentist doesn't advocate it because apparantly it causes osteoporosis in later life.

Topsy and Tim At the Dentist is another good one. They bump into Tony Welch who has toothache and looks very miserable indeed.