Brushing your Toddlers Teeth - tell me what you do

How long do you brush your toddlers teeth for? I know the 'two minute' rule is recommended, but my almost 2yo wont let me brush for more than about 30 seconds tops (thats a quick brush top and top two sides, then a quick brush bottom and the bottom two sides).

I've tried with or without toothpaste (he seems to prefer toothpaste) and has 16 teeth so there are plenty to brush, but am worried I am not brushing his teeth as thoroughly as is necessary.

Other than hold him down and force the toothbrush in his gob (which I have no intention of doing) not sure what is the best way to tackle this?

When I am brushing my teeth, he will take DHs electric toothbrush and brush with that until I take it off him (cos its kinda gross). I am thinking I either get an electric toothbrush for him (but leave the batteries out) and hope that he just imitates me in that way might get him to brush for longer. However I read that while their gums are still soft etc only a toothbrush designed for babies/toddlers is appropriate.

Any advice?

Also - at what point should you take them for their first dentist visit? DS has no issues with his teeth that I want to check, more thinking of a regular check up kinda thing.

Cheers
Naomi

you can get little kids electric ones, not sure on the ages, but there is diffrent characters ect, if he uses daddys, he might use a special one just like daddys?
i ask my boys to let me check and make sure they got all the yuckies off, if they dont get the yuckies off then they go bad, sometimes they let me go over them again, better then nothing!

I've struggled with DS (3.5) and teeth brushing until recently. I make sure I give him TONNES of water after every meal, limit his juice intake ( to virtually zero.... it's a rare occasion he gets juice), and make him have water before bed everynight.
One thing I found to encourage the kids to use their tooth brushes was to let them brush their teeth in the bath. They seem to enjoy having their own freedom to do as they wish.
Honestly, as long as your little man isn't sleeping with a bottle, having tonnes of sugary drinks and foods and drinks plenty of water, a short sharp brush twice a day should do it.
It's all I've done with my 2 and DS had his first dentist visit today to which the dentist commented on what wonderful healthy teeth he had. I was worried I was going to get totally flamed as it can be such a struggle at times.
DD LOVES to brush her teeth and would do it 100 times a day if I let her (sometimes I do... not with toothpaste though).
I don't like the idea of holding them down as I feel it's a negative reinforcement and will prevent children from wanting to brush.

Good luck!!!

We let DS have toothpaste (the tiniest of tiny smears, unless he gets his hands on a tube...) but he has to rinse and spit (he's getting quite good at that). And I let him choose his own toothbrushes, which seems to work. At least till the novelty of having a wiggles or dora toothbrush wears off, then it's time for a new one.
I don't worry about how long or thoroughly we brush - anything is better than nothing and it's getting gradually better. Don't want to put him off it entirely.

DS1 I fight with to brush his teeth, 30 secs is about all I get here as well, I am also worried about his teeth nit being cleaned properly, he will happily walk around sucking on toothbrush and putting water on it a million times but if i try and brush with or without toothpaste he cracks it.

I have been told 1st dentist visit anytime after 2nd birthday (we still have not gone yet as i kmow I will need a check up to show him what to do and I am scared of dentist!)

Yeah we have teeth brushing issues here too. I find the only way to get it done is when we are both in the bath (I suppose he is captive then and can't really get away lol). So, unfortunately he only seems to get a really good brush once a day...and it is nowhere near 2 minutes! Toothpaste is a winner for us - he won't even let the toothbrush near his mouth without it.

Perhaps you can pop into your nearest health food store and consider buying some natural toothpaste? They come in really great flavours (strawberry, orange, pineapple etc.). Whilst they are a bit more expensive, you can safely use more of them (without worry about all the nasty chemicals in Colgate etc.) and he may prefer the nicer flavours?

To compensate for the scanty brushing, I always give our DS water after meals. He also sucks his thumb, which stimulates saliva production, which helps as well.

As for seeing the dentist, I actually saw a brochure in our dentist's waiting room encouraging all littlies to have a check up before they are 1 year old. Now I don't know how much this has to do with money - it does seem awfully young to me. Having said that, perhaps it has to do with them identifying any issues (like growth, angle of teeth etc.) that may need to be addressed earlier on? In all honesty, unless they tie him down, I think there is little or no chance that my 19 month old will be happy lying back in the chair, saying "aaaah" and letting the dentist have a good look!!!!

I had a checkup with my dentist a few weeks ago and took DD with me thinking she'd happily sit in her stroller and watch his TV but she completely freaked out, totally lost it! They ended up taking the next patient through while I settled DD and DH had to leave work early and get her! That said, I don't think a checkup with the dentist will be happening anytime soon for our DD :lol: I asked the receptionist while there about DD and she said they wouldn't normally suggest a checkup until they're three or so. She said they're more cooperative by then and usually find the whole experience fun - especially the chair :lol: She said as long as we are teaching her to brush - and just sucking on her brush is better than nothing - then we are doing fine.

I give DD her brush usually while I do my teeth. Sometimes I'll stand her on our vanity so she can watch in the mirror. I let her play then I try to give them a quick scrub too. We've taught her to spit which is so funny but she hasn't mastered it at all yet. All in good time I say.

I think just do what you can and gradually it will get easier and more productive.

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)

Good luck.

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.