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

[EllieMumsnet]

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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.

We give her a toothbrush in the bath and she does it herself 🤷🏻‍♀️ Sometimes wants to do ours too. We started off showing her what to do and now she takes the reigns.

She’s only 15 months so it’s obviously not amazing toothbrushing, but I’m also not going to force the brush round her mouth. Leaving her to do most stuff works best for her we find.

Toothbrush with a flashing timer on it works for us. DS likes to use a children's mouthwash after too as he feels grown-up.

It's part of the morning and bedtime routine they have good role models and they understand why its importaint. I some times have to move the brushes as my little girl would wash hers every moment if she could .

Start them young. Don't put to much pressure on it being a chore. Set a timer or a song that they cant brush their teeth too and hey presto its done.

I found brushing together early on encouraged a routine and picking their own new toothbrush in their favourite colour

I let them have a turn at brushing their teeth without help and then I take a turn to give them a good brush.
Also, I gave them their toothbrushes from an early age (around teething age) while bathing them. This allowed them to get used to a toothbrush as they enjoyed chewing on it.

We use a mini egg timer. Encourages my DS to brush his teeth for a good amount of time

We started brushing teeth before they even had teeth to get them into the habit. Now there isn't any resistance as it's all part of the twice daily routine.

Its just part of routine, they have always had their teeth brushed every morning and before bed. Some toothpastes my eldest does not like so its been trial and error with them. We also have character electric toothbrushes and they like them.

No persuation needed fortuantely. Since they had teeth it's just been routine and they just do it! Iv been lucky to not have any fights

I sing DS (2) a song I’ve made up about teeth brushing. He won’t do it without me now- “sing Mummy, sing!!” 🤦‍♀️

Have a fun timing system - like a song that plays whilst they are doing it

I let them choose their own tooth brush and we all do it together, that way they are doing it for the right time and I watch to make sure they are doing it right.

DS is actually quite adorable and comes out with scientific facts that he's researched all by himself so he would ask to watch and then copy.

We sang opera. Something from Mozart, I think it was. Lots of wide open mouthed Ah-ah-ahs. They laughed a lot. Also made up nonsense about how brushing your teeth turned them the colour of the toothbrush, and I had to brush them more to get the colour off until they were so sparkly white that the shine was too bright for me.

We play the copy game while they're in the bath. Starts with them both watching me and copying brushing where I brush - so, down the bottom, along the sides, big smile to do the front, etc etc. Once I feel vaguely hopeful they've hit most of the main spots then it is DD's turn for us to copy her. Then we finish with DS doing his. I have no idea but this whole process works well and they really enjoy doing it.

Stand over them and watch them do it, remembering that good habits and brushing techniques now should last them a lifetime

When DD was little I had been to a first aid course and was taught to use Nelly the elephant song as a guide for doing CPR. The rhythm and time of it worked well for toothbrushing too so I sang that.

Then for a while we discovered an American character called Bippi who sang a 2 min toothbrush song on YouTube and watched that.

Now she's 6 I tend to show her pictures of rotten teeth on the internet and tell her she'll get cavities and gingervitis if she doesn't brush - scare tactics seem to work!

I let her brush one time a day and I do the other.

A timer with his favourite character did the trick when my DS was reluctant. He doesn't argue any more :-D

A strict routine right from the start and their own fun timer to use.

I stand watching 9yo while he brushes. He does a good job but suspect he would rush if not watched!

The same way MN/Aqua fresh get grown adults to take part in their customer feedback... Give them an incentive .
Reward them.
Not with £300 obviously but with praise, a sticker, a cuddle, an extra story.
Whatever gets them motivated.

Me and my daughter brush our teeth twice a day and we listen to the Elmo brushing teeth song. Sometime we do miss if she has fallen asleep after a long day or were running late.

When my children were babies I used to have two toothbrushes in use so they could use one and I could use on at the same time, used to save a lot of struggling, Then we went onto toothbrushes with a timer so they knew how long they were expected to brush their teeth for, Now I like to regularly remind my children of upcoming Dental appointments in the hope they realise the importance of teeth brushing.

I found that by putting an egg timer in the bathroom whilst they brushed their teeth made it into a game, they all had to brush their teeth until the sand ran out, made for clean teeth all round and happy kids and mum