Brushing Infants Teeth - Allen,TX

The best recommendation would be to get him an electric toothbrush and let him do it on his own. When my kids were about that age I tried many different things since they can have tender gums and be "resistant" at times. Sometimes you may just have to put some toothpaste on a wash cloth and get the teeth clean that way. As my daughter got older (she is almost 3 now), I would convince her that her baby dolls were telling her to brush her teeth. She listens to the baby dolls better than me sometimes. Sounds silly and goofy, but whatever works! I have had to restrain both my kids if nothing else was working. They get over it!

My 15 month old outs up a fight sometimes as well. I sign her a song, and sometimes let her brush her own teeth first. I also read in a parenting magazine that if you let your child brush your teeth every once in a while he/she will think it is fun. I don't know if 10 months is old enough for that, and I have not tried it but it sounds like a good idea.

Try using an electric toothbrush. They sell kids electric toothbrushes for $5-10, and my daughter was much more receptive to that than the regular toothbrushes. Plus, I figured 30 seconds of an electric toothbrush got her teeth much cleaner than 30 seconds of a manual!

M.,
Let him come into the bathroom while you are brushing your teeth so he can see that you do it. That is what I do with my son and it has worked.

At about that age, my son used to put up a fight. Looking back, I think it was more about him wanting to do other things rather than him not wanting his teeth brushed! However, I just kept at it and continued to brush his teeth. He's 16 months now, and he loves getting his teeth brushed. He'll open his little mouth and sit still for it while I hold him.

All this is to say, your son probably will grow out of this. Just keep at it!

If he's cutting teeth, he'll be very resistant. I've had the same problems with my 17 month old. Make sure the brush has soft bristles. I bought a toddler toothbrush for my son, too, but discovered it was more about being a "cute" toothbrush than being soft enough for their tender gums. Let him also watch you brush your teeth. That might make it easier, too. Good luck to you!

I agree with several of the posts...get an electric toothbrush! I have found this one to be wonderful because the head is the smallest I've found: https://commerce.jbutler.com/consumer_products.asp?nCateg...

This is the brush we offer patients at my dental practice, and I'm still using this brush for my 3 1/2 year-old! Currently, my daughter loves to listen to me count her teeth in English, Spanish, then Korean while I'm brushing her teeth. When she was much younger, she would listen to me sing songs or watch T.V.

Good luck to you! It will get easier, I promise!

We had to do some "toughlove." We told him, "It's time to brush your teeth," we had to hold him down a few times, but when he learned it was not negotiable(sp?) he accepted it. Now he wants to brush his teeth all by himself! hth

He could be getting some more teeth and brushing may be hurting him. Try being super gentle or use the gum brushes that fit on your finger for the time being.

I think it's great that you have already established this routine for your son!
Try letting him hold the toothbrush to "brush" his own teeth. He may just chew on it a while, but that's ok. At this age, my kids and I usually brushed together and they would try to copy me. I exaggerated saying "ahhhhh" and "eeeee" and even made sound effects (at one point we had battery powered toothbrushes, so the kids wanted their brush to make sounds too...). The kids loved it! After a few minutes of fun brushing, say "OK, Mommy's turn!" and see if you can swish a brush in there without him protesting. You might even let him have a turn brushing mommy's teeth. Just remember that at this age it's more about routine and having a good experience than it is about technique. Keep at it!

You could try letting him "brush" on his own first and then you do a quick finish up. Even at 10 mo old, they like to feel "big"!

I sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” while I brush. That way, he knows what is coming and we brush through 1 verse so that we always have a set amount of time. My 1 year old lights up when I start to sing and my 2 ½ year old still sings while he brushes his own teeth!

Good Luck!
E.