Hi fellow mums! My 20 month old daughter does not enjoy having her teeth brushed!

Yvonne - posted on 01/21/2010

My son is just as bad, he gets all excited when we say lets brush and then runs so my husband now holds him down to brush his teeth. I think its just a phase and that we must be patient, they will soon do it on their own and enjoy it. My nephew was like that and out grow that phase.

Suriati - posted on 01/19/2010

Oh my 23mths daughter is like tat too...but after watching a cartoon show featuring teeth tat r yellow and has some cartoon character bacterias, u know the monster type of character biting on the teeth..she had tis weird expression on her face so i told her if she did not brush her teeth she will end getting those things in her teeth and mouth...haha..guess wat? She brushed her teeth so well the next morning and even asked for more toothpaste...

Nicole - posted on 01/19/2010

my lil girl doesn't like it so much but she is slowly getting there, she loves the taste of it and using her own brush, we put a mirror low enough for her to see what shes doing when we do ours.

Gabby - posted on 01/10/2010

My daughter did not like brushing her teeth in the beginning. And she had all her teeth around her 1st bday. I bought an elmo toohbrush and Baby Orajel toothpaste (berry). Around 18M I made up a song (to the chant in the beginning of Beach Boy's "Ba Ba Ran" (sp?) Brush Brush Brush / Brush Brush Your Teeth Teeth... with a dance and brushing motion demonstration. My daughter was in the do-it-herself phase. I would brush my teeth at the same time. Then I would tell her I have to look in mouth to make sure she got the back teeth and do a quick brushing. I make her say AAAAH so I can get the insides really well. Then, I make her say CHEESE as if she is going to take a picture and get the front ones. Then we stick out our tongues and I brush her tongue 5 times and count out loud. If she puts her tongue back I say "c'mon I didn't count to five yet." Maybe try a diff flavor toothpaste or character toothbrush and make your own silly song? Good luck!

Julie - posted on 01/09/2010

My dentist said to let her brush her own teeth when I do and that I only needed to brush her teeth myself about twice a week. If you can get her to drink a little water before bed the dentist said at least most of the bacteria has been washed away and isn't sitting on her teeth all night. As she gets older she'll do better and you'll be able to reason more with her about you helping her brush her teeth.

Shantel - posted on 01/09/2010

I have to sing a song while I brush my daughters teeth.. it keeps her mind off of what Im doing..lol

Amber - posted on 01/09/2010

with my son hes very independent so he does not want any help at all with brushing his teeth, we brush our teeth with him...it makes us both happy! and hes getting better at brushing, and not sucking the toothpaste off lol...good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 01/08/2010

SAME THING HERE! my son hates it. i have to hold him down and scrub them and THEN i let him take the brush and make the motions. if i let him do it, he just scrubs the bottom fronts, and then says "done!" I hope it gets easier as he gets older. I am BAD about forgetting too, like i try for once a day, but we have gone like a week until I remebered!! Good thing these are falling out...

Deb - posted on 01/04/2010

Yeah - there is no way I am trying flossing yet. Megan did consider that if she can brush her own teeth once or twice a day, I can help at night. She does watch Mom and Dad both floss every day, but hasn't asked about that yet.

Emily - posted on 01/04/2010

Mine loves brushing her own, HATES having them brushed. It is evil, but I persist until she screams, then it's much easier since her mouth is open. Here's the real joke: I read an article that said we should be flossing daily once they have two teeth that touch. Who is willing to try that one?

Jen - posted on 01/03/2010

I had the child who would kick and scream while I pinned her down on my lap with her head upside down to get her teeth brushed...I bought an electric tooth brush and from the first try she loved it!

Carrie - posted on 01/03/2010

Do it together. My son thinks he's doing something really neat when we brush our teeth together. Most of the time he doesn't get all of his teeth, so I have to help out at the end, but doing it together seems to help.

