Needing Ideas on How to Get a Year Old to Tolerate a Toothbrush in His Mouth

Hi C.!
I just had to laugh reading about your boys, but it is only because I remember my son doing the same thing and I got so frustrated! Then I just started to sing a funny tooth song or get him to laugh somehow so I could get the brush in his mouth. I do remember the toothbrush biting very well though. I hope you can find something to get them to cooperate with you, but know that you are not alone in your quest!
L.

My son was extremely sensitive about anything in his mouth. One thing that helped him was getting one of the spinning toothbrushes and letting him "play" around with it in his mouth. It really helped to loosen up the mouth and cheek muscles. Actually the speech therapist recommended it also.

Try using a stuffed animal or puppet to hold the brush --"Mr. Rabbit wants to brush your teeth" -- maybe even let them pick who will brush their teeth today. Sounds dumb but it makes my daughter go from flat out refusal to "that sounds like a good idea"

You can also try a soft, wet washcloth

I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. I bought the battery-operated toothbrushes for my kids. They come with all kinds of characters. When you first use it, use it to tickle their lips or noses, and make it fun. When you start to brush, even if they try to chew on it, the bristles will still be turning, so their teeth will still be getting clean. Good luck, I know it's frustrating!

My son will be 2 in march and has a mouth full! When I went to the dentist recently, I asked the same thing. Just letting them play or chew on it is perfectly fine they said!

Okay, there are going to be those who REALLY disagree with my post because 1.) We share a toothbrush 2.) It's electric and 3.) He uses the remants of my toothpaste. I am aware that these are all no-no's.

That said if you want to keep reading that's fine, but if you are too grossed out to hear our routine that's fine too :)

My son (14 months, 8 teeth) loves having his teeth brushed because we all do it together morning and evening. My husband does his own with a manual brush, I do mine with the electric brush. When I am done with mine and a minimal amount of toothpaste is left on the brush I lower the speed and put it by his mouth. 99% of the time he'll take it because we are all doing it, it feels funny, and he likes the toothpaste (we use Tom's of Maine). He gets so little of it I can't imagine it to be harmful.

He does use a manual brush on his own as well with baby tooth paste. We let him use that whenever and don't worry too much about how good of a job he does because we know he's getting a good brushing at least twice a day.

Good luck. Try to find a fun way for everyone!

C.,

One thing that has helped my 2 yo son has been to sing to him while his teeth are being brushed. We sing songs such as the ABC's, nursery rhymes, hymns, and we sometimes make-up our own songs.

Good luck, ls

I bought a toothbrush from One Step Ahead called Baby's First Toothbrush. Here is the link or you can search for it on their website.

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

Anyway, these things are great. I used them for my daughter and loved them so much I just bought them again for my son. Basically they get to chew on them and that is all they need to do to get thier teeth clean. It's hard to explain it on here but they are really great. Check them out and see what you think. Good Luck!

I think almost everyone goes through this, I know we did.

Try using the brush that goes on the end of your finger and see if they tolerate that better. They also have toddler toothpaste in various flavors that might help make it more appealing. With so few teeth you can even get away with just using a washcloth.

Try singing songs, making up a rhyme, and making a game out of it. Try not to get frustrated because they'll see that and fight even more. I always brush our daughter's teeth first, then I let her go back and "get all the places that mommy missed." She gets a kick out of that. You can also do it the other way around, let them play first, then you brush.

Don't give up, it will get easier, this is just a phase. Over the last year, it's really become much less of a struggle and now our daughter does it willingly.

I think the toddler tooth brushes are too big for them. My daughter is 4 and its just the right size for her, any bigger and it just wouldnt work. When she was one, I was still using those little brushes (well they are not really brushes) you put on your finger, it kinda looked like a thumbil, and I used the safe to swallow toothpaste, I got it at Target, it will say safe to swallow on it. At one they dont understand regular toothpaste is dangerous to swallow. So again, I think you are having problems because a toddler toothbrush is just too big for them. Hope this helps.

