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.

i had to resort to buying fancy toothbrushes and timers and other gimmicky items. it worked so i guess all is good.

for the older ones i bought plaque search tabs, lots of fun and get them brushing well

Wrap in a towel after bath or pretend to be a Mummy lion cleaning zebra out of the baby lions teeth... it’s working for now but will probably need a new idea in a week.

Told dd that the tooth fairy only pays out for clean teeth. Confirmed this with the dentist at the next routine appointment. Dd has never needed any fillings.

My children have had teeth from 15 and 16 weeks so it’s not been easy! Instilling routine from really early helped, along with brushing our teeth together. When they get slightly more independent (toddler) I let my eldest brush my teeth, so that he was preoccupied giving me time to brush his teeth and showing that mummy has to brush teeth too. (Definitely keep mouth shut for this!)
7mo currently will only do anything himself (maybe because of BLW!) so I hold him on my hip when I brush my teeth, so he sees us both in the mirror (he loves this!) and let him have a chew/play with his own toothbrush. Then when I’m done I kind of twist the brush from side to side to get to all of his teeth whilst he tries to eat it!

Long post I know but different kids, different ages and different hurdles! My eldest also loved the brush time app when he was younger (now 10) and his reminder not to slack on brushing is that he hated the dentist’s clean!

So many different points have helped.
Now Dd is older (4.5yrs) it's easy to get her to pick her toothbrush out, currently a battery powered minion toothbrush, also her toothpaste. She wants Strawberry Ice-cream flavour for a couple months, sure, now you want mint? Why not it's all toothpaste! Oh and she can reach all on her own where they're stored so makes her feel very grown up.
Dd also does understand why it's important and tells us off if we forgot before we're about to leave the house. She also knows it's better to brush before and not after eating.
Mirror placed at her level to helps, plus she mostly does them on her own but sometimes likes us to.

We have super cool toothbrushes and use an egg timer to time 2 mins! Seems to do the trick - also threaten no sweets if they do not clean their teeth!

We use the Aquafresh app 

Demonstration. We all brushed together when DCs were very small. Like many things we expect our DC to do, it helps to role model positive behaviours. Also, we would let them choose their own brushes and would put brush and paste in Christmas stocking every year to make it a treat

With difficulty! 16 month DS isn't a massive fan of having teeth brushed and isn't quite at the stage of being reasoned with... we used to use bicciepegs which were useful when they were small (although did put your fingers in danger) - now he can be encouraged slightly more if he's given the (penguin shaped) toothbrush himself to do, but its still a bit hit and miss. Following with interest to see what those with children of a similar age do to see if we can pick up any tips!

I brushed my children's teeth when the pearly whites first appeared through their gums, with a soft brush and a flavoured toothpaste (we went through milk teeth,little an are now on big teeth) . When they became more independent, this twice daily ritual was supervised, I try and make it an enjoyable experience and have just downloaded an app on my phone which makes the two minutes brushing experience fun.

I've always done mine in front of dd, even before she had teeth. Now she is 2.5 and we do them together. It wouldn't occur to her not to at this point although sometimes we sing "brush your teeth" to the tune of baby shark

With mine it’s a race to see who can get theirs done first, we have a timer and the boys seem to be quite competitive about it and whose are the whitest etc which makes a change as they used to battle with me over doing it but now brushing their own teeth with supervision

No tricks or gimmicks here, it's just always been part of the routine so they just get on with it. Obviously been a few instances of a screaming toddler who doesn't want to cooperate but same as when they're fussing about anything else, they don't get their own way; teeth will be brushed whether they like it or not!

I hate the word routine so let’s say ritual. We all brush our teeth before storytime after my sons bath every night. Of a morning he brushes his teeth before he goes to school - after breakfast.

I always remind them what the dentist says, I won’t lose any sleep over you brushing your teeth twice a day but you need to brush twice a day to protect your teeth. Especially at night, spit don’t rinse for healthy mouth, teeth and gums. They need to learn its compulsory but only they have the power to look after their teeth on a daily basis. 💋

its non negotiable.and its started from the day dot.they will be gotten out of bed to do it.they will not go out without doing it in the morning.its part of the daily routine from the very beginning and then it just becomes part of it for them.of course they will go through stages of not doing it.watch out this happens often when they get older too when they just cant be bothered! but its a must.they will thank you for it one day.they will. your the parents they need to do as they are told on certain things sometimes.
of course we try to make it as child mood friendly as possible especially when you first begin.like putting a games timer in there and have perfection races.
staring contest throughout is fun between dh and ds.
do it with the sibling.
do it with them.
get them a nice toothbrush.and toothpaste they like.allow a few gimmick ones.
don't make the dentist painful.go out for tea after.
don't make it a screaming match.
keep checking them.
praise "oh wow you brush way btter than the rest of us."
"oooh you breathe smells lovely" after.
explain to them about they only get one chance with big teeth.you cant fix like a broken arm.

Tooth timer, regular visits to the dentist, setting a good example myself!

2 year old DS is sometimes compliant, sometimes resistant... on resistant days, 3 things make a difference:

• tickle him to make him laugh, then explain its time to “tickle teeth”- his top teeth being brushed makes him giggle more- it’s all part of the tickle game

• let him brush and play a (mad) game we call “rubbie scrubbie”- the aim is to hear the “scrubby” sound of brush bristles on teeth - if I can’t hear the sound, he’s not brushing (he’s sucking the toothpaste)- when I hear a “brush” sound I make a huge song and dance about it, with high fives and clapping, which makes him brush more - and then I “have a turn” at the back teeth

• if all of that fails... Moana or similar on my iPhone, sit him on my lap, and brush while he’s distracted. For very tired and grumpy nights only!

We have the Aquafresh brush time app. The kids all dance around the bathroom like loons whilst brushing. Makes it more fun and enjoyable. Then I check they’ve done it properly. Bonding and brushing all in one. 👍🏻

We sing our way through the four quadrants,

This is the way the tigers, brush their teeth, brush their teeth, brush their teeth, this is the way the tigers brush their teeth early in the morning/evening.

Then elephants, then zebras, then monkeys.

All done.

With both my dc we have had times of them not liking it but have just persisted and explained it must be done. We have a teeth brushing song and I let them choose toothbrushes etc. As they got old enough to understand I have warned them if the dont brush their teeth they will end up with sore teeth or even metal teeth like their grandparents. My friend that lives down the road and is a dentist so I sometimes pretend to phone her if they wont brush their teeth-it really does the trick but only use sparingly

It's non negotiable in our house, 10yo well into the routine but the 2yo sometimes needs persuading.
We've done it since they had no teeth and they get the choice of doing it themselves (with mummy 'checking' afterwards) or mummy doing it - with or without their assistance.
Resistance is met with the 'there will be no sweets, chocolate, favourite food... if teeth aren't brushed properly"
We 'check' the back corners for whatever they had for tea / snack / breakfast and make sure they are squeaky clean 'eek eek' and have a competition for who will have the best teeth for the dentist. They are both competitive show offs so this works well.

An electric toothbrush and fun coloured/nice flavoured toothpaste. Plus scary stories about bad dental hygiene :-)

My little boy is 2. We make up songs like peppa and George say ah ah ah so I can get in and brush when he says ah. He enjoys peppa pig so much and loves the dentist episode which helps.

But we got a strawberry toothpaste and a character electric brush which adds to the fun. He doesn’t love it but we always get it done x