Brushing Teeth

[Ozstar]

My DS isn't a fan of having his teeth brushed so I wondered if anyone out there knew of any songs about brushing teeth to make it more enjoyable? He loves to sing so I thought a song might help.

Also the kids toothpaste he uses says do not swallow, rinse and spit out. How do I get a 13 month old to spit lol? I give him a drink of water after but he just swallows it all. Why cant it be swallowed?

TIA

[kristy J]

don't worry about eating the tooth paste my son does it all the time.

sorry i cant help with the brushing, Ike loves to brush. do you brush your teeth at the same time? it might help.

good luck

[sneakysparkle]

Not sure about the swallowing toothpaste thing, but something that helped us with getting DD's teeth brushed was for her to hold another toothbrush while I was brushing her teeth, and when I was finished she could have a turn brushing her own teeth or brushing mine!

Good luck, I know it can be tricky!

[boomba]

Katie,
Its hard to get them to brush hey! We always brush our teeth together so Ds will copy! I try to give them a good brush, then let him play with it just so get used to the feeling.
We dont rinse after brushing its too hard. How much paste do you use? They only need a 1/4 of a pea size on there so its not that much for them to swallow!
HTH good luck! xx

[Ozstar]

Thanks ladies. In the morning we brush at the same time but at night I do mine in the shower. I usually brush his as much as he will let me and then give him his toothbrush to do his own. I might let him have a go brushing mine, he sucks on my toothbrush when he in the shower with DH too.

Boomba I dont use much toothpaste. I figure since we dont have fluoride in the water up here it can't hurt him to swallow a little.

[boomba]

Yeah thats my logic too! i mean they eat things off the ground, DS loves to lick the ground so a little toothpaste wont hurt! lol! x

[Saffi]

Going to try some of these suggestions. I've tried singing a brushing song, a finger brush, brushing my teeth in front of him, when he's in the bath, using a face washer etc. You'd think I was trying to pull his teeth out the way he carries on. He loves chewing on the handle but not the bristles.

I actually asked the same question of the MCHN today. She recommended putting DS on my lap in front of the mirror and brush. She also suggested lying DS down with his head in DH's lap while I brush his teeth. Haven't tried either so can't say if either are effective.

Good luck

[Ezz]

There is a playschool song about teeth brushing... I think these are the words (off the top of my head). I think it's on the playschool favourites album. DS loves it.

Brush, brush, brush,
You mustn't rush, rush, rush,
When you clean your teeth
In the morning

Paste, paste, paste,
For a peppermint taste, taste, taste,
When you clean your teeth
In the morning

You can munch, munch, munch
On your lunch, lunch, lunch
You can crunch, crunch, crunch
All day long

You can bite, bite, bite
With all your might, might, might
It's alright, right, right
Your teeth are strong

So...
Up and down with your...

Brush, brush, brush,
You mustn't rush, rush, rush,
When you clean your teeth
In the morning (and last thing at night)

[Ozstar]

Ezz thanks so much for that, its exactly the type of thing I was looking for. Will have to have a look at the playschool album.

[JordieC]

We sang a song at school all the time - don't remember exact words but you could google them. It went something like:

You wake up in the morning at a quarter to one, you feel like having a little bit of fun:

You brush your teeth: chchchch chchch chhc h (brushing noises!)

You wake up in the morning at a quarter to two:.....

Well you get the idea -anyway the teeth brushing noises part is a hit.

[Mother Goose]

Oh man, my DD is horrid at teeth cleaning. She used to be brilliant... now it is just one massive PITA. She LOVES her tooth brush and sucking the toothpaste and "cleaning" her teeth (she tries to copy me) but as soon as I try to brush them for her (because there is no way a 19 month old can do it properly) it is an all out war - screaming and all. I've tried call it tickling teeth, letting her brush my teeth, her having a turn then me having a turn... but none of it works now. She won't let DH near her either. We have, on occasion, resorted to one pinning her down and the other holding the head and brushing (it feels as brutal and mean as it sounds which breaks my heart) but we have to clean those damn toothy pegs!

Anyway, I'll be trying some of the methods mentioned... esp the 2nd brush one...

MG

P.S. We sing the "Brush you teeth, Chh chhh chh" song all the time. She laughs herself silly at me and then screams when I try to brush her teeth...then laughs again when I stop

[Kazbah]

You can get infant rubber toothbrushes from pigeon that have guards (like dummys) so they can't go in too far. Pip loves chewing on it, specially while he's teething. They have 3 stages and sell them in packs of the three.

[Ellibam]

i let makon "brush" his teeth to start then ask to see if they are clean then i say oh look you missed a spot let me get it!! so i then brush his teeth...

[Ezz]

I use the pigeon rubber brush as well - DS likes chewing on it while he's in the bath. I gave him a "real" toothbrush to chew on one night & he ruined it in one bath session!

That "When you wake up in the morning..." song is also a playschool one. My class loved it!

[Evie76]

We've always done the "quarter to two" song..... ever since Daniel was a little baby. Brushing teeth is fun and he gets upset if someone is brushing their teeth without him.

He really just chews on the bristles (and swallows the kiddie toothpaste) but it's a start.

Brushing with Dad is a particular activity he likes.

[queenbee]

my dad used to sing to me "brusha brusha brusha, get the new ipana, brusha brusha brusha, it's easy on your teeeee-eeth"...heehee...he was from 50's era! Google it....!!

[Ozstar]

queenbee lol don't they sing that song in Greese??? You know when the girls have their sleep over lmao.

[queenbee]

katie, yes they did!!!!!