Tooth-brushing, early toddler edition
June 17, 2015 1:02 PM Subscribe
The title about sums this up -- how do we brush the teeth of our 14 month old when he really doesn't want us to?
Our little guy has three teeth poking through on the bottom so I guess it is time to start tooth brushing. We bought him a baby toothbrush and have instituted toothbrushing time at night before bed, where we give him a toothbrush and demonstrate brushing our own teeth. After a week he is interested in the toothbrush and interested in watching us brush our teeth, but he only vaguely sort of waves the brush at his mouth. He will NOT let us brush his teeth for him. So far the toothbrush hasn't yet touched the teeth.
I have found a bunch of advice on the internet but it seems aimed for smaller babies (just reach in there and wipe the teeth! Ha.) or older toddlers that can be reasoned with. I don't want to force it and upset him, potentially setting us up for bigger problems later on. But I also want it to become a habit and would like to avoid baby teeth full of cavities.
So. Any suggestions for convincing a strong-willed 14 month old that he should brush his teeth?
Thanks!
Our little guy has three teeth poking through on the bottom so I guess it is time to start tooth brushing. We bought him a baby toothbrush and have instituted toothbrushing time at night before bed, where we give him a toothbrush and demonstrate brushing our own teeth. After a week he is interested in the toothbrush and interested in watching us brush our teeth, but he only vaguely sort of waves the brush at his mouth. He will NOT let us brush his teeth for him. So far the toothbrush hasn't yet touched the teeth.
I have found a bunch of advice on the internet but it seems aimed for smaller babies (just reach in there and wipe the teeth! Ha.) or older toddlers that can be reasoned with. I don't want to force it and upset him, potentially setting us up for bigger problems later on. But I also want it to become a habit and would like to avoid baby teeth full of cavities.
So. Any suggestions for convincing a strong-willed 14 month old that he should brush his teeth?
Thanks!
Best answer: We had exactly this problem and decided not to stress about it too much. For me it was much more about establishing a routine around teeth than about getting a perfect job done every night at the expense of everyone's sanity.
So we started by doing what you're doing. Then we added a bit of toddler toothpaste so he would be interested in putting the brush in his mouth. Then we slowly started getting him to let us move the toothbrush around in his mouth a little. We didn't make a lot of progress till we realised how much he loved it when we cheered him for doing a good job. Once he knew he was getting a big 'Hooray!' for a successful toothbrushing it went much better. So we focused on the routine and on getting a little more done each night. Now (19 months) he will actually open his mouth, without crying and let me do a fast brush of all the teeth. He also tries holding the brush himself. Honestly I think it was the Hoorays that made all the difference.
posted by yogalemon at 1:10 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
So we started by doing what you're doing. Then we added a bit of toddler toothpaste so he would be interested in putting the brush in his mouth. Then we slowly started getting him to let us move the toothbrush around in his mouth a little. We didn't make a lot of progress till we realised how much he loved it when we cheered him for doing a good job. Once he knew he was getting a big 'Hooray!' for a successful toothbrushing it went much better. So we focused on the routine and on getting a little more done each night. Now (19 months) he will actually open his mouth, without crying and let me do a fast brush of all the teeth. He also tries holding the brush himself. Honestly I think it was the Hoorays that made all the difference.
posted by yogalemon at 1:10 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Let him pick out whatever ridiculous toothbrush and toothpaste he wants.
Let him brush first, or brush with one brush while you brush with another.
Try sitting cross-legged on the floor with his head in your lap.
posted by that's how you get ants at 1:11 PM on June 17, 2015
Let him brush first, or brush with one brush while you brush with another.
Try sitting cross-legged on the floor with his head in your lap.
posted by that's how you get ants at 1:11 PM on June 17, 2015
We worked a tooth brush song into the nighttime routine. We also let our daughter brush her teeth in front of the mirror. That kid is a sucker for her own reflection.
posted by Pardon Our Dust at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Pardon Our Dust at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
I also have a 14 month old. He doesn't actually need to brush, per the dentist and the pediatrician, just become accustomed to having the toothbrush in his mouth and the potential to brush. We just give our daughter her tooth brush while we give her a shower and as she gnaws on it and pushes it around her mouth we praise her and encourage it.