It looks like you've gotten some great advice, but I thought I'd add my two cents. We get something that works for awhile, and then our daughter (18 mos) decides she doesn't want to do it again so we have to come up with another gimmick. She has almost all of her teeth, so I really worry about making sure they get cleaned. For every stage, we've always brushed our teeth at the same time so she sees it's something we do, too. Here are the things we've done:

First, I would sing "Brush-a, brush-a, brush-a" like in "Grease" and she thought that was funny and distracted her enough I could get a quick once over before she shut her mouth tightly.

The next step was letting her brush my teeth while I brushed hers. That worked for the longest phase.

Then after that stopped working, we got some baby toothpaste (hadn't been using anything before) and started taking turns. She got her turn first and she'd suck on it for awhile while I brushed my teeth, and then I'd get to have my turn.

Now she doesn't always let me have my turn, so I play "upside down baby" which is a distraction we use a lot. For teeth brushing, I sit down and tilt her back (she automatically opens her mouth when she's slightly upside down), and get a decent brushing in.

There are still times when I don't get a chance to do it, and I don't make a big deal out of it, even though it bugs me, because I don't want it to become a constant struggle. We usually brush in the morning and and night so if one of those times doesn't pan out, I either try another time during the day, or just let it go.

Good luck!

I have a 14 month old grandson and I put a cute little toothbrush in his Christmas Stocking this year. Ever since then...whenever his Momma or Papa brush their teeth...he sits on the floor in the bathroom...and "brushes his teeth" with his very own toothbrush!!! He even makes the "Brushing" motions with it!!! He is then willing to allow them to actually brush his teeth before "rinsing".
This way he is getting used to it in a fun way instead of trying to force the issue in a battle of wills.
Good luck!!!
R. Ann

My boys were probably a little older than yours, but this might eventually help. One time we were at my cousins house and one of my boys noticed their big dog had really "yucky" teeth and bad breath. I told my boys that's what their teeth would look like if they didn't brush their teeth. They were immediately motivated to have their teeth brushed. Whenever they complain about not wanting to brush their teeth, I ask them, "Do you want to have dog teeth?" Good luck!

Put them in their highchairs and give them toothburshes to play with and to chew on. Let them explore it by themselves for a while. You might also try this while you are brushing your teeth, that way they see Mom doing it too.... Make a little game out of it.

Also make sure you are not using regular or even toddler toothpaste with them... They are not ready for it. You can read on the packaging which ones are made for little ones. Wal-Mart carries a natural brand and my son loved it....

Good Luck!

we make teeth brushing time a family thing - my son sees mommy and daddy brushing, and he wants to do it too. at first it's not so easy, but if you stick with it they'll get it. right now the key is just getting them used to the idea. as they get more teeth and eat more grownup foods, they'll already be in the habit.

we also take turns - first my son "brushes" his teeth, then i check them. that way i get to make sure they actually do get a good brushing. and it's a great way to help him learn to take turns! i have to say, we started at about 1 too, and for the first six months i felt like it was completely useless. he didn't really know how to brush them, or seem able to really brush them, and at times he fought me doing it for him too. but the key was at least be in the bathroom, with a toothpasted-up toothbrush in his hand. i brushed my teeth, and more often than not he just ate his toothpaste. but now that he's two, for the last few months he has been doing better and is actually scrubbing them himself now. it has been months since he's fought me "checking" them.

personally i'd avoid the dental wipes - i know how frustrating teaching my son was, and it'll probably be twice as frustrating for you, but if you stick with it, like i said, they'll get it. consistency is key! using those wipes seems to me like backwards progress.

good luck!

Not that i think brushing teeth is "overrated" or anything like that, but maybe at that afe it isn't such a big deal. I mean, my son woudl do it when he wanted and then didn't want to the next day or whatever. I didn't push it when he was that young. I knew his teeth weren't going to fall out of his head or anything. Eventually over time and not making a big deal over it we worked it into our bedtime routine and now he does it without much prodding, but he's almost three, so it did take a while to get from there to here. I say not to push it quite yet and that it isn't that big of a deal quite yet that they aren't brushing.