How can I brush a 15month olds teeth?

[kbaby]

Help,
DD wont let me go anywhere near her mouth. If I give her a toothbrush she will put it in her mouth and bite on it a bit but mainly dips it back in the water and sucks all the water out.
I could see the tope of her teeth today and im sure there is tartar already on them.
How can I brush her teeth or make her do it properly or does it even matter?

[beetlejuice73]

A timely thread for me. I've been using Bobbybob's approach, but probably not regularly enough. I know my mother used to pin me down, and I'm certainly not traumatised, in fact I like having freshly-brushed teeth . Think I'm going to have to get busier with DD's ten teeth.

[BensMyNo1]

My DS (13 months old) is a pain re brushing teeth too. I thought I was great by giving him a small toothbrush months ago when the first tooth appeared "He'll get used to the sensation and then we won't have any problems". WRONG! He still has a before-bed bottle, so I try to clean his teeth then but he has none of it. Have been worrying at the thought of tooth decay, but like KBaby said, don't want to have a fight with him and then he associates it with something bad. I have dental appointment in a couple of weeks so will ask their advice!

[MrsMiggins]

DS went through a phase of worrying about monsters outside his window so I told him if he cleaned his teeth really well, the monsters would stay away cos they're scared of clean teeth.
Worked a treat - that and telling him that he must let me do it as I can do it properly. I simply said if he didnt clean his teeth properly they might get broken and then he wouldnt be able to eat crunchy food like apples etc
Also DH & I showed him our fillings - we only have a couple each but enough to show DS what broken teeth look like.

DS is now 3 1/2

DD is 15 mths and wont let me touch her teeth - she does the sucking water. I try the 2nd toothbrush at the same time but she turns her head away. I will just keep trying.

I might try the mirror idea though

[Shades1]

After having just accompanied my 5 year old to hospital to have 4 teeth out my advice would be to do whatever you need and feel comfortable doing to get the teeth clean.

As with anything no two days are the same, when mine were very young I'd swaddle them and tickle them to get their mouth open, as they've got older we've developed games, the current one is to see how loud you can shout - impossible to do without opening your mouth wide !

Mine have been registered with a dentist since they were both 4 months old, changed last year and the advice from this one has been better. One thing though we live in an area which doesn't have flouride added to the water supply so we clean our childrens teeth with adult toothpaste.

As with all of the other advice diet is really important, my son's tooth decay was in between teeth, and I'd followed all of the correct advice, so once his mouth is healed I'm going to try flossing his teeth too - unusual I know but the only thing that I hadn't done - and I'm determned to prevent any more decay.

[Katemum]

Get her registered at the dentist as soon as you can. They will start doing checkups from a very young age, ds was about 8 months, but it is just to get them uses to the environment. The checkup takes about 10 seconds.

[fuzzywuzzy]

I give dd1 a toothbrush and after she's played suck-the-water-from-the-brush with it for a while, I quickly brush her teeth with an electric toothbrush. All the while I'm saying 'Now go aahh, now eeeh, good girl, dd1 is such a good girl'.
I cant bear the thgouht of dd's having rotten milk teeth.

[staceym11]

Just try slowly, try doing it with the baby in the mirror (as called in our house) or show her you brushing your teeth, making it into a game might be the best bet. my hv did tell me at 8 month check, at dds age its more to get them used to it, but as she has 6 teeth (at 10mth) i make sure they are brushed thoroughly at least once a day, if i cant manage twice.

[kbaby]

Im afraid to push it though in case she then associates teeth cleaning as something bad. Friday night she let me look at them and I could see plaque on one so I tried brushing and she clamped her lips shut and turned away. In the end it got to the stage where dd had hold of her head and arms while I brushed them and she screamed her head off. Theres a ban on biscuits or chocolate until she lets us do them properly. I have a feeling that even though we dont give her sweets etc mil who looks after her is.
What age do they start going to the dentist?

[highlander]

BTW, DS is almost 1. Started teething at 4mo - now has 9, including 1 molar!

[highlander]

I'm afraid I get DS's head in a lock in the crook of my arm and I do not stop until I'm satisfied they're sparkling. Of course it's not a pleasant thing to have done, but the thought of fillings in a child is abhorrant. I was supervised until I was about 8 and I never had fillings a a child (got 4 when I went ot secondary school mind ). DH, on the other hand, had no bedtime routine and was never made to clean his teeth. He describes his terror of visits to the school dentist, as he always had to have fillings or extractions. He also told me he used to lie in bed at night in terrible pain from rotting teeth. His adult teeth are absolutely terrible - every one is filled.

Strap 'em down; do it properly.

[Bozza]

Well as DD is the same age I thought I would give you the benefit of my experience. DD used to be awful but then I started always cleaning her teeth at the same time as DS and that really got her into it. (Twiglett's idea of doing it at the same time as yourself might be similar). Then I noticed she started getting difficult for me again but OK for DH. So I have now adopted his technique and it works for her. He sits on the toilet with her on his lap facing away (towards DS) puts one palm on her forehead (not hard just to ensure she doesn't slip) and then she will accept the tooth brush and he sort of as to crook his head round to see what he is doing. Last few times it has worked for me too.

[morningpaper]

I take the BobbyBob approach. Teeth cleaning is REALLY important because having fillings and teeth removed is TERRIBLE. My daughter started to get a plaque build-up when she was about 12 months and I decided that this was not something that was going to be a negotiating matter.

What's important is getting fluoride onto the teeth.

