Two year old teeth brushing

[Blueymommabear]

So I’m struggling so much with my two year old, she hates having her teeth brushed. It’s been going on around 2/3 months now before this we had no issues. She will refuse to open her mouth, try to bite my hand, cover her mouth scream cry turn her head kick lash out and if I manage to get the tooth brush in she bites on it so hard I cannot move it. Iv almost had to restrain her once arms legs and practically force her mouth open to get it done to a decent degree, but it seems to get worse everyday. Iv tried different brushes, different tooth paste. Doing it with her, her older sister doing with her, songs dougie ect tried turning it into a game but it’s just becoming this dreaded thing in my house and I really just don’t know what to do anymore to get her to allow me to brush her teeth or ever try and do it herself with assistance. I spoke to my midwife at her two year check who Said “forcing her will only make it worse” but offered no help or advice how to maintain her teeth without forcing it. I left feeling deflated and although I do agree with her to a certain point I can’t just allow my two year old to never brush her teeth? This has been going on for around 3 months nothing happened to start it that I know of, iv got her a dentist appointment but it’s not for 4 more weeks. But just wondering if anyone has had similar situation and what did you do to get them to have their teeth brushed without it turning into a battle every-time and feeling like I’m mentally abusing her by forcing it!

I know the feeling! My 2 year old has only just started letting me brush hers and I still can’t do it for the full 2 minutes. Honestly I don’t think you can win either way because if you left them to rot, they’d still have something to say! I’ve always thought, if she doesn’t like having her teeth brushed she’s going to HATE having any work done at the dentist. I’d rather get the brushing done even if it’s once a day then her have to go through all of that. So I just kept being persistent with it no matter how guilty I felt for keep pushing it. I tried the same with songs etc, brushing my teeth with her etc. I found trying at different times of the day helped (when I thought she was in a good mood)😂 and letting her hold the brush and attempt to brush herself. I tried sooo hard not to make it a dreadful routine or time for my daughter as well as me. also found miss Rachel’s songs about teeth brushing helped and pretending when I put the tooth brush in I was tickling her teeth. Now she opens her mouth and lets me brush the bottom no problems, but the top she’s still a bit funny about. But it’s a start so I’m happy with that. But honestly the best advice I can give is don’t give up!

I had the same problem with my kids. They hated brushing their teeth, so I came up with a story about a boy who wouldn't brush his teeth until he met a pirate called Black Tooth Bob and that once he saw the pirate's teeth and the smell from his breath, he started brushing. Anyway, it worked. They loved the story, and it took their mind off the brushing. So successful was it that beginning of November (2023) I will publish the book on Amazon. It's a rhyming picture book called "Toothbrush Tantrum" by Mark Powell look it up when it comes out it may help with getting them to brush their teeth. 😃

Mine was the exact same. Does she have a favourite tv show/character? A lot of them have toothbrushing songs on YouTube so just search eg 'hey duggee toothbrush song' and let her watch it on the sofa while you brush.

We've done this for a few months now but because she's now so used to having them brushed we don't have to rely on the screen any more, she'll let me brush her teeth while she's looking at a book now.

Next step will be to actually brush her teeth standing up in the bathroom, but tbh as long as the teeth are being brushed somehow, that's the main thing.

DS has been similar and we still have days where he has point blank refused. A few things that help are brushing teeth of favourite dolls, brushing my teeth and also looking in a mirror when brushing his teeth. The mirror is good both when I'm brushing his teeth, and also for helping him see where he's brushing so I can say "now the top teeth".

I had this problem with my now 3.5 year old until around 6 months ago. I would describe the time when we needed to brush teeth each day as traumatic. I dreaded it. There was no quick fix but all I can say is it should pass. My DC is generally OK with teeth brushing now but it went on for about 12 months.

Things that have helped - being playful. I would sit her on a stool and pretend it was a dentist chair that was malfunctioning swishing her around and backwards and forwards to make her laugh then 'chair is fixed now time for dentist to brush your teeth!'.

Reading her a book or watch a short show/song she likes (she chooses book/show/song and colour of toothbrush to fill her control cup) while she brushes them, then when the book/show/song is finished it's mummy's turn. I tried to give her lots of control around the issue but I would make a point of me always having a turn to go over them or do the back teeth at the end.

Also talked about the dentist alot (outside of teeth brushing time) and that he told me I have to help you brush your teeth each day.

Honestly, I thought this episode would never end. It was a total nightmare. It's exhausting trying to be playful and inventive when you just want to get it done but I figured it took just the same amount of time to deal with a huge meltdown and the fall out from that anyway 💐

We had success with pretending there are things in his mouth (a tip I read from someone else online). I do different animals, vehicles or characters from their favourite shows or books. Pretend you can see them and ask them to open their mouth so you can see if it’s them and then say let’s get them with the toothbrush.

That method also made our next trip to the dentist much less traumatic than the previous ones because I talked before about the little mirror they’d use to see who’s in his mouth and then I named a few things and the dentist played along and it made things really easy!