Mumsnet users share with Aquafresh how they get their children to brush their teeth

[EllieMumsnet]

This activity is now closed

Regular tooth brushing can be a particular pain point for many parents, as often trying to persuade a wriggling, protesting child to open their mouth for this twice daily ritual is no small task. However there are lots ways to make it easier, and Aquafresh would love to know how you get your children to brush their teeth.

Aquafresh has this to say: “Here at Aquafresh, we know that brush time can be a challenge. That’s why we have Captain Aquafresh, the Nurdles and our brush time app to make your tooth brushing routines more fun! But we’d love to know, what are your brush time tips?”

So how can it be made easier? Do you employ a softly softly approach, waiting to spring with a ready-loaded toothbrush? Perhaps you bribe with an extra story at bedtime, or does your child actually listen to a logical, fact-based explanation of why it's good to brush? Maybe you’ve found that letting them pick out their favourite toothbrush and toothpaste help get them excited about brushing their teeth?

However you do it, share with Aquafresh how you get your children to brush their teeth and you could be in with the chance of winning a voucher worth £300 for the store of your choice (from a list).*

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

If you need to contact GSK to report a product quality issue, adverse event, have a question, request or complaint about a product, please email GSK at [email protected], call on 0800 783 8881 or contact GSK via the form located [https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/contact-us/ here]].

*All UK Mumsnet users aged 18+. Open 5/11/18 to 19/11/18. To enter please post on the thread below. One entry per person. One prize to be won: £300 voucher of winner’s choice (from a list). Winner chosen by random draw performed by computer process. Further Insight T&Cs at this link.

Not yet found the secret. Just pin down my 1 year old and get it done. She'll thank me later for doing it properly.

We've brushed teeth twice a day since before they had teeth. Missed a handful of times when they've fallen asleep in the car after a long journey and been transferred straight to bed, but otherwise it's non negotiable. If you let them think they don't have to sometimes the whining would never stop! As pp says, they'll thank me for it one day, it's part of being a parent!

I tried everything with my 16 month old - singing songs, watching YouTube videos, brushing teddy's teeth. He wouldn't even open his mouth. Finally I've found that leaving the tap on and letting him play with the water is the only thing that works

Up until he was 7 we brushed DSs teeth for him. Now we present DS (8) with a preloaded electric toothbrush and supervise, otherwise he would take half an hour and only clean one tooth. We also check his teeth carefully to make sure he has cleaned them properly. And we have talked to him about what could happen if he doesn’t brush properly and he is quite keen to avoid fillings! DS hates mint so we struggled to find a toothpaste that was subtle enough for him ( and it isn’t an Aquafresh one, sorry!)

We have the opposite problem My nearly 2 year old LOVES brushing her teeth.. she is always carrying around a toothbrush and is caught trying to eat the toothpaste if we forget to put it away.
She chooses her toothbrush and have never made I big deal out of it, or force her to brush them

It's the one thing there is no negotiations with in our house. It's part of the morning and bedtime routine and just happens.

It’s always been built into our morning and bedtime routines and luckily my first 2 children just accepted that and we’ve never had much fuss. I’ve always explained the importance of brushing with a simple explanation when they were little (to make teeth strong enough to bite food) increasing the detail as they got older (explaining tooth decay, acidity, gum disease).
My 3 year old is autistic and doesn’t really like brushing but we give lots of smiles and praise and sometimes brush while he watches tv so he is more relaxed. Who cares about where they’re brushed as long as it gets done! 😄

We have character electric toothbrushes and junior toothpaste. Both DC have a try on their own and then it’s mummy’s turn. I talk to them about the dentist a lot and if they’re not cooperating, I ask them “whatever will Mr Donovan say when he sees your teeth? He will say, yuk, they are not clean and shiny like they used to be”. Then they usually relent and I brush them well.

After trying all different flavour toothpastes, brushes and bribes I found a toothpaste with 'glitter' in. Now my daughter is happy to brush her teeth now even with minty toothpaste!

