Toddler Tooth Brushing?

Question

My toddler is 20 months old. We have always tried to get him to brush his teeth, but we are having real problems as he simply doesn't want to. We brush our teeth with him next to us to try and get him to follow our example, but that has no effect. We've tried a normal toothbrush, "flashing" toothbrush and now an electric toothbrush, but each time the novelty wears off after a couple of days and he won't brush. He won't let us brush his teeth as he just screams and wriggles out of the way, and when we spoke to the dentist about it she said that we shouldn't force him to brush his teeth at this age so as not to put him off, but to let him brush his own teeth. The problem is, we can't get him to brush his own teeth!

Any tips please?

Answer 1

We have been brushing our sons teeth since they first came in. Well not really brushing them but I would wipe them off with a cloth after each feeding. Still after all that I cant not brush his teeth myself. He is so darn independent. I let him pick out his own toothbrush and toothpaste at the store. My sons loves the oragel little bear toddler toothpaste. Taste like fruit snacks. He doesn't really brush but he puts it in his mouth and "chews" it. But that's better then nothing. We go through more toothbrushes but as long as his teeth are healthy.

Answer 2

This sounds really tough.
You know what? Maybe his teeth are sensitive and that makes it so he won't brush...I just went through some dental appointments (3 1/2 hrs in the chair on one visit which included the removal of an OLD root canal, ouch) It took several weeks before the tooth next to it "settled down"
Put on the detective hat Mom this little guy can't tell you what's happening when the brush touches his teeth...
Maybe he is not used to different "textures" in his mouth. Maybe the bristles on the brush bother him....you know tickles too much? Try changing the textures of the things you give him to eat and watch him and see if it could be his teeth are "feeling" something that shouldn't be going on....
Sometimes it is possible to lose the enamel covering protection on the teeth making them SUPER sensitive to not only hot/cold but ALSO not be able to tolerate the touch of a brush to the tooth...
Above all don't assume anything like your dentist did. Just because he is this young doesn't mean something couldn't be wrong with his enamel.
Best regards, Hope for the best. JM

Answer 3

These are a few ideas that worked for us.

I gave, and still give, my little girl lots of choices, I buy a few cheap brushes in different colours (if cash isn't a problem they don't need to be cheap) and let her choose which colour she wants every time. I also let her decide where to brush her teeth, kitchen, garden or bathroom (anywhere there's water and somewhere to spit.

Also try leaving a small tube of toothpaste where he can reach it with a toothbrush so he can brush his teeth whenever he feels like it. Not necessarily when you do yours.

We have to buy a lot of toothbrushes as she often ends up using them as dolls hairbrushes or for cleaning the toilet but it takes the stress of tooth brushing away from her.

As you doctor said this is not the time to force him but to encourage.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Treat the situation sort of like potty training. Reward him with a sticker after he brushes his teeth. Try taking him to the store, letting him pick out his own toothbrush and toothpaste and a package of stickers that he likes, and show him when he brushes his teeth, he gets a sticker. Also, are you using regular toothpaste with him or the infants tooth cleanser without flouride? I tried that on my son at first, and it was fine until he turned a year old and then he didn't like the taste of it. He prefers the minty toothpaste. Find a flavor of toothpaste he likes. If it has flouride in it, it's fine as long as you use on a little bit... maybe 1/4 the size of peasize is all we use for my son and it gets the job done. Good luck to you!

Answer 5

I think you do need to find a way to brush his teeth. Your dentist sounds like a quack- how is it not okay to brush your teeth?? I think she's looking for future business. Don't buy your kid's obedience with toothbrushes disguised as toys, just brush his teeth. Say, "Do you want to brush your teeth, or do you want me to?" My daughter brushes her own teeth about half the time, and she's almost 14 months old. She really does do a decent job. She takes a while, but gets it done. We brush them the other half, and between the two, her teeth get clean, we're not just going to let them rot.

Answer 6

For my son we told him his teeth were happier when he brushed them and kept them clean. We explained that his toothbrush tickles those teeth clean. We used Orajel Training toothpaste, it tastes good..lol..lol..and a soft bristle brush. I'm mom to 3.

Answer 7

20 months? That's awfully young to be worrying about tooth brushing. I would let it slide until he gets to be a little older. At this point, you're basically trying to teach a monkey to take a shower everyday, it's just not going to happen.

Most babies teeth will grow to be perfectly healthy as they're brand new teeth, and I would wait until they were around 3 or 4 to teach them to brush them. As when they start getting past their toddler years - it's easier for them to understand the logic behind it.

He probably just thinks it's a game you want to play at this point, since at his age they don't have a real good sense of action and consequence.

Answer 8

it will take time hun, seems your doing a good job as it is, but in the meantime give him fruit, like apples to chew on which will also clean his teeth sliced of course

good luck

Answer 9

I would just do as the dentist says and just try to encourage him without making a issue out of it.

Answer 10

Give him time.I'd stop trying for a while, then introduce it again, and see if he's more interested. Don't make a battle of it.