I ask "Are we going to do this nicely or roughly?" and she has about three seconds to answer. Nicely means she opens her mouth. Otherwise it's on her back with her hands in one of my hands while I thoroughly brush her teeth. She is nearly 3 and she very rarely puts up a fight anymore.

[kbaby]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Weve tried letting her brush our teeth but it didnt encourage her. She asks for 'teeth' meaning toothbrush and paste but then just eats the toothpaste. Friday I took her out of the bath, wrapped her in a towel and bushed them while singing this is the way we brush our teeth. It all went surprisingly easy. But since then she has screamed and clamps her mouth shut. Thers no getting in there.
Mybe ill try brushing in the mirror tomorrow.

[MrsMiggins]

DS 3 1/2 has only recently let me brush his teeth properly.
DD 15 mths wont let me help at all

we showed DS the few fillings that DH & I have (about 4 between us) Then explained we needed to help him brush - not a problem - lets us brush away
I'm not worried - DS checked by dentist this wk & all fine
DD will come round to my help soon enough

like someone said, diet is just as important

squash only with meals
chocolate after meals

good tips

[bobbybob]

Thank goodness there are two of us Franny - I was beginning to think it was just me, and possibly I remember Jasper using the term "headlock" a couple of years ago (and she's a dentist).

[frannyf]

I'm with bobbybob - it's a lot less upsetting for a child to be (lovingly) pinned down by a parent than to undergo fillings etc. at the dentist - now that really could cause lifetime trauma. We used to pin ds every evening - took two of us, and he would scream his head off, but he was fine as soon as it was over. When we do teeth in the morning I let him do it himself, but I make sure the evening one is a really thorough clean. I didn't feel we had a choice as he eats tons of fruit and also breastfeeds to sleep in the evening - apparently a really bad combination as the milk and fruit sugars lying in the mouth overnight do the worst damage. The crying went on every evening for quite a while but suddenly stopped and now he is fine about it. We did play games such as brushing dolly's teeth, letting him brush our teeth as well - gives you a whole new level of sympathy once someone has roughly brushed your teeth for you - it's HORRIBLE!

[zippy539]

Second Carlk's suggestion re handwashing/splashing at same time. DD (now 2) loves to stand on a step stool at the sink, looking at herself in the mirror and washing her hands/squirting liquid soap about the place while I brush her teeth. The other game is to sing 'aaaaahhh' incessantly and in v silly voices together while brushing.

It is a nightmare though.

[bobbybob]

I obviously haven't described it very well. He lies on his changing mat (so comfy) His head is between my knees (I am kneeling). He has a toothbrush of his own and I have one that I use. When I have finished he has his go.

I refuse to believe that I have traumatised him - if he was traumatised he would run off or clamp his mouth shut - not remind me, get into the positition himself and open his mouth willingly.

Like I said before - I think you would have to see it.

[magnolia1]

Katie has 2 toothbrushes, one she has in the bath and one for 'proper' teeth cleaning. I think because she is able to 'clean her own teeth' in the bath she has learnt that it is fun and so we have no problems. In fact it is the opposite, she sometimes wants to clean her teeth for hours

And sorry to say this but physically holding a child down 'clamped between your knees' is going to traumatise your child in one way or another!!

[bobbybob]

Er no, I'm serious, there is plenty of stuff that can be optional or made fun, but teeth cleaning is something that has to be done properly, and that means by an adult. I'm not violent or anything and I talk calmly to him the whole time - maybe it's something you would have to see to believe that I haven't traumatised him for life.

[lunavix]

We have a small toothbrush and punch and judy toothpaste. (it's fruit flavoured)

the only way he lets us do it is we have to sing 'this is the way we brush our teeth' to the 'here we go round the mulberry bush' song. He then bares his teeth in a big grin.

Then after two rounds of the song (about his patience threashold) he gets it and chews the brush a bit!

[henshake]

bobbybob - PMSL, I hope you are joking.

[sweetkitty]

I agree with Twiglett about not holding them down they will hate it even more, I would begin by holding her up to the mirror when you are brushing your teeth for a few days, theya re naturally curious and my DD wants to copy everything I do. Then say "it's your turn mummy brush your teeth" we take it in turns I brush her teeth she brushes mine. We have a laugh and a giggle whilst doing it, sometimes if shes tired we only get a few seconds doing it but I reckon if some toothpaste has got in there it's ok. Then we rinse, I just scoop some water on her tongue and then we wipe with the towel (this is a funny game too).

Most of the time she follows me into the bathroom when I brush my teeth and waits for her turn.

I think the main thing is make it a game, let her see you doing it, don't stress if she only lets you do it for a few seconds better than nothing.

good luck

[Twiglett]

always take her in the bathroom when you brush yours so it becomes a routine thing

put on a little baby toothpaste and hand her the toothbrush

make it a game (false laughs help)

let her chew and suck on it and play with running water

gradually start to brush her teeth with another brush .. might take a few weeks

do not panic it is a normal reaction for them but if it becomes routine it will be fine

I would not advocate holding them down, creates a stress reaction that makes them even more obstinate IMO

[bobbybob]

Kneel down and lie her facing away from you with head clamped between your knees announce you are going to do tickle teeth (or some other name you invent) and just get on with it - she will cry, she will scream, she will wriggle, but not as much as if she has to have teeth removed, and at some point she will get used to it.

Ds now reminds us if we forget!

Another tip is to always start in a different place, so that they all get done in the course of 3 days