Problem with my 2 years old son's dental care.?

Question

Brushing my 2 years old boy's teeth is difficult because he won't open his mouth, or, when he does, he'll bite the toothbrush. He also sucks the toothpaste off the toothbrush and swallows it. Any recommendations for my boy?

Answer 1

The most effective things I've found to get my 2YO to do anything that I want him to do and he doesn't want to do is to make it fun and give him options.  

We have 3 bathrooms and a different toothbrush in each one.  He gets to pick where he brushes teeth.  I brush my teeth at the same time, so he sees its something that grown ups do.  I'm animated about it - lots of "ahhs" and wide-open-mouth brushing.  I have him brush my teeth, and then ask if I can brush his so I can make sure he got everything.  When its done, he gets a sticker for the day, that he gets to pick out and put it on a chart.

Giving your 2YO the ability to do things on their own and make some decisions makes them feel like a big boy!  I WOULD NOT recommend a team effort of you and your husband forcing it upon him.  He'll end up fearing the process and it will only get worse for you as he gets older.

Answer 2

Here a suggestion that might do the work.

1. Do the brushing together. Have him brush his teeth while you brushing yours. But you'll probably have to go back into his mouth afterward to touch up his work. And let him touch up yours too.

2. Establishing a reward system. Give him some token each time he brushes.

3. Let him choose the toothbrush when you buy them. I think todays we have plenty of brushs that have cartoon charecter, etc.

4. Do not use flouridated toothpaste.

5. If above method doesn't work too, you may call a help from your husband to holding him still while you brush.

Good luck...

Answer 3

This is a battle for us too. I finally started using an electric toothbrush, the Oral B one, because it brushes the teeth and gets more gunk off faster and better than a regular one. Read, my son's screaming ends faster. :)

He was kind of scared of it at first, and he still doesn't like it when I'm the one to brush his teeth for him, but I ended up buying three electric toothbrushes and we'll have family brush sessions, where my hubby, myself and my son will all sit around togther and brush our teeth at the same time. My son gets a kick out of it, will actually put the toothbrush in his mouth, move it around his teeth (he mimics everything we're doing with our brushes) and keep it in there for good period of time.

Oh, and just to reiterate the previous poster who had a lot of good points, until he realizes he needs to spit out the toothpaste, stick to one of the baby pastes that don't have flouride in them.