I spoke to the dentist, because I can't get DS to brush his teeth, but he will walk around with the toothbrush in his mouth, moving it around, playing with it and she said that was okay - because it was better than nothing.
I have no luck with teethbrushing, but sometimes I can get him to brush his teeth when he sees me brush my teeth, and other times, DH can get him to brush his teeth by sticking the toothbrush in his mouth, pretending to brush his teeth, then saying "Your turn" (if that makes sense)
We had the same issue for ages. I would attempt to do it, and when he refused, I'd just leave it a few months and come back to it. We started out by letting him have baby toothpaste (bought from Coles) and he would suck on it (I KNOW.....) and just the hang of it. Now at just over 2 & 1/2, he wanted to brush his teeth all by himself, which I let him. We fought over me letting him do it or sharing it. So I would do it some days and then forget about it.
I then had the fortunate experience of seeing an older boy (about 4) on the beach during summer who had yellowish teeth. I pointed it out to my son and did the old ' you don't want yellow teeth like that boy....' and then after a few attempts, he would let me 'clean the yellow off' and he would finish the rest - however that was.
We still have some days about it, but on the whole its been much easier. See if you can explain yellow teeth vs white teeth and see how you go.
I am/was obsessive about wanting clean teeth and good oral habits. But what I've come to understand is that they will approach the task in their own time, so don't waste your time if he wont come to the party.
With my DS2 i mimick what he needs to do so i will open my mouth nice wide to show him and it is a bit of game that he does what i do and explain everything what i am doing like i will say i'll do your top and then bottoms and then i show him how to clench his jaw shut but keep his lips open so i can give the front of both top and bottom a good scrub. Also i have just recently been to the dentist with DS1 and she explained toothpaste should be treated just like a medicine as flouride is quite dangerous in a large dose and then a child should only use toothpaste until they can understand to spit it out and rinse. If you notice on an older child the real white patches it means they sucked on toothpaste as a younger child and can cause the enamel of the tooth to become brittle.
With DD we give her a toothbrush when she is in the bath and DH will get his brush and pretend to brush his teeth and she will copy him. A friend also gave me an idea to have another one at our change table so when she has a nappy change she will grab the toothbrush and put it in her mouth and make the motions, we do this more for practise than for cleaning.
Although she is such a copier at the moment that we let her stand at the bathroom door and she will watch us brush our teeth and then we get her brush and she will happily stand and let us brush her teeth for her. At the moment she is too little for toothpaste so we just use water but so far she likes to copy what mummy and daddy are doing.
We start by brushing our own teeth and then I ask my DD to brush my teeth while I brush hers. It works most of the time, though occasionally she will want to continue brushing her own teeth. At those times I usually ask her if she can brush her teddy or dolly's teeth, while I brush hers and that seems to work too.
I took my DD to the dentist for the first time when she was 27 months, so just over two years old. The point of the visit was the familiarise her with going to the dentist not to check her teeth. She sat on my lap in the chair and she watched while my teeth were checked. Then the dentist asked if she could also look in DD's mouth but she didn't use any instruments. I then had to go back another time to get my teeth cleaned because the dentist didn't want to use any noisy equipment while my DD was there. We'll do the same thing in 6 months and then the next appointment my DD will be 3 and I think the dentist will try and get my DD in the chair by herself. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that my dentist is making it about familiarisation at the moment rather than actually checking her teeth.
i used to have trouble with DS, but now he loves it, the kids electric toothbrush worked wonders when he was going through the not wanting to brush stage, i had trouble STOPPING him brushing lol... now he just uses a normal one and brushes his teeth with me and for as long as i do, i try to make it a little routine
We have a song we sing for teeth brushing- which has a routine to it and would probably last about 2minutes (i didn't know there was a preferred brush time). We sing 'this is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth, this is the way we brush our teeth before we go to bed/go and play (depends on time of day). I can't think what the original tune is- cause i've always used this tune with my lyrics to get alot of things done, eg washing hands, washing body in bath, washing hair, even changing nappy...everything i've needed it for...lol! It works 99% of the time. Actually it could be the 'Here we go round the mulberry bush' tune. I also always let them (both DS's- 16months and almost 3 year old) have a go at brushing themselves too- then its mummy's turn.
As for dentist visits- yet to do so here too. I checked with my dentist last year and he said there was no rush- i can't remember if he said an age- but DS1 was almost 2 at the time. I'm a big chicken when it comes to dentists- so I might have to get DH to take them.
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