Toddler Fights Getting Her Teeth Brushed

My 16mo has been doing that lately and my almost 4yo still does occasionally. It's a power issue. Keep at it and it will get better. Some brushing is better than no brushing, so whatever you can get is okay. It has been much easier since I started using a minty toothpaste. I put a minuscule amount of toothpaste on there, just enough to flavor it, and he is much happier about that than the fruity baby toothpaste.

We use Sangre de Drago on our teeth as well as on our pet's teeth. It is a sap from a tree in the Amazon rain forest and it softens tartar calcification, heals gum tissue and cleans and whitens teeth. Rubbing a few drops on the teeth and gums is all it takes, or just giving the child some in water would be better than not brushing as it would still get into the mouth. If you want a web link to where you can get it let me know.

I have a 13 month old little girl who has had teeth since she was 6 months old. I have always used the finger toothbrushes, but she always hated it. Recently though, it dawned on me that I need to try and make it fun for her. I put a finger toothbrush on my first finger facing downward and one on my middle finger facing my ring finger. I lay her down with her head on my left and wiggle my fingers back and forth hanging over her. I make funny sounds and let her watch my finger brushes until she starts to giggle. Then I go in for the top ones with the middle finger brush. The angle of it facing toward my ring finger makes it easier to get a back and forth motion going. As soon as she starts to show signs of frustration, (just about 4 seconds) I immediatly take it out and start with the wiggling and funny sounds above her for her to watch. I do it as many times as I can, top and bottom (bottom using the downward facing brush on my first finger) and she actually has started to just open her mouth for me and giggle as soon as she sees the brushes. Before I started doing that, she would push my hands away and shake her head back and forth. It was a nightmare, but now it's our little game and she tolerates it with a smile! Hope this helps, and I commend you for brushing her teeth! My parents never made me brush mine, and it resulted in a cavity every dentist visit. Talk about NOT FUN! =P

Maybe you can try using a battery operated toothbrush. I just got one for my two year old who was acting the same way. Now she opens her mouth and keeps it open until I'm done (minute or more).

T..

Hi there, Why dont ya hold her in front of the bathroom mirror and sing a lil song about brushin her teeth you can even let her tangle her feet in the sink!! My baby loves that also pick out a toothbrush she'll like or let her pick it out some even play music!! or when she is in the bath let her chew on a washcloth!! Hope it helps!!

I can't say that our little one took well to brushing either, however I found that he likes the electric tooth brush. I bought a crayola toothbrush and he likes to use it. I have seen them at frys and target. Kids don't brush like you and I do but it is important to get them used to it. My little guy does chew on the brisles and he also likes the toothpaste. I figure it is in his mouth and since it is electric it is doing some brushing. He now points to his toothbush after his bath. It is too cute.
I hope that helps!

HI S.,
I commend you for starting on the teeth brushing journey, that is about the same time we started with our daughter. She is now 2 and 1/2 and we don't use tootpaste (you need to be careful of the flouride anc chemicals). WE just kept after it every night, sang songs and tried to make it fun. I also take turns with her, mama gets her turn first then she gets her turn (and usually just chews). AFter the first month or so it gets easier as they realize it is just waht you do...I hope this helps.
L.

Kudos to you for sticking to this even though it is not easy at times!
The way my pediatrician put it "there are things that are negotiable and there are others that not and all hygenic one's are not". So, my daughter and I had some really bad teeth brushing events now and then since she got teeth, but that is one I am adamant on that it will happen twice a day. I think for her it was a control issue, and it still comes up once in a while, but she also knows that it will happen. As she got older, I gave her choices (Do you want to brush yourself? Do you want to brush first or should mommy first? etc..) That seemed to help. 99% of the time all goes well now, but as I said it was not always fun.
I took her also to the dentist when she was 18 months old to get the 6 month cycle started and I think that helped as well as she understood that there are other people interested in her teeth besides me : )

Good luck with this!
D.

Both my kids hated brushing at that age. We just kept doing it, no matter the fight they gave, so they would know that it was always going to be that way. When they fought it so much, my husband had to hold our child while I brushed and vice versa because we couldn't do it alone. Eventually they gave up and brush with no problem now. :)

My daughter is now 13 months and loves to use my tooth brush. I have an Oral B electric and put it on low and teach her to open her mouth and stick her tongue out also. We use the sound " ahhhhhh" and it works and she loves the feeling of the electric part so when I am brushing she is really going crazy because she wants the tooth brush!!

Hi S.,

This is a fun one to tackle yes:) MOST toddler really hate to have their teeth brushed...they don't like the flavor, they dont' want to take time away from playing, or it probably just feels really wierd to them! At any rate, it probably is best to get in there even if for only 20 seconds!
First, try not to obsess about this. She will eventually grow out of this phase and maybe even love to brush her teeth!
I've been through this 4 times with each of my kids and there isn't really a magic solution becuase each child responds differently. First, brush her teeth when she's NOT tired or hungry. If you are taking her away from playtime, give her some transition time. No child likes to be swooped away from their fun time without warning. IT almost always ends in a struggle. Make a game of it. Sing a brushing teeth song you make up. Use a puppet to help her brush her teeth - children LOVE puppets! It doesn't have to be a fancy puppet, make one out of an old tube sock and glue googly eyes to it and draw a red mouth. Let her play with a toothbrush and just let her chew on it for a while. Just sanitize it in hot water and tea tree oil if you find it on the ground or something:) Let her brush her teeth while you or your husband brush yours. Kids like to do things like mom and dad. Be really really excited about looking at her teeth and in her mouth. Count her teeth. Read a book about brushing - even though she might now understand all the words, she'll see the picutres that are appealing to children. Finally, if you and your husband make a struggle and a huge deal out of it...well, it just turns into a battle, leaving everyone frustrated. Do your best and understand where she is coming from. You'll both figure it out soon enough when you let go of the "have to's".

Much energy to you and your family.

In peace,
A.
mom of 4. Birth and Parenting Mentor
www.birthingfromwithin.com

Modern diets leave us homo sapiens so vulnerable to decay. I wish it was just easier to eat natural food raw and forget the whole brushing, flossing, swishing etc etc, but most of us eat this cooked processed stuff, so knocking plaque off is a necessity.
So getting used to weird brush sensations in your mouth early might not be a bad idea. Or at least as part of a routine if nothing else.
My daughter had ECC (Early childhood caries). It has been an expensive misadventure. I wish I had read up more on Xylitol before I gave birth...apparently if mom uses it the incidence of problems in her child goes down. I am using it now to sweeten herb tea I give my daughter...we don't do juice at all. Or cow's milk. Just breast milk. But lactose sugar is sugar.
I am still waiting for this wonderful anti-cavity vaccine they keep talking about.

My 16 month old has been fighting brushing for months but we seem to have found the solution. We bought him one of the Colgate spinning head toothbrushes with Diego on it and now he opens his mouth for us to brush and giggles when we do. He even seems to like it now! You might give it a try-- we literally went from full-on tantrums to him sitting still just by getting this toothbrush. It was only about $4 at Target.