teeth cleaning - advice please!

[Gilli]

Does anyone else here have to practise pindown on their toddler to get the teeth cleaned (and I DO mean pindown!)? My dd 22 months, fights me tooth and nail if I try to clean her teeth. None of her siblings were like this. Advice, please!!!

Gilli, my dd is 3 now but i always let her do them first, then i check with toothbrush and say, did you do these ones?......these ones?.......she thinks she's done them and i know i have
I guess she's never really minded though, hope you get some more tips

sorry gilli cant help, dd's love having their teeth brushed, so much so we have often gone out with dd2 clutching a toothbrush.

Yes! We have tried everything else, but all that works is the pindown. (Ds is 2.6 years.)IMO it's better that we pin him down to brush than that the dentist have to pin him down to pull all his rotten teeth out in a few years time......It's a big battle every bedtime.....

This is probably a really naff stupid suggestion, but have you tried role play with your dd - eg getting her to pretend to brush her teddy bears / dolls teeth as part of a game? It might start breaking down her resistance to it

This is probably a really naff stupid suggestion, but have you tried role play with your dd - eg getting her to pretend to brush her teddy bears / dolls teeth as part of a game? It might start breaking down her resistance to it

message withdrawn

Same here Gilli. My ds is 23 months and he won't let me anywhere near them. We have huge battles at the moment. Come to think of it life is one big battle of wills at the moment!

What about singing while she has them brushed?- I used to ask DD to sing twinkle twinkle little star while I cleaned them, she found it a great game - and although it is VERY messy she started to really enjoy cleaning her teeth.
Also have you tried changing the toothpaste flavour or getting an electric toothbrush that plays a tune?
Think the role playing sounds like a good idea too

Ooooh this brings back lovely memories of evenings spent with ds lying on the bathroom floor squealing with his head clamped between my knees whilst I scrubbed away - I tried everything but the ear clamp was the only way I could succeed (willful little so and so)- every night I used to give him the option, "we can do it the easy way or the hard way" - he always chose the hard way. He did eventually give in and let me do them normally.

been there, symapthise loads. We gave up and left it for almost a week with no mention of teeth at bedtime as it become a huge battle with a routine of tears every single night and was just dreadful. Then we finally cracked the problem by taking our eldest DD on a special shopping trip for a "magical" brush and "special" grown up girls paste!! She now happily brushes away with her elctric Bart Simpson brush (her choice...) and Bugs Bunny colgate paste. As she chose it as a treat she seemed to fall for our devious plan. Now every night in the bath I ask her if she has been a good girl and is grown up enough to brush her own teeth? Same routine every night - she says yes, we talk about what she has done in the day and I finally "give in" and agree to let her brush them herself after i have "started them off" for her (ie. done it already and let her play for a bit). Works for us - and she is a real stubborn little miss!

Stripymouse

You manipulative so and so! (Respect! I'm actually quite impressed)

We used to have constant battles with ds1 - we finally turned the corner when the (scary) dentist told him (c. 2.5) he had to brush them properly twice a day.

DS2 has been even worse - all the tactics we tried with ds1 didn't work. He's nearly 5, and we still have a struggle to get him to do them properly. But guess what? They did a session on 'teeth' at school: watched a video, and the school nurse came in and talked to them ... and it seems to have made the difference!

Maybe it's just that they don't pay any attention to a word I say

I tried a trick someone here suggested - looking for things in DS's mouth. Today we looked for Nemo, Dory and Bruce (we're going through a Nemo phase). Other times we look for pink dinosaurs, or green snakes - you get the idea, whatever they're into at the time. Sometimes I tell him if I don't find the snakes they'll eat his teeth up and he'll have none left. I also have 2 brushes and let him choose which one to use as well. But if all else fails I grab him, put him on my lap, and hold his hands with one arm and brush with the other.

Pin them down! Seriously, if it's the only way then DO IT. So important that they are brushed properly - you won't psychologically scar them and once she knows you mean business she'll be fine. (speaking from experience here)

I am so glad other people have this problem! I too frequently resort to the pinning down routine although dd is a bit better at the moment!

Thanks - I will try the tips, but...Respect, Jaybee, love the technique:0

or should that be

Oh yes...been there DS used to be a nightmare, had to pin him down too. by the time he was 2.5 or so he was fine, he brushes them 1st then I finish them off. DD thankfully copies her brother!

I wouldnt bother G
the dsses clean theirs every other day prob, if that and have fantastic teeth.

always mean to be more routine about it.

I just couldn't pin ds down - couldn't bear to do it. For a long time resorted to various techniques to encourage him to open his mouth - playing crocodiles etc, and now he's actually really cooperative. I must say, he eats a reasonable diet (no coke in bottles etc ) and I brush them reasonably regularly, pretty much once a day, and I also think, well, he will get some more. But as I say, I was pretty relaxed about it and now he really doesn't mind at all.

Have you tried 'tickling' her teeth? I refuse to pin down my DD (22 months) for anything (as I'm sure she's going to be bigger than me one day ). We have a real laugh with teeth brushing - if she doesn't seem too interested, or is reluctant, then I say 'well, then I'm going to tickle your teeth!' and she finds it hilarious . Amidst fits of giggles, we seem to get a reasonable job done between us. The seriousness of toothcare can come later as far as I'm concerned.

Gilli, we used to "name" dd2s teeth,e.g. let me clean Mr Happy/Silly etc or Bella looks like she needs a clean etc. Worked a treat to the point where she'd name them herself, happily telling me she'd cleaned all the princesses!

Gilli, we used to "name" dd2s teeth,e.g. let me clean Mr Happy/Silly etc or Bella looks like she needs a clean etc. Worked a treat to the point where she'd name them herself, happily telling me she'd cleaned all the princesses!

Don't know what happened there?

We had same problem until the arrival of "Dentist Duck"! This is a hand puppet who holds the tooth brush and inspects ds' teeth recalling what he has eaten throughout the day, brushing as he goes! Works a treat! We also use a battery toothbrush.