cleaning toddlers teeth?

[bethdivine]

Hi,
DS was 2 in Feb, and despite having cleaned his teeth since they started coming through at 5mo, since he gained independence, he won't let me near them, insists on cleaning them himself and doesn't do a great job - some nights just sucking the toothpaste off. I feel like a crap mum and that I should be insisting I do it, but I literally can't get him to open his mouth and don't want it to end up a battle. I've taken him to boots to choose his own toothbrush and toothpaste, we even have a charlie & lola toothbrush (or so he thinks, it's a great lookalike), have watched and rewatched charlie & lola and balamory episodes of cleaning teeth to no avail. Has anybody got any suggestions or is this fairly normal at this age and am I expecting too much? I just don't want his teeth to rot!
any suggestions most welcome.
TIA
p.s. he loves toothpaste, so that's not an issue think he would eat the stuff if I let him

Can you have a toothbrush each and "take it in turns". DD mostly does hers (and just sucks of toothpaste) but then I get my turn and make sure her teeth actually to feel the brush

Ds2 did exactly the same thing. I told him that my favourite thing in the world was to brush other people's teeth and could I please please brush his when he had finished. I roped dh in and pretended to brush his. All very ridculous but it worked. Although every time we had friends round he wanted me to brush their teeth...

Does he go to the dentist? Am lucky that dd (3) now loves brushing her teeth but she only started to when the dentist showed her how and said he would check in 6 months

my dd is like this. I have just persisted, and now at 2.2 she is finally starting to brush her teeth almost properly (no back teeth, but doing the front and bottom set)

I spoke to my denstist and she said overall nutrition was important; getting some fluoride into their mouths (which does part of the work) and just setting up a routine where you do it at least once a day.

I did buy a plastic crocodile with visible teeth and my dd quite enjoyed cleaning those, i would then hold the toothbrush in the crocodiles mouth and say the crodile would now brush hers!!!! This works every now and then! I have also found that giving it to her whilst in the bath has helped, but when i need to i get her out the bath, wrap her in her towel and brush them with her lying down! She does protest, but allows me to do this more - i do have to sing and do silly things to keep her interested....

however as i said she has turned a corner after about a year of what you are going through, and now seems to brush them up and down ... so i guess just perserve!!!

I have also just got her an electric toothbrush, although they say only from 3 years which i give her every now and then and she finds this quite fun .....

Taking turns helped for us, we still do it year later.
And DD brushing my teeth while I brush hers.
Also you can try brushing his teeth in front of the mirror - he might like it more if he sees what's actually happening and it might not be so scary for him.

thans will try all these suggestions. he does have 2 brushes but is at the mine mine stage too, so he holds them both! some helpful stuff here tho that I' think he might go for! thank you.