How do you teach a 1-year old to brush his teeth?

Esther - posted on 03/20/2009

Yes, it's such a cliche, but they really do grow up too fast!

Hailey - posted on 03/20/2009

yea..Ayden is exactly the same way...the only thing i can do for him is brush his teeth...He even pottys on the potty chair before his bath...independece is cute, but it makes me sad...i still want to do all of it lol

Shannon - posted on 03/20/2009

My daughter loves to brush her teeth.  I started her out after showing her and I sign a little song "brushy, brushy, brushy...."  She enjoys the song and I sing it along with the brush strokes.  I do have a problem if I don't sing and have her stand on her own.  She likes to run away with the toothbrush! 

Esther - posted on 03/20/2009

No, my son doesn't let me do anything for him anymore. He insists on "brushing" his own teeth, pushing his own stroller (and don't you dare lay a finger on it), walking everywhere (no hand or shirt holding please), feeding himself, pulling his own shirt off etc. He's almost 15 months now as well. This independence thing is challenging! (but it's cute too)

Hailey - posted on 03/20/2009

My son is 15 months old and LOVES getting his teeth brushed...When he was small i would rub his gums and he loved it...now that he has 8 teeth i got him a tooth brush and tooth past and sometimes he bites down on it, but most of the time i tell him ok let mommy brush them and he just opens his mouth...Does your son let you rub his gums, if he does you could make a game out of it...

Jennifer - posted on 03/20/2009

My daughter does the same chewing thing with her toothbrush too! We are already on her 2nd toothbrush cause she destroyed the first one.

My husband and I have started a routine, all 3 of us brush out teeth at night, and in the morning together. We sit her on the counter and we all look in the mirror and brush. She is getting pretty good at the proccess cause she is watching both of us do it at the same time. Though, sometimes she is more interested in playing in the water and spashing in the sink.

Stick to a routine...he will get it eventually!!

Good Luck!

Sandy - posted on 03/17/2009

Mandy likes to bite on the toothbrush also. I sing the toothbrushing tv ad song from Grease repeatedly while brushing. It works sometimes but not always. Persistence is my only recommendation. :)

Amanda - posted on 03/16/2009

My son Jacob always used his own toothbrush Since he was able to sit up on his own

The easiest way I found was.
Everytime he sat in the bath tub i would begin to brush his teeth
he would usually take over , he would just take the tooth brush then
He would basically chew on it, but that was just as good as brushing them
Cause they still have a few teeth coming in , But now he's 15 months old and he
Knows that everytime he has a bath its teeth brushing time and he loves it

Susan - posted on 03/16/2009

Lately we taught my daughter to "Show me your teeth" and instead of exactly showing her teeth. She sticks out her tongue as far as possible and opens her mouth wide. It helps. Kind of funny though.

Andrea - posted on 03/16/2009

We make it a little game. I tell him that Momma will do it first. He will usually open wide enough for me to do a decent job. Then I give the brush to him and sing "Wheels on the bus". I help him make "up and down" strokes then "round and round". He is dancing the whole time, it is quite hilarious, but get's the job done.

Tammy - posted on 03/14/2009

I have the same problem with my daughter. I used to have to pin her down to brush her teeth but just lately she has been chewing her toothbrush. I have been told this is just as good because its the toothpaste doing the work. Using a finger brush is good if you can get ur finger in there with out it getting bitten off. My daughter can brush her back teeth fine even though she has no back teeth lol.

Nikki - posted on 03/13/2009

show him u brushing ur own teeth then encourage him t brush his own or ur teeth this is how i showed my daughter she now thinks its a game so she enjoys brushing her teeth n wants t do it good luck

Kristie - posted on 03/13/2009

Finger brushes help out until then, just be careful of him biting! I have scars for trying to do to good of a job!

Esther - posted on 03/13/2009

Thanks everyone. I guess I'll just continue to let him mess around with the toothbrush. He does really like chewing on it and he particularly loves the toothpaste (the type he can swallow) so hopefully with me modeling he'll eventually catch on.

Ellie - posted on 03/13/2009

when i was at the dentist last he told me that until a baby is 2 it does not matter if them not use the toothbrush correctly.. just to encourage them to get used to the taste of toothpaste and the brush being in the mouth... i give my baby his toothbrush when i clean my teeth and he likes to try copy me.. this is the only advise i can give xx

Marie - posted on 03/12/2009

My one year old is having that same problem now. Before he just tilted his head back and opened wide for me. Now he has to have his to hold his own tooth brush while I brush. I pretty much get the brush in there and just start going to town so it's harder for them to bite. Yes they still will but do it for short periods of time so they know what's going on instead of thinking you trying to do something your not.
Im not sure really what else to say other than he will get use to it soon, until then make it a game with him see if it's easier.

Amy - posted on 03/11/2009

me and my daughter play a game where she says ahhh and eeee while i brush her teeth... doesn't always work but does most of the time. Then while i brush mine she has her brush, which she tends to suck and bite! X

Stephanie - posted on 03/10/2009

My 15 month old son absolutly loves to brush his teeth. We have 2 toddler toothbrushes. I brush his teeth first, I have to keep saying "Open" then he'll open his mouth and let me brush them then when I'm done I give him the other one and he brushes them. 

Tiffany - posted on 03/10/2009

I had this problem with my daughter, but my son brushes his teeth already, only because he copies everything his sister does. I still have to redo it though, lol! But I would try a finger brush, that way you can get them good and clean, and then give him is normal toothbrush so he can keep practicing! He'll get it!

Darlene - posted on 03/05/2009

Mine chews it as well. I think most kids do at first. I do manage to have him keep his mouth open for the first few brushes by opening my mouth and telling him say Ahh! Then after I've brushed his teeth, I let him brush his while I do mine and really exagerate my brushing. He watches me and I've noticed him starting to get a few brushes in between chewing it.

Susan - posted on 03/05/2009

How about use your finger with the toothpaste? Hopefully he won't bite down, but it may work. My daughter is ok with the toothbrush after I started using my finger first. And she likes the toothpaste so much that she tries to get more of it. I just wish my 9 year old would be as vigilant to do the same. Hope this helps.