Teeth Brushing - League City,TX

Try letting him pick out a battery operated toothbrush for his age. It worked well for me. Also, watch him brush and insist that you will brush his teeth if he doesn't do it right. In my opinion, (and I'm not that hard on my kids on brushing their teeth) is that he's too young to be left to do it on his own completely. Maybe let him do it in the morning or you at night? Anyway, my son started brushing his teeth better since I got him the powered tooth brush. It was one my last desperate attempts, and it seemed to work, for a while. :-)

I bought a sesame street battery operated toothbrush. My son will let me brush his teeth, but not for very long and he won't open wide for very long. The spinning brush makes it easier to brush everything without a lot of back and forth from me. He is 3 1/2 and we recently went to the dentist who said he didn't even need his teeth cleaned yet because we were doing such a good job at home. Good luck.

This is a good time to begin teaching him about "family rules" and one of the family rules that everybody in the family follows is teeth brushing. Following the rules is being a bood citizen and an indication that he is a "big boy".

Have you tried the toothbrushes that play music? I just bought all four of my kids Veggie Tales toothbrushes and the music plays for 2 minutes. We told the kids they have to brush till the music stops. 8 minutes of the same songs does get annoying, but I know that all four of my kids are brushing their teeth properly so thats all that matters.

Maybe it'll work for you too!

Take the stress off. Make it a game. You brush your teeth while you hum the ABCs, then spit. Then tell him, "I bet you can't brush the whole time I sing the ABC song!" and let him try. Then try singing the ABC song to him while YOU brush his teeth (so then his teeth get brushed by BOTH of you). If he'd like, let him use your toothbrush to brush YOUR teeth while you both sing the ABCs.

Another thing I used to do was let them take turns with me, especially when I noticed, that they weren't getting all over with the brush. I'd do a little chant, "Brush and brush and brush and brush. Now it's mommy's turn to brush." and I'd repeat the same chant for my turn, but trying to get all over. If necessary, I'd let him have another turn, then me and so on till it got the job done.

If that doesn't work, then you can pull the whole, "Sorry, the dentist told mommy you couldn't drink juice (or have a lollipop or fruit snacks, whatever) because it's hurts your teeth. We really have to take care of our teeth and keep them clean. But maybe if we brush our teeth really good tonight, you can have some juice tomorrow." And then when he puts up a fit at toothbrushing time, remind him that you need to get them super clean so that he can have juice tomorrow.

Good luck!

I have had good results with this toothbrush from One Step Ahead. I use a Tom's of Maine (fluoride free) toothpaste and let my daughter go to town.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

However, I do occasionally hold her down for a thorough brushing and check of her little pearly whites. We do lots of things that MAY scar our little ones...but sometimes you do what has to be done. Mine is going through a stage where she hates to have her diaper changed...but that doesn't mean I let her sit in her own filth.

While brushing my 2 yr old twin boys' teeth, I sing ABCs and count to 10. They know the song and exactly how long the brushing should last so there is little hassle. Then I give them the brush to try it. Usually, all they do is suck off the brush but since I've already brushed, it's ok. Good luck!

I agree with Heather H's advice - let him chew on the brush, and make it fun time. He's picking up on your stress. Also, it was helpful to us to let our little girl pick out her own toothbrush. She has a little basket in the bathroom with four different toothbrushes in it (we're into Sesame Street right now, so we have Elmo, Big Bird, Grover, and Cookie Monster toothbrushers). I know that four toothbrushes seems like a bit much, but they give our daughter some control over the situation. We brush her teeth first with the toothbrush of her choice, and then she brushes her teeth with the brush of her choice. Usually different. Silly, but worth it to avoid the battle with our 2 1/2 year old.

Lots of kids start off this way, just sucking off the toothpaste. I don't know any tricks to make him enjoy brushing, but if you sit on him to get it done, he'll learn to hate it and never want to brush on his own. Even if he doesn't get them brushed like you want, be consistent so he develops an expectation of brushing his teeth. Hopefully, he'll pick it up. Have you tried having him brush while you and/or your husband brush your own teeth? Let him see you go through all the motions and act like you love it. Then, comment to "yourself" how good your teeth look and feel. Treat yourself when you brush and let him know it. Don't treat it like a very big deal, just like it's a regular expectation.

I guess I was lucky in the aspect that my 2 year old loves brushing his teeth, and has for as long as he could hold a toothbrush.
But I have a couple suggestions that I have read in other places.
1)Get a stand up make-up mirror (you can find them at WalMart, etc) and have him sit in front of it and watch himself brush his teeth.
2)Get a toothbrush out and let him brush your teeth.
3)Let him watch you brush yours. Exaggerate your motions and play up some excitement when you brush. Give him his brush and ask him to copy you.
4)Give him a toothbrush that he can "play" with. When my son was younger, he would gnaw on a toothbrush all day if I would have let him. It does better cleaning that nothing. Just make sure you clean it everyday!
5)If he watches TV at all and has a favorite show, try to buy a character brush to make it seem more fun.
6)It might seem more like "torture" for him if you have to hold him down to do it. Try to be more relaxed about it...I know it is hard-my son has pink eye and putting his eye drops in is a real test! I often find myself just giving up and trying again later so I don't get frustrated with him.

