Cleaning teeth regularly.. or not

[tinmrn]

DS 14 - regularly 'forgets' to clean teeth.. they're often yellow & gunky & we point this out & stress the likely outcomes, but beyond forcibly cleaning them for him, how can we ensure he does them? We always maintained a morning & evening routine as a child - it just doesn't seem to have stuck. Dentist has a go at him, but that wears off between visits. Is this just a teen boy thing he'll grow out of?! Do we need to actively bribe him to do this as well as pretty much every other day to day task?!!

Urgh. There’s not excuse really is there? I would probably say do you want your friends to think your breath stinks of shit?

Do we need to actively bribe him to do this as well as pretty much every other day to day task?!!
It sounds pretty shit to have to bribe a 14 year old to do anything! Does he do anything productive?

I've said all that.. (breath stinks etc) and when I do remind him he does it, but i forget & quite often he goes to bed after me/ gets up & out in a rush & frankly I shouldn't have to be reminding him on a daily basis should I??!

@BodenCardiganNot yes, of course.. does his chores, excels at school..but definite lazy tendencies too.

Is he forgetting or does he have a problem with it?

Brushing my teeth makes me gag. I hate it. I still do it but I really hate it. Some types of toothpaste are impossible for me to use because of it.

What turned it round for my DS was when the dentist cleaned his teeth - it’s uncomfortable and I think it made him prefer doing it himself ! Is a hygienists appointment an option or will your dentist assist ( my son needed a baby tooth removed so she just did it at the same time )

I would be TBH. Not brushing teeth is rank, and a health hazard.

Hopefully the problem will sort itself out when he finds a girl he wants to kiss.

My autistic DD was a nightmare for teeth cleaning. She probably still is - she's at uni now. Needing a couple of fillings helped as did getting a girlfriend.

I really dislike doing it too so I do sympathise but it is so annoying having to nag and nag.

When I was a kid my grandma had no teeth and took her dentures out at night. I never knew this until she came on holiday with us and I saw her getting ready for bed. That freaked me out so much I cleaned my teeth religiously for a good year after that with no nagging at all.

Kids now don't really see many people with really bad or missing teeth so they don't get what the consequences are.

It’s so frustrating to have to keep nagging and have such a negative atmosphere but please don’t give up. He will end up in immense pain and either cost you or his adult self so much money. Not to mention the social issues that will come with it, kids can be very cruel.

Can you set up the morning/evening routines so you both go in and do teeth brushing at the same time? Makes sure he’s doing it properly and then hopefully he’ll get sick of being treated like a baby and start sorting it himself. Also keep having his regular dentist checkups to let him know he’s not just going to get away with it.

Complete and totally normal for a 14 year old. He will grow out of it and in the meantime you just have to tell him daily and point out it’s disgusting. Just part and parcel of parenting innit?