posted by lydhre at 1:17 PM on June 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by lydhre at 1:17 PM on June 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
To add: I might try to get in a little bit of a brush while "helping" her but the goal is for her to be okay with the toothbrush and not so much oral hygiene at this stage. Try not to make it too stressful, you really don't want this to become a Thing.
posted by lydhre at 1:21 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by lydhre at 1:21 PM on June 17, 2015
I found the way to persuade our strong-willed toddler to brush his teeth completely by accident. Our playgroup started singing a little rhyme about Mr Crocodile:
I tried singing this to him just after bathtime, which was great fun, and then introducing a toothbrush, which was suddenly acceptable if it meant more singing of the crocodile song. It worked especially well after I found a crocodile-shaped toothbrush.
I found out the song was a crucial element because one evening when I got home late my partner asked "What's the Mr Crocodile song? He refused to brush his teeth unless I sang it..."
posted by doop at 1:46 PM on June 17, 2015 [7 favorites]
Mr Crocodile is brushing all his teethThis is, obviously, performed with exaggerated brushing actions, clapping, and a dramatic pause before toddlers shouting "SNAP!" and making crocodile-jaw arms etc.
He brushes on top
And he brushes underneath
If you don't appreciate him, clap clap clap
Mr Crocodile will snap snap snap!
I tried singing this to him just after bathtime, which was great fun, and then introducing a toothbrush, which was suddenly acceptable if it meant more singing of the crocodile song. It worked especially well after I found a crocodile-shaped toothbrush.
I found out the song was a crucial element because one evening when I got home late my partner asked "What's the Mr Crocodile song? He refused to brush his teeth unless I sang it..."
posted by doop at 1:46 PM on June 17, 2015 [7 favorites]
It's only been a week? Be patient and don't push it. What you're doing seems perfect -- he's already interested.
Do you have any older kids around? Cousins, friends' kids? If he could watch them brushing their teeth, that might have a bigger impact than seeing you do it. Especially if they had a cool toothbrush (flashing lights, Elmo, whatever your kid thinks is cool) and you had the same or a similar toothbrush for your kid.
posted by chickenmagazine at 2:08 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Do you have any older kids around? Cousins, friends' kids? If he could watch them brushing their teeth, that might have a bigger impact than seeing you do it. Especially if they had a cool toothbrush (flashing lights, Elmo, whatever your kid thinks is cool) and you had the same or a similar toothbrush for your kid.
posted by chickenmagazine at 2:08 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The kind approach:
Possess two toothbrushes. Kid holds one and waves it around in his mouth, you brush his teeth with the other one. This currently works well with our 19 month old. Definitely hooray a lot at any sign of success.
The less kind approach:
This sounds absolutely horrible, but I've always found that pinning a screaming toddler down on the floor while you brush their teeth gives you excellent access to get those back molars clean. But the child in question is now four and a half (god help you if you forget the half) and we have exactly zero trouble with teeth brushing. So even if you go through phases (at let's say, two) when you do have to force it, odds are you won't ruin him for life.
Choosing a toothbrush will work great when your child is a bit older, but no 14 month old I've known has had enough brain cells to appreciate doing something unpleasant just because they chose the implement.
posted by telepanda at 2:14 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Possess two toothbrushes. Kid holds one and waves it around in his mouth, you brush his teeth with the other one. This currently works well with our 19 month old. Definitely hooray a lot at any sign of success.
The less kind approach:
This sounds absolutely horrible, but I've always found that pinning a screaming toddler down on the floor while you brush their teeth gives you excellent access to get those back molars clean. But the child in question is now four and a half (god help you if you forget the half) and we have exactly zero trouble with teeth brushing. So even if you go through phases (at let's say, two) when you do have to force it, odds are you won't ruin him for life.
Choosing a toothbrush will work great when your child is a bit older, but no 14 month old I've known has had enough brain cells to appreciate doing something unpleasant just because they chose the implement.
posted by telepanda at 2:14 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Highly recommended: This Raffi video. Also singing it to them while brushing your own teeth.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:15 PM on June 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:15 PM on June 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
My bedtime routine with my son was:
- Bath: talk and sing songs, play with the washcloth (you can put your fist under it and make a bubble!). Etc.
- Get out of bath, wrap up in towel, sit on lap, more songs, more talking.
- Wrestle into diaper and jammies.