Remember that he is 2 and everything will be a battle of wills at some point with him! I hope with all the advice you have received, something will work! Good Luck!

My son is 4 and I still help him. His dentist has a website with questions and answers and one question was, how long to help them brush their teeth? The answer was 6 years old. This way I know that it gets done. Here is the website... www.Austinteeth.com

We had to "help" our son brush his teeth too. We thought we were doing a good enough job with brushing until we went to the pedi. dentist. We weren't! You wouldn't think that decay could start on teeth so little but it does. She said even if you have to hold him down, do it. Their teeth are too important. So, as much as we hated to do it, we held him while the other one of us brushed. It didn't last long that we had to hold him but we still go back over his teeth after he's brushed them. He's now 3 1/2 and loves to brush his teeth so it doesn't last forever.

There is a pre-brush rinse that will color his teeth blue so that he can see where he needs to brush. You can get it at any Wal-mart, Target etc. Its suppose to help get your child to WANT to brush their teeth. I can't say if it works or not, but it's worth a try. There are also tablets you can get from the dentist that do the same thing.

Wow - ok, I think there is a little trauma that needs to be undone. I'm not bashing, but you are not going to get an overnight solution here, because there is a history of tooth brushing as a bad experience for your kid.

The method that we have used with our twin boys is to brush our teeth together. They love doing "big boy" things, so it's fun for them to gnaw (they're 16 months old with a LOT of teeth) on their toothbrushes and swipe at their teeth as best they can while we are brushing ours. We don't use toothpaste on their brushes because they are not old enough to consistently spit it out instead of swallowing. When we have finished we say to the boys "ok, let mommy and daddy see!" Then we make a big deal out of how well they've done and tell them "ok, let mommy and daddy finish up". We do a quick scrub, swipe the tongue and we're through. If they are resistant sometimes, we figure whatever gets missed in the morning we'll get before bedtime. Since they have a good diet with very little juice and/or sugar, and we don't let them take milk to bed, we haven't had any bad breath issues.

what about an electric brush, that will add some new interest. My kids did the same thing, suckin goff the paste. I kept using baby paste until they could safely use children's. First, I smear the paste over all their teeth and tell them to brush.... then I sing a song like You put to the toothbrush in, you put the toothbrush out (like the hokey pokey).... I still have the final brush and my kids are 3 and 5 to make sure all is well.

Have you tried doing it as a family? Nothing sets a better example. Maybe include yourself in the night-night routine. Make a show of washing your face and brushing your teeth. Explain that teeth need to be cleaned just like everything else. Your body has to have a bath and so do your teeth. It is mostly about setting up a routine at this point. Bribing usually only works for a little while if at all. Good luck.

Try not to worry... I took my 3 year old to the dentist for a 'happy visit' and he let the dentist clean, polish, floss, and check for cavities. They said that everything looked great... despite his lack of brushing.

Right around 2.5 years old my son started to allow me to scrub his teeth. So between the 2 of us I'm sure we do a fare job of cleaning.

The dental hygenist said that baby teeth are 'practice teeth.' You might want to ask your dentist and schedule a 3 year check. We had a BLAST at his first appointment.

My daughter and I take turns. She also has 2 toothbrushes, I don't really remember why, but she likes picking which one she wants to use. She brushes first, and then it's mommy's turn. I also make a big game of 'Oh we have to clean off all the food on your teeth! Look there's the cereal you had for breakfast, and let's get off all the sandwich from lunch!' Works for us. :) Good luck!

my 2 yr old never wanted her teeth brushed up until a couple months ago, I made up 2 brushing charts (one for her sister, one for her) Each chart has 10 squares and then a star. If they brush their teeth 10 days in a row, I take them to the "prize store" (dollar store LOL) and they get to pick out one thing. The catch is they have to let ME brush their teeth once before they can do it on their own (if they choose), and only then do they get to mark off a box on the chart! I sing a little song I made up while I brush..."Brush, brush, brush your teeth, brush them all the way! Brush, brush, brush your teeth, brush them every day!" (to the tune of "row, row, row your boat") That way they are distracted from me brushing and they know just how long it will take. It gives me enough time to brush for a good 15 seconds...or 30 seconds if I sing it twice!) They have gotten to the point now where they will remind me if I forget! I also let them pick out their own toothbrushes...make sure it's a small enough one so your son doesn't gag on it! And I use the "training" toothpaste that is flouride-free, so it's not harmful if they do swallow a little. It's expensive, but you only need a tiny dot. I put it on before I brush, then rinse the brush, so by the time they brush their own teeth, there's not much left on there. Hope this helps!
(You might also try having him brush a teddy's teeth...or you can ask him to make animal noises like roaring like a lion...and you can try brushing your teeth at the same time)

