Getting desperate here...

Hi all,
I'm seriously getting desperate here. I cannot, for the life of me, brush ds's teeth. i have tried everything- normal toothbrushes, finger toothbrushes, baby and adult.

He is happy to have a suck on my toothbrush (eew, I know, but like I said I'm desperate). If it would let him walk around with it he'd probably chew and suck a bit longer but I worry about him falling over with it in his mouth.

I can't even be mean and force a good brush every now and then- he won't even open his mouth for it and if I do get it in there he just clamps down with his teeth. Same if I'm trying to move it around while he's holding it.

HELP! I got a look at his teeth this mornign and the look like they need a brush, badly...

We had an old baby brush which was more like a rubber set of rings to start ds off. He would use that really readily. Is that one of the ones you have tried? Or you could go back to getting him to suck/chew on a wet face cloth/ Otherwise we always bring a toy to the bathroom as well so we can brush their teeth. That seems to help. Also try and enforce him to drink a bit of water after eating as that can help wash away food and prevent some build up too.
HTH

I think that at his age you can brush together. Stand side by side in front of a mirror or face to face and brush your teeth. He will do a pretty dodgy job of it but at this stage it's all about getting into the habit than perfect oral hygiene. After you've finished he might let you finish up for him especially if he can brush a toy's 'teeth' too.
To get the surfaces clean and massage the gums try giving him an apple - preferably a whole one with skin on but failing that the largest chunks he will eat. Cheese is also good to neutralise the acids that cause plauque.

DS would never let us brush his teeth - so we just gave him an apple if he didn't. I figured it wasn't worth the energy on teeth that are eventually going to fall out anyway.. LOL

Just kiddin.

Now at 28 months, he is going through a stage of always wanting to brush his teeth - which just changed overnight - all of sudden he wanted to brush his teeth! I mostly let him have a go and then if he will let me, have a quick turn in there too. If not - here comes the apple!! I give him a whole apple and make him eat it that way, rather than cutting it up for him.

DD was reluctant too at your DS's age, so we tried a few things at once. Not sure which worked, so here they all are:

1. She chose a special toothbrush when we went shopping.
2. We chose together a kids' toothpaste (better for them according to my dentist and ours has the Wiggles on it).
3. We made a game of it - how wide can you open your mouth and sing 'Ahhhh', now 'Eeeeee'.
4. We started doing it in the bath, and she had a cup to rinse and spit (lots of fun spitting games that I initiated with her).
5. I did it three times for her (ahhh and eeee cycle) and then she was allowed to have it and do it herself.

In the morning, DD does her teeth while I do mine. Makes her feel like a big girl (Mummy does them at night, but I do it myself in the morning).

If you persist he will get through this!

My two were much the same, but we made it more interesting by getting down to their level and brushing ours too and making it a fun time. If you buy a yummy flavoured kids toothpaste I found it helps (Oral B do a nice one but its hard to find). Ok at first they tend to just suck it all off coz its yummy, but eventually they have learnt to brush as well. And now they use normal kids mint flavour and if we run out of the kids they even use ours.

My son is 2 and a bit years old and he sometimes just eats the toothpaste but if we keep reminding him to brush he does do it a little. My Daughter is 3.5 years old and she is now great brushing her teeth (she was the more difficult one out of the two). She brushes her tongue and everything and knows to spit after.

I could never force a tooth brush into their mouths its horrible and not worth it. You dont them to grow up with the thought that brushing teeth is a horrible time. My two both love brushing their teeth now and remind me they need their toothrbush when the are bathing or showering.

Good luck, but be patient and dont try and force them too much. I feel that unless they are drinking juice or sugary drinks all day or eating lots of sugary foods its not going to affect them too much if they dont brush properly at such a young age.

I hope there are no dentists on here LOL. They would probably see things different.

I feel your pain. DS is the same.

I've just found something that works wonders. I give him two small toys (little cars usually) and face him away from the mirror so he can't see himself and he will open up wide and let me brush his teeth. It is a miracle, it used to be such a struggle. I think the distraction and not being able to see himself and not know what is coming has done the trick.

Good luck.

Us too! We also went on a shopping trip to choose a new toothbrush and toothpaste. DD loved having chosen them - she also was quite keen to clean her teeth in the bath and whilst sitting on the loo (not sure why - but we went with it). I had advice to also make sure she had water after her milk/food to help avoid cavities.

In the end once we stopped nagging she wanted to do it....Good luck

My friend had the same issue with her DS and the trick that worked for them was buying an electric toothbrush. He loves it and will now happily brush his teeth :)

We had issues and I just persevered. One day about a month ago she just didn't argue anymore and now opens her mouth for me to clean them.

While we were away, we were at her cousins house at bath time and I didn't have her toothbrush, so she was trying to steal theirs, LOL.

I'm so glad you posted this, we have the same problem and I really don't want to have to make him cry just so I can get to his teeth (although I have been known to lay him across my lap - didn't go well)

Lori, we are having the same issues too although she will happily brush her teeth when she is in the shower with DH but won't brush them when she's not. We give her apple if she doesn't brush them.

The electric toothbrush idea is a good one. She might enjoy that so will try it out.

Just wanted to add a note in the electric toothbrushes. We were told by our dentist not to use them on DS as they are generally too strong for children and can cause gum recession. Even in adults if you push them onto the teeth like a normal toothbrush you can cause that. So I just thought I would make that point in case you hadn't heard that before.

Thanks so much ladies- we have had two (count 'em!!) semi-successful teeth brushes using your ideas.... but it's such a pity the child won't eat apples!!

I think an electric one might just terrify him out of brushing his teeth forever, he hates things that 'buzz'.

I just wanted to clarify- is it ok for them to have toothpaste at this age? I thought i had to wait till he could spit, but then maybe if it's a choice between toothpaste and not brushing at all, toothpaste might be the way to go, ykwim?

sorry, double post.

I'd skip the toothpaste until he spits.

mayb let him brush your teeth for u and then try his.

I found the child toothpaste was fine with DD, they are specially formulated so that it's okay if they're swallowed. So my dentist tells me! Too much flouride in the adult toothpastes though for children who may swallow some.

She also said that even when a child can spit they will still be swallowing some toothpaste as they don't spit very effectively, so to stick with the children's paste until around six years of age. HTH!

As someone else mentioned, use the kids toothpaste. It will be fine to use. Mine always used to swallow until they learnt to spit.

The Oral B one is good, it s nice fruity flavour and I think it has a pic of the wiggles on it. hard to find though sometimes. I dont think Coles have it. Chemists possibly or Woolworths (Safeway).

The minty flavours young kids often dont like as they think its "hot". So especially if you are having probs, use the nice flavour first.