Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Cleaning 1yo teeth.

95 replies

mrsleomcgary · 18/01/2015 12:59

DD got her first tooth pretty early (about 4 months) and since then we've been cleaning her teeth,at first with dental wipes them with a brush when she got a bit older.

Now at a year old she has 12 teeth and cleaning them is a nightmare! We do them morning and evening with a spot of paste on the brush. DH or I will TRY to actually make contact with her teeth before she grabs the brush and chews it or sucks off all the toothpaste.

I know she's only 1 and she hardly gets anything sugary,she was given some tiny chocolate Santa's at christmas she got 1 a day,and she gets the odd rich tea biscuit (usually by my nana!). Despite that i'm worried that we're storing up problems for later on,i would hate to be one of those parents that takes their kid to the dentist for the first time with a mouthful of cavities.

Any toothbrushing tips?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

forwarding · 19/01/2015 12:03

No, wheres. It really doesn't.

voddiekeepsmesane · 19/01/2015 12:19

Another one here who on occasion firmly held DS to brush his teeth when he was younger. At 10 I must say that he has not developed a fear of tooth brushing ( just a fear of doing anything at all- pre teen needs reminding 20 billion times! )

IPityThePontipines · 19/01/2015 12:31

A four year old having to undergo a general anaesthetic to have every single tooth in their head removed because they are all visibly, horribly decayed, with all the pain that must involve, plus the harm to their speech.

That's abusive.

Having to firmly hold your child until they are old enough to understand why they must brush their teeth.

Not abusive.

If it were up to my one year old, she'd never have her nappy changed either.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

1 year olds Dental health General parenting

ch1134 · 19/01/2015 12:40

Neglect is a form of abuse.

Cooki3Monst3r · 19/01/2015 14:18

I'm not going to read this fully to see what muppet came up with the 'abuse' claim! FFS

Letting your child's teeth rot is imo neglect. You do not have to hurt your child to 'pin' them down.

Here too it was non-negotiable at bed time. When they were younger I'd 'sit' over their body (hovering, not actually sitting!!!) with their arms tucked under my arms and then just try and hold their head still. When they got stronger it turned in to a head lock kind of thing, with DC's head inbetween my knees whilst I'll sat kneeling iykwim.

Also, I find if they're screaming blue-murder it's a lot easier to actually get to the teeth!

I did worry with DC1 that I was building up to a life time of teeth-brushing phobia! But they are now 4 and 2 and I have very few problems. With DC1 I have to pretend to be an automated teeth brushing machine, and with DC2 it's a simple case of 'big tunnel for Thomas/Gordon/Percy/Henry' etc.

The teeth have to be cleaned - you do what you need to (without hurting them, obviously!)

Cooki3Monst3r · 19/01/2015 14:20

Oh, OP at one point DC2 was happy to have his teeth brush if we had a brush each.

hazeyjane · 19/01/2015 14:25

hazeyjane I can't help but feel that you finding something to be insulted about says more about you and your actions that about my query over why this form of corporal intervention is acceptable but smacking isn't

no, it really doesn't, wheresthelight, it says more about your inability to see that smacking is an act of aggression, which some parent's feel is ok to use as a way of teaching or disciplining their child - I don't believe this, because I think it teaches a child that violence is acceptable and it is an ineffective form of discipline.

Wrapping a child in a towel, and cleaning their teeth to prevent tooth decay and pain, or giving medicine, or having to hold a child whilst they have to have a blood test etc, is something that has to be done in order to do something that is essential for the child.

I don't know whether you have a child that has ever needed any medical care, but what would/do you do if/when your child refuses to take medicine, has to have blood taken - and other methods reasoning, bribes etc) don't work?

Lifesalemon · 19/01/2015 14:50

wheresthelight if physically restraining a child and smacking a child are the same how do you explain that at work I have been trained in physical intervention and restraining techniques and would have the backing of my employer if I could justify the need to use such methods. I would never in any situation be justified in smacking a child and I would rightly be dismissed and prosecuted. Sometimes, for the good of the child these things have to happen and are nowhere near the same as smacking.
To be honest though I'm wondering if you really believe what you are posting or wether you just want an argument.

wheresthelight · 19/01/2015 15:10

life I do believe that physical restraint for the sake of teeth brushing is unnecessary and equally as abusive as smacking. you don't have to agree with me as many on here haven't but to acuse me of being a troll is out of order

MoreThanAWoman · 19/01/2015 15:11

I love toddlers I think they are great and would like another one but doubt that's going to happen.

OP you seem like your doing really well with the teeth brushing. I checked with my dentist to who said same as red

I took my baba to dentist when he was really young as well (I am terrified and wanted to get him familiar with this, dentist was more than happy to let him sit in big chair, ask if he lets mummy brush his teeth etc) We left armed with a new toothbrush and toothpaste that the dentist gave him. Oh and don't forget the stickers! Very helpful to be able to say remember what the dentist said!

DS lets me brush his (he used to brush mine at the same time or watch himself in the mirror) then he gets to sook water from toothbrush and spit in sink think he like this bit best. Some nights I don't think I get every tooth thoroughly cleaned but I am not worried about it, its regular poor dental hygiene that causes the problems not the odd time.

I starting brushing his gums twice a day as part of our routine when he was tiny maybe that's why it's never really been a big deal or he's just a laid back wee soul. I am saying a silent thank you for this!