I think if you went to a pediatric dentist they would tell you differently than your pediatrician. We also held our kids down for a while to brush. After that, when they got to the independent stage, we would give them a "turn." They would "brush" then we would have to "check" that they did a good job. I actually tod them that there were " buggy germs" that were on their teeth that we had to get out so they didnt bite holes in their teeth. They were so worried about the "buggy germs" that they would open wide. While I brushed, would say " oh, I see one over here, I gotta get it!" or "oh it ran over here." Nit the most honest thing, but it really worked (still works) for us. You are supposed to either supervise or brush kids teeth until they are about eight years old to make sure it is done properly. Oh, character brushes often entice kids and I love the spin brushes for the quick in and out that I have to do with the little ones. Also make sure not to use the floridated toothpaste and let them spit really often, they hate the full- mouth feeling. Good luck and be patient and creative.

We got a Seasame Street power tooth brush. My son loves it, and is much more willing to let me brush his teeth. The reward is he gets to push the button on and off and brush on his own after I finish.

Well, he's not had a good experience so far, so he's unlikely to just open up for you without time. I would say just make sure it's a toddler-friendly toothpaste (DEFINITELY not time for flouride yet) and let him chew on it. Let it be a positive experience. Then put your hand on top of his and get some gentle brushing in. Sing a song, make it fun, but make it happy time. You need to turn this negative experience into a positive one, so I think you should ease into it. No, he can't brush his teeth properly at this age (many say they can't until ages 7-8!) but at least by chewing he is doing something. YOu can extend the "mommy brushing" time more and more as he starts to associate brushing with happiness. BY NO MEANS should you force it like that, or he'll always hate it. And I can't believe other people would suggest that.

Brushing your teeth while he is chewing would be a great way to model for him. Let him see how it is not painful nor negative in any way.

Have you taken him to the dentist yet? Find a good pediatric dentist that can help alleviate any fears and will aid in teaching him proper brushing. They generally suggest taking them at age 1, so he's not too young. We use Dr. Escue in S. Houston, and he is FABULOUS!!!

I agree that he is too young to do it himself with out your help. My kids at that age could be tricked into brushing by asking them to teach a favorite stuffed animal how to brush his teeth--taking the toy into the bathroom and demonstrating to the toy how one does it. After he has been in charge, he may be more open to letting you brush to finish the job.

Also, my kids only like Kid's Crest Sparkle Fun toothpaste and they think that every thing else is "too spicy."

I too have held my boys down to brush their teeth. It's no fun for anyone, but I felt like it had to be done. Good luck. It'll get better.

Hi D.,
Provided your son has enough teeth to chew an apple with the skin on, give him a half an apple, cored and let him go to town on it. He will have to turn the large piece left and right to bite it and that will scrub his teeth and gums and freshen his breath. Don't tell him that is what you are working toward or he may not want to eat it just because you want him to. Obviously, if he cannot judge how big a bite or doesn't chew well, maybe start with a smaller wedge or try peeling it if he can't yet chew well enough. He'll have fresh breath, clean teeth and good bowel movements. My nephew started eating a whole small apple when he was 2. (He wanted a whole one because he was a man like his daddy.) ;)Also important: let him stop when he is full. Don't coax "one more bite, then you can stop". Then it's a chore. If he leaves half an apple, you eat it. It's good for you, too. lol Start him with a fresh one the next day.

Of course you should brush his teeth. Other posters gave great advice. If he needs stitches in his leg, he'll cry while you hold him down to get it fixed. If he has to have dental repair from lack of care, he'll cry but still require the fix. Many of us cry when we don't want to do something, but then we do it anyway because we have to. ;)

My son does better when I brush my teeth with him. I scrub my front teeth and say " Scrub scrub scrub" in an upbeat way. Sometimes he copies me and his teeth get a little better. :)

I still hold mine down. My pediatric dentist said that my son has good teeth, and that few kids like to have their teeth brushed, so it's the ones who get held down who have nice teeth. My son doesn't mind being held down for tooth brushing. He protests a bit, but it's just for show. He doesn't really struggle or anything. If your son is really unhappy about it then I'd probably try to figure something else out. Oh, and we have a tooth brushing song, which seems to help.

