Brushing Teeth

sportsmomma · June 2013

I know we get this question like once a month, but we're back to where we basically haven't brushed DS's teeth for a week well because of how much he's fighting. Are any of you experiencing this? What do you do to force that toothbrush in there? I don't want my kid's teeth to rot out before he's potty trained!

tess1014 · June 2013

We are experiencing this! My husband has to hold C so that she can't move her arms, and I hold her face and her mouth and force the toothbrush in to brush her teeth. She HATES it. She "cries" the whole time, but right after we're done and give her the brush so she can have her turn, she's totally fine. I keep thinking she'll get used to it, but it's been months of this so far. We've tried everything... "Mommy's turn, C's turn," singing while we do it, an electric toothbrush, and doing it in the bathtub, and she hates them all. I'm hoping someone has a magical solution that I haven't tried yet.

Ricola · June 2013

We had the same problem! He screamed and cried and it was a two person job.

Then I got him some berry flavored toothpaste and a step stool, so he can stand at the sink by himself and do it (with my help at first to actually get the teeth brushed ;-)) . Now, when it's 7.15 pm and we are playing outside, I just say "Alex, it's time for bed. Go brush your teeth!", and he runs to the sink and climbs up there. It's awesome!

I hope you find something that works for you soon, I know it's no fun to have your kid scream like that for a thing that just needs to be done.

tess1014 · June 2013

I love the step stool idea. We will have to try it!

Oasismomma · June 2013

DS really likes to brush his own teeth, so we "take turns." He gets to have a turn, then Mommy or Daddy needs to take a turn. Our situation is exacerbated by the fact that he has a lip tie between his two front teeth, so it is actually uncomfortable for him to brush there. Hopefully we will be able to revise his tie soon and it will be smooth(er) sailing.

caseycritchley · June 2013

Most of the time ds is ok with a little help but when he is feeling especially independent i put my toothbrush in my mouth and he brushes my teeth while i brush his. He also just got a step stool and loves to rinse his toothbrush out like 6 times.

Kelly1109 · June 2013

Ricola:

We had the same problem! He screamed and cried and it was a two person job.

Then I got him some berry flavored toothpaste and a step stool, so he can stand at the sink by himself and do it (with my help at first to actually get the teeth brushed ;-)) . Now, when it's 7.15 pm and we are playing outside, I just say "Alex, it's time for bed. Go brush your teeth!", and he runs to the sink and climbs up there. It's awesome!

I hope you find something that works for you soon, I know it's no fun to have your kid scream like that for a thing that just needs to be done.

Similiar situation for us. We have a step stool and some flavored infant toothpaste and he loves brushing his teeth when he can do it himself. Although a lot of times I do try and force it in to make sure he got them good and didn't just suck the toothpaste off the brush!

Leap08 · June 2013

It is a battle for me every single night. She is fine with putting the tooth brush in her mouth and "brushing" by herself. She stands on our step stool at the sink and we use Toms Strawberry toothpaste. She doesn't actually really brush her teeth though. She mostly sucks on the brush and maybe hits a few teeth with it. So she brushes and then I brush. She hates it when I brush. She squirms and tries to run away so I have to hold her arms. Ugh. I remember going through the same thing with DD1. When she got a little older (probably near 2) I was able to make it more of a game. We'd brush away all the icky germs on her teeth. I'd say I see pink germs lets brush them off and then she'd say I see purple, etc... I can't wait until DD2 is old enough to get that. It made brushing so much easier, and DD1 now does an excellent job brushing.

Mustardseed2007 · June 2013

we have the same problem. I'm glad to see the suggestions here b/c I got nuthin'.

NNGnome · June 2013

I have tried the step stool, flavoured toothpaste, and my turn your turn, all of it worked for a week or two, then DS would get another tooth and it would be back to forcibly holding him down Sad .

Currently I do round and round the garden on his tummy to get him to open his mouth, then go in as fast as I can, he still cries, but at least I don't have to try to force his mouth open...I am hoping pp is right and we have more success as he gets older.

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