My son is 5 years old. It is a constant battle to get his teeth brushed. He still doesn't like to brush for himself and doesn't like to spit it out. So I use the safe to swallow toothpaste but fear that he is not getting enough protection. I have tried taking away his favorite toy (playstation), this worked for awhile but he is very stubborn and doesn't care what I take away. I have tried a sticker chart this too worked for a while but then the toys became to expensive. Does anyone have any great suggestions? Other then just sitting on him and forcing him to brush.
Thank you to the 4 ladies that wrote back this morning. I have taken him to the dentist and he did great the first time and terrible the second. We are due to go again this month. I did buy the spongebob spin brush and the Dora one too. He is a very strong willed ,I like to call him "Spirited" child. I will try the animal idea, that is something new. My older son and I read the book called "Baby bear brushes his teeth" and that scared him into brushing better. I read the same story to my little one and he wasn't even phased by it. Thank you again, I'll keep you posted on our progress.
Tried a Cool toothbrush that spins and has a favorite character of his? I also match the toothpaste cover to the toothbrush character.
I have found a great way to get my son to brush his teeth is to buy a motorized character toothbrush. He loves it, I let him use it pretty much whenever he wants and then just put toothpaste on it in the morning and evening. He loves the movie cars, so I bought him the toothpaste, toothbrush, and I found a cup that he can use for rinsing. That way, it makes brushing his teeth more enjoyable and less mundane.
Hi T.,
What has helped me is letting my son pick his toothbrush, he likes the motorized toothbrushes. But even that was fun only for a while, one thing that has worked great for us is the suggestions from "Love and Logic" http://www.loveandlogic.com/ , My son is a bit older now but it has always been a battle to get him to take responsibility to brush his teeth with out a fight, bribe, or me just constantly nagging and reminding him, so a couple things that we did, I started a star chart for the both of us (I’m a single mom), then when it came time to brush his teeth, if he said no, I told him "ok, I'll love you no matter how many teeth you have in your mouth", then when it was treat time, whether it was desert or snack, I'd say “Whoever's been brushing there teeth get's Desert", then when he wouldn’t get one, he'd be upset and I'd give compassion, "that’s so sad you didn’t brush your teeth, I hope you can enjoy a treat with me next time", and no matter how big the fit he'd pull, I wouldn’t get mad and NEVER say anything like "well if you would have done what I told you...." I let him own his decisions and the consequences. Then the really hard part and I'm glad I did this while he still had mostly baby teeth, we went to the dentist, YEP! He had over 300 dollars in work that needed to be done, and with the allowance plan I learned from love and logic where I give my son allowance every Saturday no matter what (he doesn’t earn it, kids cost money so I give him the money to manage, for movies, swimming, treats at the school carnival, his chores he didn’t do, exhausting behavior I have to listen to), anyway he had to pay 1/2 the dentil bill, which was 150.00 dollars, we set up a monthly payment plan with late fees if he didn’t pay on time, his weekly allowance was diminished so much that there was a few times when I went to lunch or to the movies, he couldn’t go because he was broke. So sad! (for him- not for me).
I honestly felt like a bad parent at first letting his teeth go but I'll tell you what, Now, He NEVER goes one single day with out brushing his teeth 2 times a day and I NEVER tell him to. He completely takes the initiative to do it him self, he knows that if he doesn’t brush, its not that mom will be mad, but that his teeth will have to be pulled, filled and he wants to keep his grown up teeth, and he'll be stuck with a big dentil bill, just like the real world. I'm glad I did it now.
Good luck finding what works.
Electric toothbrushes are great, let him pick it out. Make it a game. Brush your teeth with him, race to see who finishes first. Most boys will do anything you ask if it is in the form of a game. Blessings, C.
This might not work for your son who is older than my daugher, but it worked for my 2 yr old daughter...When its time to brush her teeth, I ask her who she wants to brush her teeth...and I give her fun choices like her teddy bear, her stuffed giraffe, her stuffed doggie, etc....when we have visitors in town, I add them in to the list of choices like grammy, grandpa....She thinks it's funny to have her stuffed toys brush her teeth, we then let her "brush" their teeth as well. The other thing that has worked is letting her watch me brush my teeth...when I am brushing mine, she wants to brush her teeth as well....I have one of those electric toothbrushes and recently bought her one as well and she thinks it's fun using the electric toothbrush. Good Luck and don't give up!
My 5 year old daughter is the same way... GUESS WHAT!!!????
I found this Kids mouth wash at walmart, you can squeeze the bottle and it fills the neck of it with the perfect amount for the little mouths and then they rinse with it for 30 seconds, well after they spit it out, their teeth are blue wherever there is "plaq", including the tounge... My daughter now BEGS me to LET HER brush her teeth, and she knows that she isnt done until all the blue is gone. By the way there are a couple of diff. flavors, i recommend, the bubble gum one, its not so "minty" and then there is no excuse of "its HOT!". GOOD LUCK!
I don't know if you have already tried this but if you have dental Insurance, and you feel that you have tried everything you can possibly do to make him brush his teeth then maybe you need to take him to the dentist and have them show him what his teeth will look like when he's older if he doesn't take care of them now, have them examine his teeth to make sure he doesn't have cavities or anything and maybe you could sit down with your dentist and maybe think or a creative way that will help your son want to brush his teeth because I don't think forcing him to brush his teeth is helping either one of you if anything its probable gonig to make him not want to do it even more.
My son is 4+ and I bought him a Sponge Bob battery operated toothbrush. He still hates to use toothpaste, but I put a bare minimum on the brush and he will let me "help him" brush so that we get a decent job done. I ven get his tongue at the end, but he doesn't hold a grudge for more that 5 minutes! LOL
Did you try letting him pick out his own toothbrush? Sometimes when kids can have the choices and have fun doing it they are more apt to do it. My 6 and 3 year old got to pick out their own tootbrushes. My son has a firetruck and my daughter a barbie. They are the battery operated ones. They can't wait to brush their teeth. Also maybe try a timer.
