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 just made it a habit to let them play with a toothbrush after each meal starting from before they even had teeth, then it's not even an issue because it's something they're used to having in their mouth

My son is just 2. We tell him that there are soldiers are attacking his teeth and we need to fight back with the toothbrush. He has to keep his mouth open wide whilst I sing the grand old duke of York... slowly.
We had a complete nightmare with cleaning his teeth up till recently. This was a tip from my FIL as it worked when he was brushing DH teeth.

I bribe my children with money

My DS was always great at brushing his teeth until he hit 4, then we tried everything, new toothbrushes etc. Then we found a video on you tube that was called ‘shiny teeth and me’ and was 2mins long. He used to enjoy watching this on my phone while brushing his teeth. He’s now6.5 and although we don’t use the video any more, he still asks for it sometimes.

I’ve recentl bought him a battery powered toothbrush as I want to make sure he’s brushing his new adult teeth properly.

My DD (1), only has a couple of teeth but she’s had a toothbrush to chew on since she was tiny to get used to it being in her mouth and will now happily let me brush her teeth and ‘brush her own’

We sing 'this is the way we brush our teeth' and baby holds brush fist, we let him put in his mouth and then we hold end of toothbrush and help scrub his little teeth. Its been part of bedtime routine since he was gummy

My DS age 5 hates mint too! The only toothpaste I have found he will tolerate is Tesco's strawberry ice cream flavour so we use that and threaten the easy way or the hard way (we pin him down) . He usually chooses the easy way and opens up!

I use the app (thank you for that) her favourite toothpaste and an electric toothbrush that all helps.
The main thing is our song and dance! We have a crazy song and dance that we only do when she has brushed her teeth. She loves it and I’ve had no trouble since I started this.
Worked for my niece too who was 3 when I made it up for her and very reluctant to brush. She opened up really quickly with the promise of the ‘she’s brushed her teeth’ song!

Bribery and threats..
"Clean them yourself, or I'll scub em with soap, do it properly and you get sweets tomorrow, dont do it and you'll get bread and water."

My four year old will do it as she knows she won't be able to leave the house until it's done.

It is just part of the morning & bedtime routine here, and always has been.
They sometimes complain about having to do it but I just remind them why it's important and the consequences (to their teeth) if they didn't.
Letting them pick / have a 'fun' toothbrush helps.

Even now at 6 & 8, despite brushing twice a day for their whole lives and dire threats of what can happen should they neglect their teeth, we still need to cajole / persuade / threaten / bribe. Nor can they be left to get on with it unsupervised as they'll brush for 0.8 seconds. So Santa is bringing electric toothbrushes this Christmas.

It's top teeth, bottom teeth, side teeth and front teeth. They do it with electric brushes and I go over afterwards. Before they got that it was something that always happened it was pinned down and done through tears or screams. I know their teeth will fall out and they'll have new ones which they'll destroy themselves in their teens but I feel it's good to instil how important it is.

I stick my sunglasses on and brush my son’s teeth to get them “as clean and sparkly as the sun”. When we have finished brushing, I am obliged to lift up my glasses to inspect his teeth, then - being suitably dazzled - fall into the bath tub.

For my just-turned-two-year-old daughter, she just finds it amazing that all our family members are hiding inside her mouth; we have to brush them to make them dance in her mouth...strange poppet!

We actually used the nurdles app when the kids were younger but now dd does it when I do. She's much more likely to clean her teeth when I am than or her own.

Sign a song to the tune of the elephant song from the jungle book, 1,2,3,4 brush them up 2,3,4 now we're going to brush our teeth etc and when we spit we make an elephant noise seems to work 😂

most days I have to literally pin down my 2 year old on the floor so he can’t move his head or arms!

We have timers and the children do their own then I clean their teeth and we do a count down from 20 while they brush their smile. We've done it since they were tiny and it's just become routine.

Having your children watch your daily routine instills good habits. So if by brushing your teeth when you wake and before bed is done by the whole family, your children don't see it as a chore, it simply becomes routine, like getting dressed or putting your shoes on before you go out. Also let them accompany you to the dentist, so it's not such a shock when they go themselves.

I have never had a problem with my 2 boys brushing their teeth. Though 3 years ago I brought an electric toothbrush for my son who is now 9 and he enjoys using that more than a normal one. My other son is 3 and when he needs a new toothbrush he always chooses his own,he gets really excited about using a new brush 😀 I also talk to my kids about how important it is to look after your teeth 🦷 me being an ex dental nurse.

We built tooth cleaning into the daily routine, of course led by example, children generally love to emulate grown ups. Buying childrens toothpaste, and eventually an electric toothbrush. Even toys had to pretend to have their teeth cleaned at one stage. We always made it fun.

I found the secret last week!!! After nightly battles I've finally got my 2 year old excited for teeth brushing time... I've discovered that his tooth brush can talk... Mrs Toothbrush' is a very polite elderly lady who asks if she can brush teeth, guesses what he's been eating that day and does a very through job. He does everything she asks, much more compliant to his toothbrush than he is for me

I just bought myself an electric toothbrush that pretty much wobbles your eyes and brain out of your head.
I threaten to use it on them if they don’t clean their teeth properly themselves. So far it’s worked

DD was very reluctant as a toddler. She loved a book called Maisy's Bus, so we used to sit on the loo (with the lid down) backwards as if we were on a bus. We'd tell the story (it's very simple) and I would brush her teeth one section at a time in between bus stops!

This thread has stirred memories! As a toddler DS used to hold his breath and frequently have a bluey when his teeth were brushed. This took both parents. Gradually blueys stopped it only needed one adult. Tooth brushing then was accompanied by a prolonged story about all the extraordinary things being discovered on his tiny teeth and brushed away.

Talk about bugs making holes in my teeth and show them my fillings!