Any tips on getting my one year old to let me brush his teeth

Question

First of all, he has nine of them (teeth, that is). For a while, we would do it together...he would chomp on his toothbrush while I brushed my teeth. After I was finished I would do the best I could to brush them myself, but he mostly just sucked on his toothbrush or bite down on it. Now, all of a sudden, he just throws it. Does anyone have any tips on getting the job done?

Answer 1

had this same problem, my daughter would scream and scream it was a night mare...........This solution works great for me.

I give her, her toothbrush with only water on it and let her sit on the counter and watch herself brush her teeth while I do mine, and she likes to put her toothbrush under the water whenever I do. Then after I'm all done, I tell her ok my turn and I will tell her to open wide and show me her teeth.......once I get toothpaste on it I kinda put my arm around the top of her head so that my hand in wrapped around her forhead....but not tight;y because being held down is what most kids hate more than the toothbrush. Anyways I brush very quickly before she closes hr mouth again I give her a second and we start the process over again.....if you try to get them all at once and keep her mouth open, or hold her down it's not going to be easy.

Answer 2

My son HATES his teeth brushed, so I have to sort of hold him down to do it. I know that it's very important to get  them clean, so I don't really feel bad. I don't hurt him or sit on him or anything but I do hold his hands and wrap my arm around his back and hold him as still as I can. He doesn't really cry but he gets aggravated. lol He knows that it's over in just a minute or two, though, so he is getting used to it, and everyone compliments me on his smile being so white. (He's 22 months and has all of his teeth already)

Answer 3

my 3 yr old daughter had the same problem-she wud just run off with the toothbrush in her mouth and then take it out and hide it somewhere.Then,My husband brought some stickers from the dentist and on each sticker it told you the benifits of brushing teeth and a picuture of a girl brushing her teeth.Now(she's still 3)everytime she lets me brush her teeth i stick the sticker onto her clothes.

Answer 4

I just give my daughter (she's 16 months) her toothbrush and let her go at it.  She doesn't really "brush" per say, she sucks on it.  I figure, she is at least getting some fluoride in her mouth and on her teeth, so that's a bonus.  I try to teach her everyday to do a brushing motion.  She does it some days, and doesn't do it other days.  She really doesn't like me brushing her teeth for her.  

I say, as long as he is doing a somewhat decent job, just let him do it himself.

Eventually, our babies will be brushing their teeth properly on their own.

:-)

Answer 5

At his age, it is acceptable for him to just chomp, but throwing it is problematic.

Get a toddler's toothpaste that tastes good, that may help. You can also "trade" with him, let him brush your teeth, you brush his. Just make it a game.

You can also do a reward scheme, such as a sticker for each time he let's you brush.

Cheers!

Answer 6

Ummm, you have to brush a one year old's teeth FOR them, no matter what.  You can't teach a one year old to brush their teeth.