- Brush teeth while standing on his own special stool or lap (depending on how tall). This tied into songs, because he had Raffi, and the Brush Your Teeth song.
- No stories until brushing teeth time. "If you want stories, you have to brush your teeth!"
- Stories, lights out, and the Fisher Price player with Raffi songs on them (one of which was the above). Going back in to flip the cassette tape.
None of the tooth brushing stuff happened overnight, it's more observation and repetition. You will know you've succeeded with a toddler when you see them telling their toys to do it, or their peers. You can also make a game out of it: look at what I do! Can you do it too?
Just keep at it and incorporate it into your routines. Eventually they will get it. You can also rub his teeth with cheesecloth or gauze, wrapped over your finger, until then. Just don't fight and make it a game and a pleasant experience.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 2:21 PM on June 17, 2015
- Bath: talk and sing songs, play with the washcloth (you can put your fist under it and make a bubble!). Etc.
- Get out of bath, wrap up in towel, sit on lap, more songs, more talking.
- Wrestle into diaper and jammies.
- Brush teeth while standing on his own special stool or lap (depending on how tall). This tied into songs, because he had Raffi, and the Brush Your Teeth song.
- No stories until brushing teeth time. "If you want stories, you have to brush your teeth!"
- Stories, lights out, and the Fisher Price player with Raffi songs on them (one of which was the above). Going back in to flip the cassette tape.
None of the tooth brushing stuff happened overnight, it's more observation and repetition. You will know you've succeeded with a toddler when you see them telling their toys to do it, or their peers. You can also make a game out of it: look at what I do! Can you do it too?
Just keep at it and incorporate it into your routines. Eventually they will get it. You can also rub his teeth with cheesecloth or gauze, wrapped over your finger, until then. Just don't fight and make it a game and a pleasant experience.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 2:21 PM on June 17, 2015
Honestly, we were in camp "sit on her if you have to", for both kids. It's worked out fine. No issues. I mean, they don't LOVE it, but they do it.
What helped was
- toothbrushing song
- provide a clear beginning and end.
(- Ready for brushing? Start! - okay, Finished! )
- all the bathtub toys get their teeth brushed, immediately after. She is in charge over that
- sometimes her knees, belly or ears also need brushing right after! Which morphs into a tickling game.
- toothpaste that tastes incredibly yummy. I let them swallow it first, then brush.
posted by Omnomnom at 2:30 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
What helped was
- toothbrushing song
- provide a clear beginning and end.
(- Ready for brushing? Start! - okay, Finished! )
- all the bathtub toys get their teeth brushed, immediately after. She is in charge over that
- sometimes her knees, belly or ears also need brushing right after! Which morphs into a tickling game.
- toothpaste that tastes incredibly yummy. I let them swallow it first, then brush.
posted by Omnomnom at 2:30 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
- No stories until brushing teeth time. "If you want stories, you have to brush your teeth!"
This was the thing for us for all bedtime activities. Storytime was the prize, and if he wanted the prize, it was brush teeth, take off clothes, whatever.
It helped that baby toothpaste is pretty ok-tasting so he didn't mind it. And if your kid is still teething, chewing on the brush might actually feel good.
Has he been to the baby-dentist yet? Our kiddo was intrigued by the giant teeth-models you could brush, it encouraged him to keep doing it. But he was a little older.
If you're not feeding your kiddo a lot of sugar, I wouldn't worry too much, especially with just a few teeth poking out.
posted by emjaybee at 2:30 PM on June 17, 2015
This was the thing for us for all bedtime activities. Storytime was the prize, and if he wanted the prize, it was brush teeth, take off clothes, whatever.
It helped that baby toothpaste is pretty ok-tasting so he didn't mind it. And if your kid is still teething, chewing on the brush might actually feel good.
Has he been to the baby-dentist yet? Our kiddo was intrigued by the giant teeth-models you could brush, it encouraged him to keep doing it. But he was a little older.
