How to make brushing teeth not so traumatic?

kellenickle

DD hates it! I've tried with and without toothpaste, I've tried letting her hold it, hoping she would at least chew it a bit, I've tried at different times and I've tried the finger brushes and the regular little tooth brushes...

I feel like I'm just making it worse b/c she hates it and I'm forcing it. Any tips? TIA!

TazDev

Maybe sing a song, or maybe have her watch you brush your teeth and see if she will help you brush your teeth then do hers.  That worked for DD.  DS LOVES it. 

Halo79RN

we make it a game... I let dc brush first... we sing the alphabet while they brush... then we "count teeth!"  and see how high we can count.  They smile the entire time.  sometimes I do have to switch things up a bit and sing goofy songs or, at one point with dd when she was around 18m/o, I had her brush my teeth while I brushed hers.  She got a huge kick out of that. 

candm

I finally gave up on the toothbrush when DD was about your daughter's age. I started using a baby wash cloth as I felt like I had more control and DD was much more willing to let me clean her teeth and gums that way than she was with the toothbrush. So far it's wroking much better. Not sure when I'll try a toothbrush again. BTW, DD loves to chew on toothbrushes, she just won't brush her teeth with it or let us do it.

saucyone

I could have written your post a month ago.  DS was fine with the wash cloth, but he kept biting me, so I was not.

I tried singing, I tried letting him brush, I tried showing how I brushed my teeth, but the second the toothbrush was headed towards his lips, he's hold them closed and start crying.

In the end, I had to wrestle him, like actually hold him still (no, I am not saying that this is the right answer for everyone) and brush his teeth as he cried (and opened his mouth to do so).  This last for about 2 days.  Then he was fake crying.  No tears, just yelling.  And after a week, he wasn't crying any more.

DS has never liked new textures (grass, sand, concerete), so I think he aversion was texture based also.  Once he got used to it, he was fine.  It was just foreign.

We still have a hiccup now and again, but a little distraction works for him.  Also, I use the kids fluoride free toothpaste, which he now likes.  I squirt it in between the bristles of the toothbrush and it takes him a while to suck it out.

Good Luck!

AviatorJJ

we got an electric toothbrush and Rowen loves it...well likes it

Tess12

Tonight I tried the wash cloth and did it while she was in the bath.  It went much better than usual.