Brushing Teeth Problems

Please tell me the doctor doesn't expect your toddler to brush his teeth all by himself!! Pediatric dentists generally recommend that a child not be given this responsibility until they're about 7 years old. They don't have the motor skills, not to mention the attention span, to brush their own teeth effectively. My youngest daughter is 6 and she's still not adept at brushing by herself. What we do, and have always done since she was a toddler, is this: she brushes her teeth first and then I do it again afterwards to clean whatever she might have missed, and then I floss her teeth.

DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com

I 100% agree with DesertMom. My son just turned five and we also let him brush his teeth first, then I follow with flossing and brushing them myself. I found that letting my son pick out a new toothbrush every month and new toothpaste has made him excited about brushing. Best of Luck!!

I have been brushing my sons teeth before he had any, so we don't have too many meltdowns, but you can try using a reward system. Maybe he can put a sticker on a chart when he lets you brush. I try telling my son when he brushes his teeth it shows his teeth how much he loves them and that we wouldn't want anyone to be left out. He thinks that is pretty funny and lets me help him. He loves to floss which we do afterward.

Yes, it is definitely a challenging activity. One simple suggestion my dentist gave me that works quite well--get 2 toothbrushes and let your little one hold one toothbrush herself while you brush for her with the other one. I think they like the control of holding something in their hands. Also, I sing "There Once Was a Duke of York" or some other silly song while I'm brushing--my little boy gets distracted by the song and brushing goes (a little!) easier. Good luck!

Have you tried the finger toothbrush? The one that slips on Mom's finger? I think it is intended for younger that 18 mo. ..but maybe a good start and better than nothing. Also...here is a toothbrush at Walgreens w/ a firefly inside the handle. You push a button and the firefly blinks for a minute...designed to act as a timer. Maybe you could tell your son that the firefly can only blink if he brushes. OR maybe those toothrushes that play songs? Have you tried taking him to the store and letting him pick the brush?

My daugher is 23 months old and can not brush her own teeth. I can not believe a doctor expects an 18 month old to brush his/her own teeth.

Like your child, my daughter holds the toothbrush and sucks the toothpaste off. She attempts to brush her own teeth but that is only after I have brushed them. I have been using a baby cleaning gel on my daughter since she was about 5 months old so she has grown accustomed to the process. I sugget you brush your child's teeth so that it is properly done and then he/she can brush after you to "feel" like a big girl or boy.

"The Lord is great and greatly to be praised." Ps 96:4

When I went through that struggle, a friend, the mother of 5 boys told me, "when all else fails, lie them on the floor and sit on them! If they shut their mouth, pinch their nose until it opens"...she only had to do that once and they kids all cooperated later. You gotta do what you gotta do!

"Only a life lived for others, is the life worthwhile" - Albert Einstein