Brushing DS teeth...

[mommysammi]

DS hates it when I brush his teeth but boy do they need to be brushed now that he's eating solids. I tried the finger brush but it's so soft that none of the food particles come out. I tried a baby toothbrush but he didn't like it. I'm currently using a children's electric toothbrush but he doesn't like it either. What to do? TIA.

[Momof3Labs]

How old is he?

[mommysammi]

He's about 19 months old.

[buddyleebaby]

It's just one of those things that has to be done.

We use a soft bristle toothbrush for dd. On ething that gelps us is that I will hold her/ler her watch while I brush my teeth. This usually makes her more willing when it is time to brush her teeth.

Sometimes it is a struggle to brush them well because she bites down on the brush as she likes the taste of the toothpaste. I just don't rush. When she bites down, I will pop open her mouth and wait until she willingly opens it again (sometimes it's a few seconds, sometimes a minute or two, but it's still easier than trying to force her. AFter I am done brushing her teeth, I let her hold her toothbrush and "brush" for a few minutes. She likes to do it so I've made that sort of a reward for waiting.
We also have just started flossing her teeth. That's actually easier than brushing. I lay her on the bed and it's sort of a game betwwen us. She'll open her mouth for just a second and I'll pop in and floss betwwen one or two teeth, saying "hurry, hurry, hurry.." She thinks it is hysterical and the whole process takes about thirty seconds. Of course, she only has six teeth. ; )
HTH a little.

[randomkid]

Oh, I'm jealous! My DD starts fussing the second she sees any kind of toothbrush and I've tried them all. Forget about flossing! I even tried the Reach flosser thing thinking that would make it easier to get the floss in her mouth - no way!

The funny thing is that she used to love it (when she only had 2-4 teeth) and I could brush 3 times a day. Now, we're lucky if we get one good brushing in. I've tried brushing my teeth with her - she wants to take my toothbrush and use it, but mostly she just wants to brush MY teeth - LOL! I have let her do that, then tell her it's her turn, but she still will have no part of it.

I hope someone has more ideas for the OP and for me!

[kimbe]

We sing a song ---

Brusha brusha brusha brusha, brush your teeth, brusha brusha brusha brusha. Repeat. (I think it might be from Seasme Street, but I am not sure and I don't know the rest of the words. Just remember my mom singing it.) She likes the song and now she knows what to expect.

I also let her "brush" when I am done brusing her teeth. I coach her through it too. I tell her to "get the top", "get the bottom" etc. She's a ham and will do anything to get praise!

She fights me, but I tell her every time that she does, that it is something I have to do and it is too bad if she doesn't like it.

Maybe if you go to the store and let him pick out a cool toothbrush?

Good luck! I hope that it gets easier.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Have DH do it! DD is usually very uncooperative when I do it but for her daddy she'll open her mouth so wide I could stuff a house in there!



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[MarisaSF]

Hmm... well you've tried all the good toothbrushes. DD really turned a page when we introduced the electric one. Do your toothbrushes have characters on them that your DS likes? Do you use that yummy toothpaste? (We use the baby kind in the yellow tube and DD loves it!)

I sing the alphabet song and DD knows the brushing will be over once I finish. Sometimes I end it early and figure that's okay too. I always tell her, "Let me scrub off the yellow" and she thinks that's really funny. She also likes when I brush her tongue; I make a "blah blah blah" sound when I do that.

Let's see... other tricks we've used along the way:
-let her sit on the counter and look in the mirror while we brush
-let her turn on the electric toothbrush herself and let her brush herself for a bit (AKA suck the toothpaste off the brush ;))
-have one of us brush our teeth at the same time

[mommysammi]

Thank you for all your input. I'll try all of these tactics. I just need one that works. DS is very stubborn. We have to hold him down every night and pry his mouth open. I just don't want to traumatize him causing him to forever hate brushing his teeth.

[JBaxter]

He wont hate it forever. Its a phase and power struggle. I use the "hunt and tackle" method for ds2. He hated his his teeth brushed for about 6months. Brushing is not an option. He got through it and has been fine ever since. I worked in the dental field and believe me a little tooth brush trauma is much easier then an injection and filling decay.

[randomkid]

ITA! I swore that I would never hold DD down and "traumatize her" with toothbrushing. However, now that she fights me on a lot of things, I just figure it's something that has to be done. I had many cavities as a child (although I think I had a horrible dentist and question some of those fillings, but I digress) and I don't want DD to go through what I did.

I have to put her on the floor, put my leg across her to hold her arms down, use one hand to hold her head and the other to brush. If she does it herself, she is fine, so I know brushing is not hurting her (as my parents and DH have insinuated). She is actually getting a little better about it even though she still hates it.

My only advice to OP is that you do it no matter what. If your DS learns that he can get out of it if he fusses enough, he will just get worse. I think that is why DD is slowly improving. No matter how much she fights it, they get brushed and I brush until we are done. She is figuring out that it's going to happen no matter what she does and the less she fights, the sooner it's over. I also tell her this while I'm doing it.

Good Luck and like PP said, a cavity is much worse than putting him through the brushing process. Besides, he won't even remember it later on!

[kozachka]

We also went through a stage of at least six months, when we had to force toothbrushing. And it did not make DS hate it. Over the past month he started brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and spit it out. He is much easier to deal with now.

Previously, we'd brush DS teeth in bed, just before getting asleep. What helped a bit is explaining to DS that I was getting food stuck b/w his teeth and that otherwise he's have a hole in them that would hurt. DS attitude towards brushing improved somewhat after his first visit to a dentist at 1 year and 10 months of age. I told him that the dentist said we should brush his teeth every night and he can't have anything other than plain water after-words. I also had DS 'sing' a-a-a-a while I brush.

[mommysammi]

I was wondering when should I take DS to his first dentist visit. My friend took her son when he was 18 months old but he had a horrible experience. The dentist used straps to hold her son down while cleaning his teeth. DS is 19 months old but I've been delaying the visit to the dentist. Do you know approximately when I should take him? Thank you.

[JBaxter]

We always told our patients 3yrs for the first visit. ( I was/am a hygienist but havent worked since Nathan) They have an understanding of what is going on and are easier to work with ( usually LOL). I cleaned alot of 3yr olds teeth sometimes while they sit on their mommys laps or stood up in front of me -- w/ that age you have to get creative but it can be made fun. Counting teeth and making them all shiney clean LOL All that said IF you see anything that looks like decay/abnormal tak your son earlier. But till then get at least 1 good brushing in a day ( 2 is best).

[mommysammi]

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that I have another year or so. When do you suggest that I start using toothpaste with flouride? When he knows how to spit it out? I've been using flouride free toothpaste but it tastes gross even with the different flavors.