MoreThanAWoman · 19/01/2015 15:15

Oh I forgot about that well done cooki we had a brush each as well.

Dentist tooth paste according to junior is "PLEEEEEUUURRRGGGGGH" back to using milk teeth one it's "NUM"

Lifesalemon · 19/01/2015 15:35

In my opinion you insinuating that anyone who has had to use a form of restraint for the good of their child is a child abuser is out of order too wherethereslight

MoreThanAWoman · 19/01/2015 15:46

Child abuse on a teeth brushing thread? Holy god.

hazeyjane · 19/01/2015 15:55

I do believe that physical restraint for the sake of teeth brushing is unnecessary and equally as abusive as smacking. you don't have to agree with me as many on here haven't but to acuse me of being a troll is out of order

Hahahaha, so accusing people, like myself, of being abusive is okey dokey, but accusing you of being up for an argument is beyond the pale - really?!

Oh and I would honestly love to know if you have any experience, or suggestions of ways that I could have cleaned ds's teeth without physical restraint (or had bloods taken, given medicine etc). By the way, since having his back teeth removed, it is a lot easier for me to clean his teeth - he even laughs when I do it sometimes, so it would seem he hasn't suffered long term damage.

wheresthelight · 19/01/2015 16:16

people are entitled to their opinions. I have already stated I am not judging but I do find it shocking that people condone this but then have a hissy fit over a slight slap/tap/smack.

one poster has stated she had to put her child in a headlock. Ffs if thatbisnt completely out what is?

I didn't call ot chikd abuse I said imo it was equally as abusive there is a huge difference

hazeyjane · 19/01/2015 16:24

You stated it was abusive to physically restrain a child in order to clean their teeth, how would you clean the teeth of someone who won't have their teeth cleaned? Please tell me, because I would love to tell your method to the sn dentist and nurses who showed me the way to wrap my ds in a towel in order to physically restrain him.

Of course you are allowed your opinion, in the same way I am allowed to say that your opinion is horse crap, and someone else is allowed to say they think you just seem to be enjoying the argument.

Of course I am insulted - who wouldn't be insulted by the implication that the way they treat their child is tantamount to abuse!

Cooki3Monst3r · 19/01/2015 17:54

ha ha ha - yes, hazey that's right. I put my child in a head lock. I kept his head safe from movement by holding it between my thighs. If I hadn't safely secured his head from moving I was likely to have inadvertently caused serious bruising to his throat with the toothbrush whilst he was thrashing about.

I appreciate you giving us your thoughts on this. It's very interesting. Do you have children hazey?

Cooki3Monst3r · 19/01/2015 17:55

WHOAHHHH... not hazey!!

wheres obviously!

Cooki3Monst3r · 19/01/2015 17:56

For the sake of clarity -

ha ha ha - yes, wheresthelight that's right. I put my child in a head lock. I kept his head safe from movement by holding it between my thighs. If I hadn't safely secured his head from moving I was likely to have inadvertently caused serious bruising to his throat with the toothbrush whilst he was thrashing about.

I appreciate you giving us your thoughts on this. It's very interesting. Do you have children wheresthelight?

hazeyjane · 19/01/2015 18:05

Lawks! I was about to get all feisty at you Cooki3 or cry, I'm not sure which. This thread is doing my head in a bit tbh!

Willabywallaby · 19/01/2015 18:25

I've pinned down my children when they were toddlers, do it a couple of times then the threat is enough. My dental friend showed me how they do with SN pts so they're not hurt in any way, just held so you can get on with the job.

DH and I are also dentists....so brushing in this house happens twice a day.

Willabywallaby · 19/01/2015 18:33

The method I used was at 4 mins in, with their arm under my knees so they could move them but not grab the brush...

m.youtube.com/watch?v=NUNmohl4CD8

capsium · 19/01/2015 18:39

Used to make mine laugh and get in there quickly.

Kelly1814 · 19/01/2015 18:48

We offered a toothbrush as a chewing implement from very small so DD has always been familiar with it. As she got bigger we sang the brusha brusha song from grease and made it a game. She's now 16 months and lives the toothbrush!

Gets given it after every meal and we do it after bottle at bedtime, in bed.

Ineedacleaningfairy · 19/01/2015 18:52

I tried everything, telling stories, singing songs, mirrors, a special app, watching tv, I bought a snazzy electric toothbrush, a sparkly toothbrush, a flashing toothbrush, 3 different toothpastes and nothing worked, every evening ended in me trying to persuade my 1 year old to brush his teeth and failing, there was lots of stress and no clean teeth.

My dc has asthma and he has to have an inhaler, it's not negotiable, I had to hold him down and give him his inhaler even though he was screaming, it was awful but abuse would have been not giving him his inhaler. After 2 days he just accepted his inhaler was non-negotiable and now he loves it and asks for his "breathing" all the time.

We decided that teeth brushing would probably be the same so after trying everything else we held him and brushed his teeth and again after 2 days he had a compleat turn around and he's obsessed by teeth brushing now.

I'd rather hold my toddler in a tight cuddle and calmly tell him that I'm going to brush his teeth and it won't hurt at all than holding my toddler down for a long time whilst a dentist does painful treatment.

Flip

1 2 3 4