Brushing teeth!!

Ellen - posted on 01/20/2010

I had a rubber finger brush for my son when he first started teething and used it to stimulate his gums so it felt good. I called it brushing his teeth. He seemed to like it because it felt good. Now that he is much older I bought him his own tooth brush and let him watch me brush my teeth with my tooth brush while giving it to him. He played with it for a bit and I continued to brush with the finger brush, but after a while he got the point and will now run into the bathroom to brush his teeth after breakfast and right before bed time. I dont use paste for him yet as the act of brushing with water is often enough to get plaque( I also dont let him eat anything with added sugar in it which would necessitate tooth paste). Also on the Sprout channel at about 8:39pm EST the Goodnight show has a song about brushing teeth and clips of children brushing their teeth and getting ready for bed. This might help her if she sees other children her age brushing as well.

Nicole - posted on 01/19/2010

my daughter is the same way. I have a vibrating tooth brush and my daughter loves it. what i did is let her put mouth on the other end of the tooth brush so she could feel the vibrations and she really liked it. I would let her take your hand to her mouth most of the time its just a control thing. they want to feel in control of themselves. when she feels comfortable with pulling your hand with the tooth brush toward her mouth then you can start praising her for letting you brush her teeth. I think that will help her feel like she is in control and that you approve of her brushing her teeth.

Melissa - posted on 01/19/2010

what we do with our 17 month old son is hold him up to the sink and let him play in the water and with the bar of soap while we brush his teeth. We also let him hold his own toothbrush and toothpaste as we brush. No matter how fussy he gets we always brush his teeth. He mostly doesn't fight us anymore as we have been doing it for so long. He also has a couple of toothbrushes that he plays with throughout the day, i think it relieves some of the pain from teething and I figure it helps clean them a bit. Good luck everyone

Rebecca - posted on 01/19/2010

We have the same problem and actually just talked to a pediatric dentist about it this morning. They suggested we lay him down and brush twice a day. One of us holds his hands and sings or plays pat-a-cake and the other does the brushing. The dentist said if he'll even chew on the toothbrush himself, that will stimulate his gums and knock off some plaque. I also try to have him drink a sip or two of water after he eats anything to kind of wash his mouth out.

Pamela - posted on 01/19/2010

Try starting with a washcloth with just water on it. My son loves to brush his teeth with mommy and daddy. We all brush our teeth at the same time. It's fun to watch him study us and try to imitate. Take it slow she'll be just fine!

Erin - posted on 01/19/2010

At first I was using the "rubber finger scrubber" Its what you get for even before they have teeth, just to massage their gums. And I agree with the other comment that as soon as I started putting toothpaste on it, he loves it now, actually takes the toothbrush from me! Look for the stages tooth paste and use a tiny tiny bit, especially if they don't understand spitting yet.

Nikki - posted on 01/18/2010

I brush Braylon's teeth morning and night wether he likes it or not. Sometimes he is really helpful and others I have to practically pin him down. I think the times he doesn't like it his gums are sore from the new teeth that are coming. Those time I just try to be fast and do the best I can. I try to sing a brusha brusha song I made up to him as well. It makes him laugh and I can get in there better that way. I think it's important to like you do, so I just do my best the times he doesnt want to.

Michelle - posted on 01/18/2010

we started out trying our 8 month old (at the time) on a baby toothbrush and it was ok in the beginning, but eventually she wanted "our" toothbrushes because she figured out they were bigger and held more water. She LOVES to suck the water out of the toothbrushes and and then when thats all gone she proceeds to move the toothbrush around in her mouth and brush her teeth. granted she also has two other older sisters that she usually brushes her teeth with so that helps, especially since she now has 16 teeth at 16 months. If you feel that she is not doing a good enough job, you can try getting a wash rag and wet it in the tub or from the sink (before the bathing process) and rubbing her teeth with the cloth, that helps too. Good luck and have fun with it

Liesel - posted on 01/18/2010

Hi. Try putting some toothpaste on a wet rag and using your finger for a while (yep you're gonna get bitten!!). I had to do that to make sure that I get some cleaning in. My son is 15 months old and only likes to suck the toothpaste off the brush. But make sure he sees you brushing your teeth, so eventually he'll get the hang of it. I am hoping mine does soon!!

Wendy - posted on 01/17/2010

my little girl is 16 months old too and has practically all her teeth already. we had the same struggle as well. i got her some tom's natural toothpaste and it didn't really help. what has worked for us is i got the song "brush your teeth" by raffi and she loves that song. so when i give her the toothbrush, we dance together while i sing the song and she brushes her own teeth. i'll have to go in at the end to do some touch ups but it makes the teeth brushing fight a lot easier! hope it helps!!

Lydia - posted on 01/17/2010

I hold my daughter and let her try and brush her own. I tell her that after she brushes then she has to let me help her brush. Usually this works and I feel like her teeth get clean.

Lai - posted on 01/17/2010

Try Earthly Best tooth phaste (starwberry & bananna), give her a taste she may come around, it's safe to eat. Let her play with the toothbrush so she can get use to it.

Jennifer - posted on 01/17/2010

Thank you so much everyone! Last night, I brushed my teeth and Isabella came in the bathroom with me. She was holding her babydool, so I got an idea. I said "Isabella, lets brush your baby's teeth" so I pretended to brush her baby's teeth, then she wanted to brush hers!!!! Now she brings me her babydoll and says "toof" lol. Thanks for all the advie!

Catherine - posted on 01/17/2010

My 17month old son isn't too keen on me brushing, but loves playing with the toothbrush so we have two - one that he plays with in the bath and the other I use throughout bath time to get a quick scrub in. He is getting much better but I think it will just be a case of perservering until bribery is an option.

Molly - posted on 01/16/2010

My son 17 months loves brushing his teeth! you might just get ur child in routine of doing it. try brushing yours with your child. try to make it fun sing a song when u brush!! good luck!! :)

Angela - posted on 01/16/2010

I have been lucky with my son (now 3 ) as he has to do everything that we do. Though my little girl has been more of a challenge. So far we just give her her toothbrush to 'munch on' while be brush her brothers teeth, though if we try to clean hers she will put up a fight. We are not going to change anything though. What I have learnt (in my whole 3yrs of parenting!! Lol ) is that keep the system going. Persistance. Make it fun, but do not give up.

Holly - posted on 01/15/2010

My Son was the same way until we got baby training toothpaste now he will open up and even stick out his tongue for it to be brushed. Also it is the only way to get him out of the tub.

Yesmine - posted on 01/15/2010

ive been doing my sons teeth for a while so when i pull out the tooth brush he knows what its for and he wants to do it hisself so i brush them as good as i can then i let him do it and he likes it...try showing her what u do then let her try on her own.... or jus do what shannon sed lol bc i have to fight with my son sometimes bc he wants to do it hisslef but i think he just like the way the baby tooth paste tastes

Kristy - posted on 01/15/2010

We have a routine right before bed that he runs to the bathroom now when we say "where do you brush your teeth?" Daddy holds him while i brush them (sometimes he fights) and we say "ahhh"and then when im done i give him the brush and he gets to do it for a few seconds (he only really chews on it lol) then he turns the water on to rinse and then goes to bed :) if you get a routine she will get used to it and it should stick for the most partGood luck :)

Shannon - posted on 01/15/2010

My son has a mouth full of teeth too--maybe you should just sit her in your lap & go to work. After awhile she will get used to it...& is will probably on take a few times. But it is really important to get those teeth brushed, not to mention--have u smelled there breath when they dont brush!? lol!! hope it works for you.