Lacey - posted on 12/31/2009

GOODNESS, I WISH IT WERE SO EASY, I HAVE TWINS WHO DESPISE TEETH BRUSHING, IVE GIVEN THEM THEIR OWN, IVE TRIED TO LET THEM DO IT, I SHOWED THEM MOMMY BRUSHES HER TEETH, ECT. NO LUCK. I USUALLY HAVE TO SIT THEM IN MY LAP, PIN THEIR ARMS WITH ONE HAND AND BRUSH AS GENTLY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. DAD HAS EVEN HARDER TIME THAN ME. WILL TRY TEDDY BEAR APPROACH.

Lindsay - posted on 12/31/2009

I incorporate teeth brushing into sink time. He plays with cups and toothbrush holder while I brush his teeth. He is too distracted by the fun to care what Im doing.

Nyasha - posted on 12/31/2009

my son doesnt enjoy it also. all he`wants is to chew his toothbrush and he is done. i have to hold him tight and brush him!

Crystal - posted on 12/24/2009

My son loves to brush his teeth, he stands up on his stool, looks in the mirror and does it all by himself! He loves to do whatever his father and i do. when im dont brushing my teeth i sit him on my lap and make sure he got them real good. Make a game out of it and give her some sort of a reward after!

Crystal - posted on 12/20/2009

I kinda turn it into a game, make it fun...like if my daughter bites down on the toothbrush I say HEY! with a shocked face while gently shaking the brush...she loves it lol I did this same thing with my older 3 and they love brushing their teeth now.

Jessica - posted on 12/19/2009

I had the same problem but I just inforced it. I tried letting her do it herself and then brushing but that didn't work out. I will lean her on my lap and brush her teeth. She whined a little but now it doesn't bother her. What I've noticed is you can't give them a choice when it comes to certain things.....mom & dad are boss. They need to learn at an early age that when they whine and cry there not getting there way. I know there little but if we can't get them to lisen now what's gonna happen when they get older. Good luck!! You might also want to try singing a song while brushing....my daughter loves it....it makes brushing fun!!

Beth - posted on 12/19/2009

try having two toothbrushes one for her to hold and play with and one for you to use.It might work easier than trying to fight her for the one.

Katie - posted on 12/03/2009

My son wants to do it himself. He is almost 22 months old. He gets jealous when I brush my teeth but he doesn't like me helping him. So every tiem we brush, I say "my turn first then your turn." He has finally started to understand me and what I mean. I still have to get him in a hold though because he doesn't like me brushing the front of his teeth. I kneel or sit on a stool or ottoman and have him stand next to me. I place my left hand on his forehead and tilt his head back and brush. I try to talk to him or sing a goofy made up song about brushing. I try to brush as long as he'll let me and then I hand him teh brush and tell him, "Your turn." He likes to chew on the brush so I try to help him guide it around so he can actually brush. It's not too bad. still kind of a fight when I want to put the brush away but he gets over that quickly. :) Good luck!

Maggie - posted on 12/01/2009

I have the same problem it is always a fight to have his teeth brushed once in a while this works for us daddy brushes a teddy bears "teeth" and I brush his teeth you might wanna try it. good luck :)

Melony - posted on 12/01/2009

I also have a 22 month oldl ittle girl and let me tell you I dont think many children like having they're teeth brushed, I just persist every morning and dont take no for an answer. Good luck hun!

Swanee - posted on 11/30/2009

well, I have a 21 month old, and he loves it, but I never forced him, or offered it...he used to see me brushing my teeth and daddy too, and became curious, so I decided to buy a toothbrush for him. At first he just wanted to eat the toothpaste, but then he started imitating us, so I let him do it, and then I help him out a little bit. Buy her some tasty toothpaste that she can swallow, let her taste it, and don't insist so much, just do it urself in front her...they mimic us all the time....

Naomi - posted on 11/29/2009

let her play with her tooth brush to get her used to the feel of it in her mouth then slowly move on to brushing them with her i did it with my 4 yr old and now he wont stop brushing.also let her pick her own toothbrush u can get some colourful ones for her age and toothpaste aswell.both my boys picked their own and have thomas the tank engine toothpaste.i have a 22mnth old boy and he is still getting used to brushing, he will let me do a bit and then he wants to do it by himself because he sees his brother doing it.hopefully this helps.