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Parenting

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Original poster

So... how often do you brush your childs teeth properly?

47 replies

jingleMAMADIVAsbells · 17/12/2008 09:18

I know I will probably be flamed rotten for this but just a general worry/question.

My DS is 2.5YO and he just will not let me or DP brush his teeth, he tenses up and struggles so much, shakes his head and clamps his mouth shut making it practically impossible to do.

Obviously we know we have to brush everyday twice a day but with my DS it seems to distress him more so it's easier to let it go in the end if that makes sense. I feel terrible doing this I really do but his teeth get done once every 3 days my HV said that was fine if he is getting distressed but I hate leaving it for long must be disgusting for him and cant be good for him either.

Has anyone else got experience with this and how the hell do you deal with it?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

stressedsanta · 17/12/2008 09:24

my ds 2.4 is like this too its a constant battle i do it once a day at night ,i have to pin him down .he wants to do it himself but just mucks around and bites it.
its better than nothing
dont worry in time he will let you do it

Belgianchox · 17/12/2008 09:27

my 2.6 yr old ds resistes teeth brushing as a matter of principle, he usually ends up standing in the corner for a couple of minutes before finally agreeing and letting one of us get on with it. I'm hoping we'll manage it soon without rsorting to this, his 3.10 dsis does it fine, and i don't remember ever having the same problem with her, so there is hope!

compo · 17/12/2008 09:29

have you tried giving him a toothbrush at the same time as you doing it?
we count to ten while I brush and then give it to dd to have a go
Not uite the recommended 2 minutes but at least it's something!

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VinegarTitsTheSeasonToBeJolly · 17/12/2008 09:39

I'm same as you mamadiva, its a struggle to get ds2 (2.4) to let me brush his teeth properly, he fights me for the tooth brush so he can eat the tooth paste, i have gone a week without brushing them

VinegarTitsTheSeasonToBeJolly · 17/12/2008 09:39

I'm same as you mamadiva, its a struggle to get ds2 (2.4) to let me brush his teeth properly, he fights me for the tooth brush so he can eat the tooth paste, i have gone a week without brushing them

Acinonyx · 17/12/2008 10:06

Dd varies - sometimes it's very hard. We only do it at night. I gues whet6her there are problems will depend on your dc's teeth (some are stronger than others) and how much sugar they are eating.

aideesmum · 17/12/2008 12:30

I get my ds to clean his teeth in the morning but I do them for him just before he goes to bed - seems to work and stopped the battle we had.

mawbroon · 17/12/2008 12:43

Is this a new thing or has he always done this?

Could he have a sore mouth?

pluckyyuletideducky · 17/12/2008 12:44

I let ds do them first, then it's my turn. He's happy with this arrangement most of the time.

What about taking your ds to the shop to choose a special toothbrush on the understanding that he has his teeth brushed? Ds loves using his battery operated Shrek toothbrush. They say not for children under 3 but my dentist recommended using one when ds was 2.6. Or you can get brushes that play music.

whoingodsnameami · 17/12/2008 12:52

My dc, ds(7) and dts(5) only let me brush thier teeth once in a while, I used to worry they were not doing it properly, I mentioned it to the dentist, he was astnished and said thier teeth were perfectl clean, so now I dont worry, but I have to say they do seem to give them a good scrub, and like to do it in front of a mirror, the only thing I do is give them guidence, reminding them to do the back too, they seem to enjoy brushing thier teeth, and insist on showing me thier teeth after.

BroccoliSpears · 17/12/2008 12:54

Have you asked him why he hates it? I battled for ages with my 2 year old before it occured to me to ask her why she didn't want me to clean her teeth. Turns out she has a sore on her sucking thumb and the toothpaste was stinging it when she went to bed after teeth clean.

I didn't ask in the heat of the battle, but instigated a general teeth cleaning conversation during a quiet cuddle at bedtime.

Original poster

jingleMAMADIVAsbells · 17/12/2008 13:04

Thanks everyone. Glad to see it's not just me.

He just doesn't seem to like it regardless of what we do

I have tried letting him do it at the same time as me, buying him an electric toothbrush and also getting him a bob toothbush that he loved but still wouldnt use.

I have asked him but he doesn't seem to understand what I am saying TBH.

