Not brushing teeth 15 years old

[Mademoiselle269]

Need some advice please, my 15 years old DD suddenly stopped brushing her teeth every day like she used to do it, I need to remind her all the time to do but even when I tell her many times she won't do it, she said I will but eventually she doesn't, it's so frustrating. I feel bad nagging her every day but what else I can do? She goes to the dentist every six months, never had cavity, she knows consequences of not brushing as I explained it to her many times! Should I take devices off her? Will any kind of punishment work? She is big enough to understand what will happen if she won't brush, just trying to understand her behaviour but I struggle with that, she has good hygiene routine, baths every day, hair is being washed every other day, teeth unfortunately neglected, what should I do??? Anyone had similar experience? Anything helped?

Leave her to it, she's old enough to know.

Surely she’s self conscious that her teeth are becoming yellow and her breath stinks? I’d leave it to her - her friends will soon realise and hopefully tell her how disgusting it is!

Show her some pictures of tooth decay/loss.

Leave her to it.

She will change her mind with the first boyfriend. 😀

I did, she had them cleaned in January, no changes to behaviour, need to force her every day, it's so frustrating, I think I will leave it, can't cope anymore, her choice...

Get school to speak to her about it

As if schools don't have enough to do! It's not their responsibility.
As PP say leave her to it. Either friends or boys will soon tell her, or she'll eventually mature and decide to do it herself.

Er, why should school deal with it?

Get school to speak to her about it

Just when you think you've heard everything..

What else would you like the teachers to do? Wash her? Dress her? Brush her hair? You do realise she's the OP's child?

Please don’t ridicule me. If she is SEN and has someone to discuss self care - another mum she respects etc - they are JUST suggestions that’s all.

Mine will listen to a teacher but necessarily mean. A gentle conversation from someone else was just a bloody suggestion. I’ve been asked to do it twice - I’m not sure how successful it was. But teeth brushing like showering is self care and is a possible symptom of low mood etc

You can bin it or not.

Oranurse is a non flavoured , non foaming toothpaste and was developed for neurodivergent people who find flavoured/foaming toothpastes difficult .
https://oranurse.co.uk/

Is there something about it that puts her off? Some people find tooth brushing makes them gag. Has she been able to explain what the problem is? If she is otherwise engaged with her self-care then it sounds like there may be a specific issue with it.

Is there something about it that puts her off? Some people find tooth brushing makes them gag. Has she been able to explain what the problem is? If she is otherwise engaged with her self-care then it sounds like there may be a specific issue with it.

Ds has been brushing his teeth once a day for years. He is nearly 19! There is only so much you can do. He has to pay for the dentist now he is working fulltime so am sure he will start cleaning them twice a day soon as we go to a private dentist.

I know I spent a long time educating him on teeth brushing. So I leave him to sort it.

No, she seems to be lazy, every time I asked why you did not brush she is saying I was too tired, nothing puts her off, she was completely fine until few months ago when I first noticed she missed few brushes

I'd tell her straight how rank and antisocial it is and that her mates will be thinking WTF.

I'd leave her to it after that, if she wants to go round with smelly breath and furry teeth for a while, I can guarantee she will get a nasty bitchy comment at some point that'll get her rebrushing them again.

There are some graphic youtube videos of hard plaque removal which she will get if she doesn't brush plus videos of fillings where they will need to inject her gum to numb it if she needs any work doing. If she is NT then show her these things.

Walk her through crown, root canal etc, show her pictures. We all go to the dentist religiously every 6 months so my children (now adults) we aware of the condition of both their teeth and gums. They don't have a hygienist appointment until they are 18 but we are with a private dentist.

Also their breath can smell bad if they don't brush their teeth. The thought of not teeth brushing makes me feel ill.

You're unnecessarily complicating your life and adding extra stress, which isn't necessary.

Regarding this matter, refrain from discussing it with her anymore. Allow her to face the consequences, such as being ridiculed, isolated, and talked about. Let her experience the discomfort of dental issues like cavities, decay, and undergoing various dental procedures. Let her take responsibility for paying for dental work through employment.

It's her body, her decision, correct? Let her bear the outcomes of her own decisions.

I understand your concern and love for her, but it's a lesson she needs to learn on her own. Stop constantly reminding her and just let her be.

Perhaps try her with a different toothpaste. DD2 is 15 and has never been great at brushing and has suddenly been praised by the orthodontist for great brushing. She really likes the Hi Smiles toothpaste as the flavours are fruity. Not cheap but maybe it's worth it if it helps her to keep good dental health.

I was really bad with it in my mid teens and ended up with a couple of abscesses when I was 16. I got a bit better after that.

Watch out for depression and other mental health issues. Looking back I had mild depression.

She might be struggling. My daughter who is 14 struggles to keep up because she is worried about having to rush around. What i do is tell her to set an alarm to remind her 3 times.

See i'd be slack on a lot of other things but brushing teeth I would be insisting on, that's more important than a bit of greasy hair or skipping a shower sometimes. I'm really sensitive to smells though and cannot bear it when someone hasn't brushed their teeth it's so obvious and it's disgusting, and the decay and gum disease and expensive and painful treatments that will be required in the future if she doesn't start brushing could have a massive negative impact on her adult life.

The smell used to get to me especially if sharing a car with my sd. My dh once heaved it really was that bad. Plus fillings at 15/16.
In the end we stood with the bathroom door open and watched her like she was a younger child, soon enough she was embarrassed by that and began brushing them again