How to Get Them to Brush Their Teeth?

My 2 3/4 yr old girl and 18 month old boy both love brushing teeth. I just say, let me brush first and you can brush next. When she clamps down i just say, "show me those beautiful teeth so we can make them nice and clean," then I'm quick about it. For both of them I will put a little more of the toddler safe toothpaste and let them brush their own. That way they get practice and they know I'm going to let them, so it's no big deal and not a fight. I always tell them what a great job brushing they do.

C.,

My twins went through a stage like this. They do want their indepence at this age, but I've been told that they do not do a good enough job brushing their own teeth until 7 or 8. Anyway, we tried letting them pick out their own toothbrushes and toothpaste, and brushing a puppets/dolls teeth. However, the thing that worked the BEST was
ROLE PLAYING. I pretended to be a dentist. I was Dr. Klock since that is the name of their dentist. I would say in a different and very sweet voice...... "Oh hi (child's name), come on into my office. Let's see those beautiful teeth of yours. Oh... they look so nice, I just need to clean them up a bit. What flavor toothpaste would you like today, bubble mint or cherry? Oh.... you are doing such a great job keeping your mouth open for me." Then I would say... "Okay Miss, since you were such a good girl/client, you don't have to pay me anything." My twins would love that part and sometimes pretend to pay "their dentist" anyway.

I hope this has helped.
J.

Have you tried buying her a batteried powered tooth brush. My dentist said even if your child is not a good brusher the batteried operated toothbrushes help clean their teeth better and she may think it is fun.

Compromise. Tell her she can brush her teeth after breakfast if she lets you brush them at night. Or buy her a special toothbrush of Dora or something like that, that only you can use on her teeth. That might get her to open up. My daughter also loves the spinbrushes. According to my dentist, though, it's best for parents to brush their kids' teeth before bed since nighttime is when most cavities form.

Best of luck!!!

C., my daughter is 2 1/2 and she used to fight me with the teeth brushing, too. I bought her a few different toothbrushes and let her choose the one she wanted to use and it actually made the process a lot smoother. I let her choose the brush and toothpaste. In the rare occasions now when she doesn't want to sit and let me brush her teeth, I'll ask her to compromise and I'll let her brush Mommy's teeth and then I brush hers. She loves it and it works every time! Good luck!

Hi C.. My daughter just turned 2 last month and she ALWAYS loved to brush her teeth. She, too, started to complain about it so here is what I do. I let her stand on her stool by the sink and brush her own teeth while I do her hair. Then, when I am done, I ask her to show me all the different parts of her mouth and teeth that she brushed. She is always so proud of her accomplishment and I say "WOW! How beautiful! But oops! I see a spot!" I then take the toothbrush and (quickly) do a once over to make sure it is done correctly. At this point she is usually too distracted and feels she has already "won the battle" to argue anymore.
Good luck!

knee to knee with another adult like in kitchen chairs
have your daughter straddle one of you and then lay her head into the other person's lap while holding her hands and the other person brushes

lay her down in bed so you can see put the pad of you index finger behind her last tooth and apply slight pressure she will open

a child needs help brushing until age 9

i am a registered dental hygienist in a pediatric office

I went through the same some good days some bad I would only say incentives come on honey lets brush our teeth so we can go to grandmas etc or tell her about icky teeth or no snacks if you don't brush you have to clean your teeth if you want snacks because of the sugar and make sure you brush your with her hope it helps

My 2 1/2 month old son started doing this also. I brush my teeth with him and let him hold my tooth brush and "help me" brush my teeth, then I help him. It works like a charm.

Sounds like your daughter is looking for ways to establish her independence. She's at that age. :)
My 1 & 2 year olds LOVE to brush their own teeth too. (My 1 year old NEVER wants to be done brushing his teeth, he loves it so much.) They used to let me do it fine for them, but then they became more independent and insist on doing it themselves. I choose to go ahead and let them because something is better than nothing (even if they don't do a perfect job), it is still forming the habit and they are brushing their teeth, even if it's not getting every area each time. If I were to force them to let me do it, I'm afraid that they would learn to see brushing their teeth as a negative thing, so it's not really a battle I choose. I'd rather encourage their independence while encouraging the good habit of brushing their teeth. I think the habit is more important than perfect brushing technique at this age. That's my view on it for what it's worth. Best wishes to you!

I have a 2 year old who thinks fighting with me is tremendous fun, no matter what I want to do. I sit on the floor, put my son between my legs and wrap my leg gently but firmly around his mid section. Now I'm only fighting his arms and I find it to be a good postion to brush his teeth, do his inhaler, put on a shirt, etc. He hates it becauses he loses the fight every time. Now when I say, "Cooperate or you get the leg" he cooperates.

Hi C.,
Our 18M old loves to brush his "teet". It started with me doing it and now he prefers to do it. So, what I do is first make a funny face showing him all my teeth so he'll copy me and then I brush as much of his teeth that I can. I make it a game and make silly noises and then he gets the tooth brush and tries to do the same thing. I know it probably doesn't get all the teeth all the time, but it's gotta be better than nothing and like the other mom said, it's forming the habit and not making it a negative experience.

Maybe get your own toothbrush and you brush yours so that she can copy you and do the same things you do...getting the molars and such.

Good luck.

T.