I have a 2 1/2 yr old daughter who likes to "brush" her teeth. She will even tell us that she wants to brush them. However, I am having trouble getting her to let us brush them really good and she doesn't do a very good job of spit out the toothpaste, she does try to though. I have started to notice plaque build up on her eye teeth but she wont let me get the toothbrush up the high on her gums to try and remove it. I do use a toddler toothpaste with floride but would like some ideas on how to get her teeth as clean as possible. The newest thing I have tried with her is asking her to show me her mean face and she will show her teeth and growl but that will only work for a little bit. Any ideas would be greatly aprreciated.
After my son is done brushing I'll have him say, "EEEEEEEEEEE" and it lets me brush the fronts of his teeth. Then he'll say, "Aaaahhhhhh" so I can brush the inside. He's one to want to do everything on his own, but he goes along with this I think because I let him brush first, then I do the follow up.
Good luck!
I don't know if it will help you but my son, also 2.5yo, will let me brush his teeth if I count. He's really good about it until we get to six. That's about the extent of his patience with letting me do the brushing. N.
I had the same problem with my 2 1/2 year old. She is very independant and didn't want any help brushing. Finally I found something that worked. I let her hold onto the toothbrush with me when I was brushing her teeth. It let her still feel like she was doing it even though I was controlling the brush. Good Luck!!
My advice is not much different than anyone elses, except I don't recommend holding her down and making it a screaming match...it will only serve to make her HATE to brush later on. My 3 yr old son, who tries to be very independent, wants to brush his own teeth, so I tell him that he can brush them in the morning (with my guidance telling him where to brush) but I get to brush them in the evening. This has worked from the time he started to want to do it himself. Another idea that works for us is for you each to have a toothbrush and let her brush one side and you brush the other, taking turns. You can also find disclosure tablets (I think it comes in liquid now, too) that will turn the plaque covered spots pink (or whatever color) then show her in the mirror that those are the spots she missed. That way you will actually be teaching her why she brushes her teeth and helping her to feel the pride in accomplishing getting them clean. Hope you find a peaceful way to get the job done!! Good luck!!
i really wouldnt worry too much about the swallowing the toothpaste part i brush my daughters teeth when shes in the shower (she wont take baths bc she wont sit down) and the water running over her pretty much washes it out shes only 15 months old so she cant spit as for the other part i would maybe suggest telling her what a good job she does but tell her she missed and see if she'll let you show her so she can do it (in reality your just getting the spots she missed and she thinks shes doing a great job) just a suggestion
I don't really have a suggestion to make it easier for you to brush her teeth but if she is not spitting out the toothpaste you should be using the kids' toothpaste by Oragel (sp?). It has little bear on the box. It has NO FLORIDE. There is an issue with their permant teeth coming in discolored from them swallowing the floride. That is what the dentist tells me.
Good Luck,
M.
My daughter turned 2 last month. What I do is hold one toothbrush while I brush her teeth with another. I also let her brush by herself either before or after I do it, some time both, depending on her. It has really made the job easier.
Take her to a good pediatric dentist. Let them tell her how to brush and that you need to help. My son did the same thing. Ever since we went, he's had no trouble letting us help him. Our dentist told us they should have their first check-up at 2 anyway. We found a great Dentis in Rochester. Dr. Tracht. Whole staff is great.
This is a trick I used with my son... Pick some of her favorite cartoons, movies, etc. I would ask my son, "Who are we going to brush tonight?" He would pick some cartoon, say Winnie the Pooh. Then we'd get excited about getting the "sugar bugs" off of Pooh & his friends. I'd ask him, "OK, where's Pooh?" and he'd respond by opening his mouth and pointing to, say the upper right side (or wherever). Wherever he pointed, that's where we'd brush. When that side was done we'd ask, "OK, now where's Tigger?" and repeat the process with different characters in different locations until each section of his teeth were brushed. He loved it and would laugh while we did it. Just try to use different characters, animals, etc to make it a little differnt each time so it seems more fun.
And I agree, it's better if she doesn't swallow the fluoride toothpaste. It's not terrible, but try using the fluoride free until she can spit it out better. There are several childrens training pastes out there that are fluoride free. Good luck to you and let us know if you come across a secret trick!
We found with our 3 year old, we tell her that if she doesn't let us brush her teeth good for her then the cavity bugs will eat away at her teeth and she won't be able to eat any kind of sweets ever again because she won't have teeth. Our 2 year old, I have to just pin her down and brush them. While she is screaming her mouth is wide open and I brush them. Swallowing a little bit of toothpaste won't hurt them. Just make sure not to put a lot on the toothbrush.
Have you tried an electric toothbrush? Seemed to get my boys more excited about brushing their teeth. Also- with my 2 1/2 yo I stand behind him. I hold the brush in one hand and use the other to pull his top lip back a little to help get the brush in a little better. When I'm behind him he can't move a way cause his head is tucked back against my stomach.
My son is 2 and 2 months and he will brush his teeth goof for us, although has yours been to the dentist yet? I take Evan in with me every 6 months when I get my cleaning and they "buzz" a little around in his mouth to get him used to what they do at appointments. This time he sat still long enough for them to clean his teeth and scrape some tartar that was building up on the back of his front teeth. They have a kid's toothpaste with flouride that he just started using and he is doing pretty well with. He also uses a spinbrush type toothbrush with Thomas on it that we got at BabiesRus for him. American Pediatrics Associations recommendations for dentals now is 2 years old (if they don't go before then) but I've been taking Evan since about 8 months because he got his teeth in so fast.
Good luck, but practice makes perfect. Try rewards and doing it longer each time.
C.
im not sure if this will help my mother in law is a dental hiygenist and what she dose with my daughter is "tickles " her teeth she starts out with seeing how big she can open her mouth then she puts in the tooth brush and laughs really loud and high piched wich makes my daughter laugh she dose this very quickly and then gives the brush to her to finish up. it worked also with my nefew who hated getting his teeth brushed now dosnt mind just an idea