Counting! My BIL shared this tip with me.

We practice counting. Top left: get child to say "Ahhhh" and I scrub top and sides of the teeth while counting to ten. Bottom left: "Ahhh" again, scrub while counting to ten.

We do this for top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right, centre teeth top and bottom.

Then child says "Eeeeee!" and I count to ten and scrub in little circles on the face of the teeth - left, right and centre.

Then we make a yucky face and go "Bleurrrrgh!" with tongue out (and a couple of quick tongue scrubs)!

We gave our 15 month old a toothbrush to play with/chew since before she had teeth and we would brush her gums from about 3 months old to get her used to the toothbrush. So far so good she hasn't refused yet. We let her chew on the brush while we get her dressed/ready for bath then do a once over ourselves so all teeth get a good scrub. Myself and my husband are both dentists and we have seen the effects of poor brushing can have so good oral hygiene habits are really important to us.

When DS2 was in the throes of the terrible twos, I used to brush his teeth in front of Cbeebies.

My daughter has always done her teeth after breakfast/before school and at night before bed...as do I, which she sees as a normal routine. I did supervise her up until around 8yrs old and now do comment if she seems to be a bit 'quick'. I don't mind her having sweet treats, and I dislike sugar free squashes due to the chemical replacements, so she does have a level of sugar in her diet which is fine as she's active and brushes her teeth after. She's becoming aware of image, so nice teeth is a good reason to keep that smile sparkling. As long as it's part of the daily routine it's easier to follow. Regular trips to the dentist back this up when they check her teeth, and sometimes school does a hygiene theme using those blue reveal tablets like when I was at school.

They choose the toothpaste and toothbrush and both have their own kids electric brush which buzzes after 2 minutes.

When brushing my 2yr old sons teeth we look for hidden treasure, he has to keep still and open wide to make sure I can find it all in his teeth

I think just doing it religiously as others have said, is the answer. Also letting them choose their own toothbrush and finding a toothpaste that is mild enough.

We show our son pictures of people with rotten teeth!

With my 6 year old I did everything right, brushed from babyhood, made it fun, showed him how I did mine etc. He's always hated it! I used to pin him down if needed. Showing him photographs of rotten teeth helped. he is much better now. His little brother loves brushing his teeth! So it wasnt anything i was doing wrong.

Fortunately DS jut gets on with it and does it. He doesn’t question it and it’s jut part of the routine. However, when he was about a year old I had to hold him down while o did it. That was fun.

DD loves her electric toothbrush. Has turned what used to be a chore into a game.

I show them pictures of people who don't brush their teeth! I also talk about good overall health and educate them on products with a high sugar content. I limit sugary snacks and we are buying them all (5 DC) electric toothbrushes with built in 2 min timers as part of their Christmas this year. We all visit the dentist regularly together and I ask him to remind them how important brushing twice a day is. I also do random spot checks! 

DS is 18 months. Loves chewing the toothbrush with toothpaste on it but wouldn't let us anywhere near. Now we use youtube and a variety of videos... Elmo is a favourite. He's only allowed them while he allows us to brush... if he clamps his mouth shut then the phone goes away.

DD 7 hated brushing her teeth until we got her a small electric toothbrush. (just like daddy's, but it's got minions on it mummy!)

We have a timer and we check her afterwards or else she forgets to do the bottom ones.

Also turns out she prefers minty toothpaste to the other flavours.

It wasn't very thorough when they were little, would do mine to show them and then do theirs.

As they got older it just became part of the bedtime routine, as it was something we'd always done.

It was reinforced by annual visits to the dentist from a young age too, just to get them used to it all.

I brushed gums when my children were around 6 months old with a gentle toothpaste and soft brush, and it became part of their daily routine, morning and evening. As they grew I have bought selection or toothbrushes which play tunes, vibrate, and those for holidays which are just made out of a character/action figure. They have regular visits to the dentist, and have very good oral health and good strong teeth. So early introduction into oral health as part of a daily routine = no fuss.