OP posts:

pgwithnumber3 · 17/12/2008 13:07

DD1 (6) is like this, always has been. I do make her brush them at least once a day but sometimes it is not worth the battle (and it is a BATTLE). When I took her to the Dentist he said not to worry too much as it is nature that children can get away with it a bit more whereas an adult would be ill if they didn't brush their teeth enough. Not saying it is not important to brush twice a day (I believe it is and do demand she does it) but I wouldn't get too hung up about it.

Wisknit · 17/12/2008 14:01

DS1 is 3 (on saturday) and recently started insisting on doing it himself. ds2 18 months won''t let us at all. We just let them get on with it now I'm afraid. Can't be arsed with the fight and aggarvation, especially just before bed.
I thinik loads of people have this problem.

ChirpyGrinch · 17/12/2008 14:10

I manage DD's (2.10, 1.2) teeth every night before bed, sometimes in teh morning, depends what mood they are in .
What made a huge difference was getting 2 brushes for each of them. They hold one with a tiny smear of toothpaste on and 'brush' with that first and then I brush with mine. Sometimes I get my teeht brushed at the same time by them, sometiems they just cling onto theirs, but it distracts them long enough to let me get a good 30 seconds in.

My dentists said that as long as you get toothpaste all over their teeht and a good bursh on molars not to worry too much about the whole 2 minutes at this age as toddler attention spans wouldn't allow it anyway!

wideratthehips · 17/12/2008 14:24

i have this battle with ds2 who is 22mths.

i cant get a toothbrush into his mouth and he seems happy to twirl one around himself but hes not actually brushing the teeth. i try to get him to do mine and me do his...no way. hes really big and i cant get him in a headlock...i mean headlock, force down his jaw and brush????

now ds1 who is 4.5 has always enjoyed having his teeth brushed and i brush them really well twice a day..thank god.

i get ds2 to eat chunks of cheese regulary which is supposed to reduce acid in the mouth....is that right?

Wisknit · 17/12/2008 15:01

some foods, cheese and nuts among them are meant to be tooth neutral and are best for snacks.

BroccoliSpears · 17/12/2008 15:32

Another thought - how about story telling while you do it? I found that my dd LOVES made-up stories, particularly if the hero bears a striking resemblance to her! I tell her a story when I need to brush her hair (a massive battle for us) and it distracts her, and acts as a reward. If she starts complaining and fighting me I stop telling the story until she sits quietly again.

(My stories are utter crap by the way, but dd thinks they are the acest).

georgimama · 17/12/2008 15:42

DS "brushes" his teeth himself while I do mine in the morning, and while I run the bath in the evening. Then I lie him down across my lap and brush them for him. The first time was because I was trying to pin him down and that was the only position I could get him into where I could actually get at them, after that he just thinks it is funny and wants me to do it like that.

dilemma456 · 17/12/2008 16:45

Message withdrawn

PinkPoinsettias · 17/12/2008 16:54

ds bites us, refuses to open his mouth, gets hysterical, drops to the floor and screams.... everything and anything you can think of to stop us from brushing his teeth. he's 2.4 and i'm convinced dd had stopped this nonsense by this age and was letting us do it.

he's getting slightly better..... for the last 2 months it doesn't end up with everyone hysterical and covered in toothpaste but he still starts to resist after about 5-10 seconds so not much brushing gets done before the inevitable war begins.

his teeth get 'done' about every 2 days, and i mean that in the loosest possible sense of the word!

i actually brought him to the dentist as his front teeth were looking a little brown and i was concerned and they very helpfully told me 'i wouldn't worry about it, sure they're just his baby teeth' not quite the attitude i'd expected

dinkystinkyclaus · 17/12/2008 17:14

DS does his teeth in the morning and before his bath (we got him to watch a Charlie and Lola episode where they were at the dentist and he pretends to be them brushing their teeth) and then I do it while he's in the bath and distracted. Definitely recommend C&L as before he'd just chew the brush...

greenballoon · 17/12/2008 17:18

Twice a day (afer breakfast and before bed)

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 17/12/2008 17:24

Twice a day without fail.

I broke them in gently by giving them a toothbrush with toothpaste on (they choose) and a glass of water to dip it in in the kitchen/bath/living room/ anywhere. And don't make it into a fuss, hopefully he will enjoy doing it himself at a leisurely pace and you can teach him to be more thorough as he progresses.

Mumlikeu · 17/12/2008 17:39

My DS can brush unaided but i still brush his teeth every day without fail. And i love the compliments he gets. I see kids his age have rotten teeth. But he hasnt lost a tooth yet and enjoys doing it by himself. But i do like to oversee. lol I havent got issues.

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