I used to work in the dental field and he is way too young to brush his teeth. He won't get the correct motor skills until age 7 or 8. I think you are getting yourself into trouble by allowing him to brush improperly. You will find yourself at the dentist with a mouth full of cavities or getting caps on every tooth. That would be worse then you holding him down to brush. I would let him brush first if he wants and then its your turn. When you are able to brush his teeth correctly then give him a car. Good luck!

until he stopped resisting, i wouldn't let my son get out from his high chair until he brushed. i kept the supplies in a drawer in the kitchen and we brushed after every meal with him buckled in and it worked great. at first he'd sit there crying in his chair for up to 20 minutes, but after a while he got over it and understood it was necessary if he wanted to move on to playtime. good luck! :)

A two year old still needs help brushing, and will need help for a few years.
Try to figure out what he doesn't like about it- maybe its the taste of the toothpaste. There are lots to try. Its normal for kids to swallow the toothpaste right now, soon he'll think spitting is really cool (a boy thing.)So, use just a small amount of paste.
There are lots of books and videos for children about teeth care, that may make him more interested.
Try brushing your teeth at the same time, and have him copy what you do, or make it a race who can brush longest.
Or, try making a game out of it. My oldest daughter at this age liked to pretend to be a grown up visiting the dentist, she laid in my lap and I talked to her like she was a patient while I brushed her teeth.
I would tell my son I saw a cavity bug, and he would let me brush until I said "we got it, all gone."
My youngest was grossed out at the thought of a bug in her mouth, but wanted me to brush her teeth until they were 'shiny.'
You are doing good to be concerned and looking for a solution.

Tom's of Maine makes fruity flavored, natural toothpaste, so maybe he'd like that more than the minty stuff. (My oldest is 7 and is just now switching to the mint flavored kind.) They make it both with fluoride and without.
We sing funny songs to make it less of a struggle, but our three year old is still the worst. We really just insist that he brushes for a bit and then mom or dad gets to "check" his teeth for germs or bits of (insert here whatever he's been eating). If our son does not cooperate or puts up a real struggle he does not get storytime before bed.
Keep at it! Dental health is so important. If you are too tired at night to deal with it, make daytime brushing a good habit, when you have more patience to help him through this stage.

P. (mom to three boys ages 7,5, & 3)

I recommend buying a battery operated toothbrush with a character he likes. worked for my son.
Also, I don't know why, but my son will brush his teeth better if he can dip his toothbrush in a cup of water.
Try brushing with him at the same time and make funny noises,so it's fun for him.

I think the key is to make brushing a positive experience. This will take some time at first so be patient. Try making it fun and matter-of-fact. I tell my two-year-old that it's time to go brush the "sugar bugs" in a way that makes it sound like a fun game we're about to go play. Then I pretend that I see "sugar bugs" here and there while I brush. Other times I will sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat to her or Itsy, Bitsy Spider or whatever she likes while I brush. The song and game serve as a distraction while you get the job done. Make sure you're gentle and even if you only get a few brushes in the first few times the most important thing is that it's positive. Praise him afterward for letting you do it. I also have older children that brush so she follows their example. Try having your son watch you and your husband brush and really ham it up like your enjoying yourselves. He'll see what a positive experience it is for you. Good luck!

I would tell him when he asks for his favorite foods that he can't have them if he won't brush his teeth. Offer him foods he doesn't like and tell him those are the only foods he can eat unless he brushes. Good luck!

You might want to try these toothbrushes. They worked really well for us.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

With my first son, I let him do it himself. The first time I took him to the dentist he was 3 and at that point they were fine. I did not take him again until he was 6 (i know, bad) and when we got there, his teeth were really bad. We had to do sedation dentistry to get them taken care of which is quite pricey because when we went it to have every thing repaired, he won't sit through it. After that, we took responsibility for his teeth to make sure he is doing a good job. We also took responsibility for our daughters brushing. She was 18 months at the time. Of course she hated it. We did find something that worked. We would say, "oh my gosh, what is in your mouth? Are those sugar bugs I see. We gotta get those off your teeth!" Works every time. She laughs and opens up wide. We also use the toothpaste with the Thomas the Train on the box, which she really likes so that helps too.
Stay strong on this one. You really do not want to go through what we had to go through with our son. Good luck to you.

M.

I cannot believe your pedi said to let him brush! Our dentist said most kids are not able to brush appropriately on thier own until they are 6. I let my 2 year old have her tooth brush and she sucks off the paste. Then I say, "let mommy check to see if you missed a spot". She opens up and I get in and do the hard to reach spots. With my oldest daughter, we used to call it "tickling her teeth" and made it a game. Good luck!

My pediatric dentist said "Let them sing"!!! If you have to hold them down to brush, so be it. At first my 2 year old had to be held down. After a few sessions of that she much preferred to brush her own teeth (and we would finish off for her). I still use the toothpastes that she likes and I tell her to say "Ahhhhhh" so that I get the back teeth and "Eeeeeee" so I get the front teeth. I've begun mixing a little flouride toothpaste with the berry paste she likes. She tolerates it and I get her to drink lots of water afterwards to take away the taste.