Teeth brushing - tips

yellow hen

I need advice. We have a 22 month old who got his first teeth at around 9 months and now has 14 teeth. He has a little toothbrush but whenever I try to brush his teeth, he clamps his mouth tight and refuses to let me go it. He'll happily take the brush and spend his time chewing it for about 10 mins. He doesn't get juice or sweets but I'm not overly strict so he does get the odd biscuit or the corner of a cake etc f we're eating it. How has everyone else managed to brush their toddlers teeth?

Gee_G

yellow hen wrote: »

I need advice. We have a 22 month old who got his first teeth at around 9 months and now has 14 teeth. He has a little toothbrush but whenever I try to brush his teeth, he clamps his mouth tight and refuses to let me go it. He'll happily take the brush and spend his time chewing it for about 10 mins. He doesn't get juice or sweets but I'm not overly strict so he does get the odd biscuit or the corner of a cake etc f we're eating it. How has everyone else managed to brush their toddlers teeth?

I got a new Winnie the pooh toothbrush first of all, I think it was also a little bit softer then the one I had tried using previous, we both stand in the bathroom(2yrs old) and both brush our teeth together, he seems to enjoy this, I get him to mimick what I'm doing and he seems to enjoy it!! Now I'm sure his teeth aren't being brushed perfectly by himself or anything but like you it was v hit and miss whether I'd get the brush into his mouth at all before this so any things a bonus!:)

Also, you should try letting him brush your teeth, it might distract him for long enough to let you do a little brushing of his!!

yellow hen

Gee_G wrote: »

I got a new Winnie the pooh toothbrush first of all, I think it was also a little bit softer then the one I had tried using previous, we both stand in the bathroom(2yrs old) and both brush our teeth together, he seems to enjoy this, I get him to mimick what I'm doing and he seems to enjoy it!! Now I'm sure his teeth aren't being brushed perfectly by himself or anything but like you it was v hit and miss whether I'd get the brush into his mouth at all before this so any things a bonus!:)

My guy just isn't at that stage. He'd have no interest in mimicking me, he just wants to chew on the brush. He's still more baby than toddler, as in I can't explain or reason with him yet If that makes sense.

Gee_G

yellow hen wrote: »

My guy just isn't at that stage. He'd have no interest in mimicking me, he just wants to chew on the brush. He's still more baby than toddler, as in I can't explain or reason with him yet If that makes sense.

Well then, let him chew away and try a bit every day!! Anything is better than nothing

How Strange

I agree with just letting him chew on the toothbrush. All you can really do at that age is make it a part of the bedtime routine. I brought my son to the dentist last January when he was 3. The dentist was great and explained lots to him and told him his mam or dad always have to check his teeth and brush them again after he does it. Since that visit brushing has become normal. However your lad isn't even 2 so let him chew away for another few months.

pwurple

You've made a decent start.
Letting them watch youtube videos about toothbrushing... I think there is one about a turtle?

The toothbrushing song! (Got my toothbrush, got my toothpaste, I won't hurry I won't rush. Making sure my teeth are clean, front and back and in between).

Character toothbrush and mini toothpaste (dentists, especially ones who see a lot of children, sometimes give these out for free).

Neyite

Mine clamped his lips shut anytime I went near him. I tried a selection of toothbrushes and baby pastes, eventually what worked was something like this which allowed me to get him used to brushing. Now he has graduated perfectly onto an ordinary toothbrush and lets us give him a good brush.

I think though its trial and error to see what works for each little one. At least if he happily chews on a brush for you for now, just let him do it for longer if nothing else works.

lazygal

I asked my dentist about this the last time I was there. If the diet is healthy and no juices and fizzy drinks are given, that is the main thing. She particularly warned against juices and dried fruit such as raisins, lethal in terms of sugars for baby teeth and it is difficult to brush dried fruit out of teeth.
We got a few different brushes and toothpastes to vary the routine a bit, and when they were more verbal explained about brushing teeth to keep them nice and shiny. We brushed them first, then they brushed them to finish off. Until they can understand the whole thing, brush as far as you're able to.

livinsane

http://www.boots.ie/en/Brush-Baby-Soft-Chewable-Toothbrush-10-36-Months-_1305081/

I have this soft brush for my 15 month old and it's great because there are bristles on the top and bottom. He is obsessed with it. Every night before bed he shouts "TEETH!". He just chews on it for ages but I'd say it gives them a good clean.

Nead21

My little fella is a little younger but since we started to brush his teeth we sing a song which he enjoyed. We did have a phase of clamping down on the toothbrush and him refusing to let us brush his teeth, but once he started to become interested in the sink, I got a little step so he now stands at the sink himself brushes (chews on the toothbrush!) while I sing. I sing the song again while I brush his teeth afterwards. He won't let me brush them until he's done his bit first. The only other thing that helps is that teeth is one of this words so he points to our teeth and his teeth and watches us brushing teeth.

Like others have said at this stage I'm not too worried and it's part of the routine. He doesn't get any sweets or juices so it's as good as it gets for the moment.

yellow hen

lazygal wrote: »

She particularly warned against juices and dried fruit such as raisins, lethal in terms of sugars for baby teeth and it is difficult to brush dried fruit out of teeth. .

Eek, I give him raisins every day because he adores them.

He's had the plastic little brushes as a tiny tot and used to chew the handle rather than the bristles!

jeepers101

Yeah we're looking at a bill of 1-2k this month to fix our 4 year olds teeth. We reckon raisins were one of the main culprits.

A great trick I heard on the radio a few years ago, which has worked great for our two kids is to pretend there are animals in their mouth and that you are using the brush to get them out. Something like "Ahhh there's a giraffe in your mouth, quick open up and let me get it". Just keep repeating for different animals until their teeth are clean. Never gets old.

lazygal

yellow hen wrote: »

Eek, I give him raisins every day because he adores them.

He's had the plastic little brushes as a tiny tot and used to chew the handle rather than the bristles!

The dentist said its the main cause of decay in children after sugary drinks. Better off giving regular fruit!

dinneenp

I made up a sing they I sing while mine are brushing:
Brush the front,
Brush the back,
Brush the side,
Brush up high,
Brush down low,
Don't brush your toe, no, no, no.

Got them to brush and pretend to brush their tie at the end (and laugh). It made fun out of the task...