If you're not feeding your kiddo a lot of sugar, I wouldn't worry too much, especially with just a few teeth poking out.
posted by emjaybee at 2:30 PM on June 17, 2015
Do you guys use an electric toothbrush for yourselves? Our little lady was entranced by mine and it made tooth brushing EXCITING! BUZZZZZZ!
posted by merocet at 3:22 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by merocet at 3:22 PM on June 17, 2015
Toothbugs book. I'm not normally down with scaring kids but in this case...
posted by k8t at 3:23 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by k8t at 3:23 PM on June 17, 2015
Yeah, 14-month olds don't care about cavity books or picking out toothbrushes. My FIL was a pediatric dentist and he told me to wash them down with a washcloth (use the cloth to wipe down each tooth) in the bath. The extra material provides some cushioning for the inevitable bite. I let my 15-month old put the toothbrush in her mouth and chew it, but even when she lets me brush her teeth, it's not terribly thorough.
posted by mrfuga0 at 4:40 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by mrfuga0 at 4:40 PM on June 17, 2015
He doesn't actually need to brush, per the dentist and the pediatrician, just become accustomed to having the toothbrush in his mouth and the potential to brush.
The current AAP recommendation is for brushing with the first tooth with a smear of fluoride toothpaste, to boot. YMMV but I wish we'd started sooner.
Mom of a 17-month-old here. She got her first teeth around 5 months and by 1 year, had 8--and a chip in the top tooth and some tooth decay, too. Ugh. Up until that point, we'd been just letting her play around with the toothbrush, but once the decay appeared, we visited a pediatric dentist who gave us instructions for nightly tooth brushing.
It's a two parent job. One parent (P1) holds the baby in their lap, then tips them backwards into the other parent's knees (that'd be P2). P1 holds down her hands while P2 brushes.
We sing the raffi toothbrush song. That helps. We also got a kid's electric toothbrush, which was a huge help. If she starts to fuss, I bzzzt her nose or chin with it, or brush daddy's teeth. She often screams a little at first, but has been generally increasingly compliant and pleasant for toothbrushing. It's mostly a fun, giggly time. She gets stories and/or boobs immediately after.
I'm a really crunchy, generally permissive parent. But the way I see it is that there are some non-negotiables. Toothbrushing is one of them. It felt weird at first--it's pretty much the only thing we were forcing her to do. But now it's just routine.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 4:43 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
The current AAP recommendation is for brushing with the first tooth with a smear of fluoride toothpaste, to boot. YMMV but I wish we'd started sooner.
Mom of a 17-month-old here. She got her first teeth around 5 months and by 1 year, had 8--and a chip in the top tooth and some tooth decay, too. Ugh. Up until that point, we'd been just letting her play around with the toothbrush, but once the decay appeared, we visited a pediatric dentist who gave us instructions for nightly tooth brushing.
It's a two parent job. One parent (P1) holds the baby in their lap, then tips them backwards into the other parent's knees (that'd be P2). P1 holds down her hands while P2 brushes.
We sing the raffi toothbrush song. That helps. We also got a kid's electric toothbrush, which was a huge help. If she starts to fuss, I bzzzt her nose or chin with it, or brush daddy's teeth. She often screams a little at first, but has been generally increasingly compliant and pleasant for toothbrushing. It's mostly a fun, giggly time. She gets stories and/or boobs immediately after.
I'm a really crunchy, generally permissive parent. But the way I see it is that there are some non-negotiables. Toothbrushing is one of them. It felt weird at first--it's pretty much the only thing we were forcing her to do. But now it's just routine.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 4:43 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
my older girl was terrified as a baby but responded to making it a silly game... it started with me peeking in her mouth and exclaiming "we gotta brush those sugar bugs out of there! oh my goodness look at those sugar bugs!" and quickly brushing while she giggled, and progressed to "aggh it's full of tapirs! and rhinos! and ocelots! aw man look at all those ocelots they're just strutting and ocelotting all around we gotta brush them out of there! get out of there, ocelots!" etc etc.
Thank goodness it really amused her because she was really terrified initially and I didn't want to have to manhandle her but like the above poster said, brushing is non-negotiable.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:32 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Thank goodness it really amused her because she was really terrified initially and I didn't want to have to manhandle her but like the above poster said, brushing is non-negotiable.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:32 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
This Elmo video is the only way we got our 2 year old to let us brush his teeth. He was insistent on doing it himself, but he did a terrible job. Now we can brush his teeth for as long as we need, just replaying the video if we have to.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 5:56 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitty Stardust at 5:56 PM on June 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Screen time. The only time my daughter gets to watch video content all day is the 2-minute interval when her teeth are being brushed. If she shuts her mouth, the video stops.
posted by town of cats at 6:03 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by town of cats at 6:03 PM on June 17, 2015
Tiger teeth and hippo mouth, with exaggerated mama faces (tiger teeth is GRRRRRRR and hippo mouth is GNAHHHHHH). We also counted down.
posted by geek anachronism at 6:37 PM on June 17, 2015
posted by geek anachronism at 6:37 PM on June 17, 2015
Oh my gosh, there's a dinosaur in your mouth! Open wide! Look at that - I'm going to get that silly dinosaur out of there. Add appropriate Dino noises as necessary.
