Toddler Teeth Brushing

ASullivan1231

How do you do it?  DS "brushes" his teeth in the morning and evening (and sometimes in between - he's really into it).  By brush, I mean it hangs out of his mouth while he sucks the toothpaste off, but when I try to help him he darts away.  I think I'd have to put him in his high chair to even have a shot at really scrubbing his teeth and tongue. 

Any advice?  He his on the move all day and gets away quickly.

SallyAnneS

That is how ds brushes his too or he chews on it. He stands on a stool which seems to help him stay still long enough and I have him say "cheese" which gives me almost enough room to get in there and brush them.

zbeesma86

I let Z hold her tooth brush and 'brush' her teeth while I get her in her PJs and brush her hair and such-- then I actually brush her teeth but she hates it. Clamps her mouth shut. Screams. It sucks. I just make her laugh then get the brush in there to brush until she finagles it out then I do it again, make her laugh/smile and get the toothbrush in to brush a bit. It's a process.

ASullivan1231

Ok, thanks! I sometimes think everyone else has angels and my child is the crazy man.

pitterpatter129

I'm mean.  I don't do cavities.  I started teeth around 8 mo (with both kids now) laying on the floor.  I did the floor/changing table thing until N turned 2.5.  Then I let him sit on the sink while I brush and floss for him.  If he refuses to open his mouth, I tell him I will lay him on the floor and I will open it for him.  I'm not nice about it.  They get brushed, screaming or not. He makes the choice to do it easy way because he knows I'll get it done. We used to do a whole routine making funny aaaaahhhh sounds, but he's outgrown the need for that now.  It's pretty uneventful really.  He opens and I brush.  He gets to choose his flosser color and then I floss.  We rinse and are done.  It did take a little fighting sometimes, but he let the dentist do a full cleaning and check-up last time, so I call it a win.  I don't consider brushing a negotiable thing.  I guess it's my "hill to die on".

LatteLady5

DD loves brushing her teeth. She lets us brush them and then does it herself. Barney has a good teeth brushing song that we sing. When she used to put up a fight I used 2 toothbrushes. I'd give her one to brush with while I actually brushed her teeth with the other. This method worked really well until it was no longer needed.

jensriot

Each girl went through a phase when they were younger when they wouldn't let me brush. I ended up trading with them. They got to brush my teeth and I brushed theirs. It's a little silly, but they loved it and the teeth got clean.

Ramirezfam11

my husband holds our son & helps him at it & at the same time im brushing my teeth to show him. we try to make it fun for him so he knows that its good to brush your teeth.

lyingliarlies

well i'm the one who puts him in the high chair. or rather we brush after meals while he's still in the high chair. sometimes he wants to brush, other times we do it for him. we've gone through phases where he clenches his lips over his front teeth, where he wants to do it all (but we still "touch up"), where he doesn't want one side done (we checked to be sure it wasn't a legitimate issue going on), & where he's a perfect angel. the phases last a couple of weeks & then it's back to normal....where he doesn't act like we're torturing him but isn't a perfect angel either, but he does pretty well. we also brush after every meal but don't use much toothpaste (he doesn't spit.) this is a "hill to die on" for me too b/c DH & I have had teeth issues all our lives & we want to do what we can to minimize issues in the future, which includes having issues/procedures that lead to fear of the dentist.

for a while i would sing to him "No Sleep til.....Brushin' !" lol he's a beastie boys fan.