Brushing Teeth

JaysonandKristin

How is the tooth brushing going with your LOs?

Otis DETESTS the tooth brush, and I end up pinning him down everyday for the task.  I know it could traumatize him, but I refuse to allow him to go without it.  

I *think* remember a bumpie on the 24+ board who said that this was acceptable practice.  I think she was a dental hygienist or even a DDS.  

Have any of yours been to a DDS yet?  

What did their philosophy seem to be? 

NotSharknado

Dd hates it. I've tried being forceful and I'm just not comfortable with it. She's getting better at doing it herself. I started brushing my teeth with her and she likes to copy me so she's starting to be more interested. It helps to go it while she's facing the mirror.

I just don't sweat it, she'll get it eventually.

NotSharknado

Also, for me, forming the habit is more important right now.

ETA: I used the same approach with Ds and he doesn't have any cavities.

kikalynne

Mirroring works best for us. DH and DS brush their teeth together in the mornings. At night, as part of the bedtime routine, we let him brush our teeth and then switch roles. So far, it hasn't been too much of a fight.

Also, I think it helps that he has a Cars toothbrush and Thomas toothpaste! Whatever works, right?

kjgilhoo

I was talking to my mom about this yesterday. DD is so not a fan. She's quite happy to hold the brush herself and suck the water out of the bristles and she does "brush" a little bit, but not well.

I stand her on the sink and let her face the mirror and we pretty much take turns.  She'll let me get a swipe in here or there so I settle for that.  I know a girl who tells her daughter that they need to brush away the "sugar bugs" but DD is too young to get that concept.

 How many times a day should we be brushing.  Right now we do it once before bed.  I want to start mornings too, but they're so freaking rushed (lame excuse, I know). 

NotSharknado

Oh! I forgot, we started brushing before we go "bye bye" and it's working out well since going out is such a huge deal right now.

That's how I got her to wear hair ties and barrets too. She can't go out unless her hair is did.

ladybugpjb

DS gets very excited about getting his teeth brushed. I think he just likes the Elmo toothpaste. It's harder at the moment because he's cutting a tooth, but he still gets excited and runs right to the bathroom when it's time to brush them.

I haven't taken him to the dentist. Maybe when he's closer to 2? He just cut his fifth tooth, so I'm kind of waiting for him to have a few more teeth before we go.

melissa0726

It's not good.  She hates for me to do it.  I'm torn between holding her down and not wanting to traumatize her.  Oddly, she does best when I hand her the toothbrush while she's in the bath tub.  I am getting her some new toothpaste this week, in hope that it helps her to let me do some of the brushing.

We have not been to the dentist, our pedi said it's ok to wait until she's 2-3 years old.

Duffgurl

L has his good and bad days. For some reason he does NOT like the toothpaste (for toddlers) When it is a bad day we try to get as much as we can but he will lay on his belly when he is for sure done. We plan to hit the dentist after he is 2.

Cookiecake7

In the morning she brushes her teeth while I brush mine. This isn't so much to teach her to brush as to give me two minutes to do something by myself.

At night for the big brush I've started singing the same silly song while brushing. Now she knows that no matter how much she wants to quit she has to wait until the end of the song then she runs away.