Oh my gosh! How'd you get a chicken in your mouth! Amazing! Open wide - would you look at that? I'm going to get that silly chicken.
Oh my gosh there's a motorcycle in your mouth! How did that happen? Etc etc etc....
posted by Cuke at 7:31 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh my gosh! How'd you get a chicken in your mouth! Amazing! Open wide - would you look at that? I'm going to get that silly chicken.
Oh my gosh there's a motorcycle in your mouth! How did that happen? Etc etc etc....
posted by Cuke at 7:31 PM on June 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I brush Lil' PD's teeth right before he goes to sleep in the bathroom in front of the mirror. He seems to really like the toothpaste flavour 'Chicco Dentifricio Apple and Banana' which helps
posted by PenDevil at 4:58 AM on June 18, 2015
posted by PenDevil at 4:58 AM on June 18, 2015
Lie them down on their backs and the mouth naturally opens - My dentist suggested that and it worked pretty well.
Do the "chicky chicky" (tooth brush sound)? You put your tooth brush in, your tooth brush out, in out in out and you brush it all about, you do the chicky chicky and you brush your teeth that what it's all about AAAAAHhh the chicky chicky etc
Speed brushing. On your marks, get set..... Go. Then brush as fast as you can holding the handle of the tooth brush only between thumb and forefinger so it you do bang a gum it doesn't hurt. Can you vibrate your hand really fast?
Get them to sing a beautiful operatic Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh (gimme me an 'R'!) (which in our case pretty soon turned into a loud AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!! but it got the job done. Then when doing the front and sides (gimme an 'E') and get them to do a doppler shifting car-driving-by noise "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".
Or the old classic reverse psychology. "right, you're not allowed to brush your teeth with this new dolphin toothbrush"
posted by guy72277 at 7:52 AM on June 19, 2015
Do the "chicky chicky" (tooth brush sound)? You put your tooth brush in, your tooth brush out, in out in out and you brush it all about, you do the chicky chicky and you brush your teeth that what it's all about AAAAAHhh the chicky chicky etc
Speed brushing. On your marks, get set..... Go. Then brush as fast as you can holding the handle of the tooth brush only between thumb and forefinger so it you do bang a gum it doesn't hurt. Can you vibrate your hand really fast?
Get them to sing a beautiful operatic Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh (gimme me an 'R'!) (which in our case pretty soon turned into a loud AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!! but it got the job done. Then when doing the front and sides (gimme an 'E') and get them to do a doppler shifting car-driving-by noise "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".
Or the old classic reverse psychology. "right, you're not allowed to brush your teeth with this new dolphin toothbrush"
posted by guy72277 at 7:52 AM on June 19, 2015
We started brushing our daughters teeth around 12 months, and she HATED it. We initially tried to get her comfortable with the idea, but she still HATED it. We finally decided she really had to brush her teeth whether she wanted to or not, and this was one of those things we were going to force if we had to. So we pretty much held her down and brushed them for her for, oh 6 MONTHS while she yelled about it at the top of her lungs, and just last week she started ASKING us to brush her teeth - she'll point and say "teeth!" at toothbrushing time and be happy and is willing to let us do it.
Point being.. you might just have to force the issue. And it took ours 6 months to come around to letting us do it. It was a long 6 months and I was starting to wondering how on earth we were going to keep doing this for like, years.
posted by annie o at 1:20 PM on June 20, 2015
Point being.. you might just have to force the issue. And it took ours 6 months to come around to letting us do it. It was a long 6 months and I was starting to wondering how on earth we were going to keep doing this for like, years.
posted by annie o at 1:20 PM on June 20, 2015
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posted by nadawi at 1:10 PM on June 17, 2015