Teeth brushing and two year olds!

[Emma2803]

My two year old refuses to let me brush his teeth. He will chew the brush but if I try to take it off him and do it for him he has a blue fit!!! It's my own fault for not doing it properly sooner. How can I rectify this situation and get him to let me brush his teeth. I have tried using a second toothbrush bit he takes that off me too 🙄 any advice greatly appreciated!!

I have to bargain with DD who is same age.

So "we can't go to this group until we've brushed your teeth" and she likes running the brush under the running water so "you can do that once we've..."

What about an electric baby toothbrush? I haven't tried them but my daughter is a similar age and grabs mine at any given opportunity and it's a battle getting it from her! I think they are about £8, sounds extravagant but I wonder if the novelty factor for him might work?

www.boots.com/brush-baby-babysonic-electronic-toothbrush-10215605

Hope the link works!

Moola I was looking at those the other day and the lowest age I could find was 3, but I was thinking, does that really matter? Anyway, I think DS might be scared of an electric one.

OP have you tried 'tickling his teeth'? Just tickle him, then say 'got to tickle your teeth!' etc etc, tickle his feet, then teeth, ribs, then teeth - you get the gist. Might like that?

With DS I've tried looooooads of things and what's currently working is counting 1-8 for each quadrant - can't be very thorough with that I know but we're working on it!

Try a tooth brushing song on YoutTube kids? There must be one!

Ooh x-post moola, thanks, never seen that one!

You brush his teeth and he brushes his teddy's teeth? Or another toy with obvious teeth?

My son has a brush baby electric toothbrush which comes with two heads. One is suitable up to about 18 months I think and then one from 18 months to 3 years. You can get replacement heads in the bigger size too.
I insist on 10 brushes from me before he does his own brushes. I count to 10 slowly whilst brushing and saying things like 'oh look here's a carrot!'.

Literally the only thing that worked for us was an electric toothbrush. And pretending there were animals inside his mouth that you are tickling.

We tried every single other thing and nothing else worked.

Btw we just bought a regular cheapie kids electric one from the supermarket. It was fine. Jojomamanbebe do a teeny one but tbh I don't think its necessary for it to be that tiny after two.

The toothbrushing clip of the Tombliboos from ITNG is what got DS1 to agree to let me brush his teeth. It's on YouTube and the music is on Spotify. It's helpfully around two minutes long.

To think I said I'd not allow any screen time for my DC. Oh past self, how naive you were

Thanks for the advice everyone!! I have literally tried everything: electric toothbrush, brushing teddy's teeth, brushing my teeth, brute force!! Nothing ever worked!!
@deploycharitygoats I just tried the tombliboos video and it worked!!! I had to do a bit of coaxing "will you let mummy brush teeth? No. ok we'll put it away then will we? Do you want to watch it? Yes. Ok give mummy the toothbrush" he actually let me scrub for a few seconds! And opened his mouth!!

Ds is 21months. I put a bit of toothpaste on, then give him the toothbrush, and the toothpaste to hold he brushes his own teeth and chews the brush for a bit. I mime brushing my teeth with a shh sh shh noise. I sing 'this is how we brush our teeth ' to the tune of mulberry bush.

He requests more toothpaste, so I dab a bit more on then brush them properly for him. He's usually quite goid, but sometimes objects and tries to grab the brush. I hold both his hands in one of mine and brush away. Still singing.......

I do all of this while he's in his highchair, after breakfast and dinner. Been doing it since he got teeth, he still objects fairly frequently but as he's in his highchair it's not too hard to get it done.

Hurrah! Really glad that it worked.

When I can't face Derek Jacobi talking excitedly about teeth, singing "guess who needs/loves to brush their teeth? Friend/family member" to the tune of Campdown Races has moderate success. It's essential for face washing for the soap hater

These days we take it in turns but in the past I used to have three brushes so he could have one in each hand!

We use a variety of methods. A song that is sung during the teeth brushing - only interrupted with - pls stop biting down on it.

Give child a Choice of big yawn or lion's roar.

We brush our teeth then she wants hers done too.

DH let's her do it herself whilst he counts to 10, then he 'finishes off'.

i pin her down and fish hook her mouth open with my finger