Brushing his teeth

Chatty - posted on 03/31/2010

Raffi ROCKS! Wooohooo!

Corey - posted on 03/30/2010

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've used a few and though it's still a struggle some seem to work! i let him hold his own brush and i let him brush my teeth with it while i brush his with the other brush! it seems to work ok! Good luck to all and happy brushing!

P.S. I love Raffi!!!!!

Brenna - posted on 03/30/2010

I make a game of it. We sing songs about brushing teeth. And I brush my teeth at the same time since she loves to copy mom!

Corinne - posted on 03/29/2010

I took my now 19 month old daughter to her first dentist app. at 15 months. And they were so helpful on what I should do. The first thing was they showed me images of the best position. I looked and couldn't find a link online so I will describe as best as I can. Lay child on the floor with head in between your legs while you are sitting. Then put your legs over their shoulders and arms. Be firm you won't hurt them. Then you are free to pull up on lips to brush teeth and gums. And don't stress if they scream it's easier when they do open up. And it won't last long. Just brush for about a minute everywhere. My daughter does pretty well most days. The other hint they gave me, cause my daughter like to suck and chew on her toothbrush was before or after I am done brushing give her a different brush and let her go to town. When it is time to use a new one, I throw away her chewed up one and give the well used one. Hope this helps, if not check out a pediatric dentist near you and see if they can suggest anything.

Chatty - posted on 03/29/2010

My 18 month old has a visit scheduled for April 21st! I just wanna have her checked out and make sure everything is ok! Crossin my fingers that this goes well! LOL! ;)

Kellie - posted on 03/29/2010

I am having the same issues with my 2 1/2 yr old and her top teeth are turning yellow. I dont know what to do she wont let me do it AT all she wants to do it. And i dont know if i should just take her to the dentist.

Jessi - posted on 03/29/2010

We always took turns doing it. She did it and then i did it (as fast as i could) We also made sounds for how her mouth should be open. Eeeee for mouth closed and AAh for mouth open. I would say do your EEe's and then do your Aah's. It made it fun for her. But i'm still figting her with tooth brushing and she's 4. Maybe i don't push it enough...

Chatty - posted on 03/27/2010

Hmmmm?.....the bath! I never thought about brushing teeth in there! I always clip her nails in there because she won't sit still anywhere else! LOL!

Katherine - posted on 03/27/2010

Does your son like taking baths? I have a 20 month old that doesn't always cooperate when it's time to brush teeth. I let her hold the toothbrush and stand on a stool at the sink so she can 'brush' her teeth by herself, so she can get accustomed to it. Of course I know she'll miss a few spots, so what I do is brush her teeth while she's in the bath. She's usually so distracted by playing with her bath toys that she doesn't mind sitting still for this, and even if she tries to escape she really can't get too far! Hope you find something that works. Good luck!

Chatty - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter LOVES for me to floss her teeth......she runs and gets the dental floss all the time and then lays down on the floor and calls me! It's super cute! Now I just wish she'd do it with her toothbrush! LOL!

Meghan - posted on 03/27/2010

My son went through this. He loved it then all of a sudden HE had to do it. I tried the mommy gets a turn then your turn thing and he wasn't having it. I found that he let me brush his teeth in the tub more often than not. Maybe because he was distracted by his toys. I didn't make it a huge issue, and even started brushing with him and he started to copy the motions. Now at 17 months when I say teeth time he gets excited, lies on the floor waiting and lets me brush! (Hopefully this lasts!)

Chatty - posted on 03/27/2010

Jennifer: When you wake up in the mornin and it's quarter to 5 and you just can't wait to COME ALIVE.....you brush ur teeth! * insert teeth brushing sound * LOL! I LOVE RAFFI, and so does my daughter! I still surprisingly know all the words to almost all of his songs and I love singing with Roxanne......she gets so excited even though I'm sure she'd rather me NOT sing!



Sorry, I got pretty excited eh?!

LaKeesha - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter fights too during teeth brushing time, and so every night it is a protest..but I have to win the battle and get her teeth cleaned, and it has paid off at her dental check we were cavity free...so hold down the fort parents the battle is ours but they will appreciate it later when they have a beautiful smile and no cavitys....My daughter is 21 months and have most of all her teeth, they came in super early so this has been a battle for us for a long time but I know soon she will understand......Hope this helps.....

Jennifer - posted on 03/27/2010

Keep trying. Any brushing that you do is better than none at all. I used my fingers to hold my son's mouth open and hoped I wouldn't get bitten. It helped if I sang songs to him too. Raffi sings a cute Brush Your Teeth song. I also sat him in my lap and leaned him back a little.

Michelle - posted on 03/27/2010

We got our son a fun toothbrush and a stool to stand on that put him up high enough to reach the sink. We brush his teeth for him quickly and then give him the brush to "practice" which is just him sucking on it, but he's getting the idea of brushing it back and forth over his front teeth. The reason we have him high enough for the sink is that we then let him try to spit into the sink. Granted there isn't anything to spit but he likes the idea of being big like mommy and daddy. He's 20 months old and has almost a full mouth of teeth. Do you think your son would let you help him by putting the brush in his hand and showing him how to brush it back and forth? Our pediatrician told us its not a big deal if the teeth aren't brushed at that age, but that's up to you. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Shannen - posted on 03/27/2010

As bad as it is just keep trying. my son likes to suck on the toothbrush and its driving me nuts but in the past 2 nights he has seen his sister spit our the paste and has now started trying to do that while i am still half way through doing it. All i do is perservere and i guess as long as they are getting them done somewhat then its good for their teeth.

Chatty - posted on 03/26/2010

Don't stress about it! I have an 18 month old and right around 15 months she started to protest! Now she won't let me within 10 feet of her mouth.....lil' buggar! LOL! She has 16 teeth already!



Although proper oral hygiene is super important it's also important that you don't stress about it or make too big of a deal when he doesn't want you to brush them.......if you try and force the issue he might regress or it may cause more serious long term problems! I've backed off my daughter for the time being......sometimes when she sees me brushing my teeth she wants me to brush hers too so that helps but it's pretty rare! LOL! I also have one of those rubber finger brushes and I can sometimes get my finger in her mouth BUT BE CAREFUL, it hurts when they chomp down! LOL!



Good luck and just keep trying......don't stress!

Crystal - posted on 03/26/2010

You just have to try and do the best you can . Maybe try singing songs, or let him do it first and then ask him to give you a turn. Then I'd just make sure you get him on flouride drops by his pediatrician (unless you already take him to the dentist). I guess if you want to do it a "not so nice way" would be to pin him down on the ground and have your hubby hold his head??? I dunno, just a fun suggestion. ha ha jk



best of luck!