Tips for toddlers who hate brushing teeth?

Question

Hi all. Any tips for a toddler who hates brushing his teeth? He screams the roof down, tightens his lips and all when it’s time to brush his teeth. I’ve tried different things like brushing my own teeth while he watch, playing tooth brushing songs while brushing his teeth. Nothing works. My husband keeps saying “just leave him. Don’t force it. All the baby teeth will fall out anyways”. Sorry but I don’t agree. I don’t want my child to have poor oral hygiene and brown teeth because “his baby teeth would all fall out anyways”. Any advise pls?

Answer

My toddler does this to. And while it’s not great parenting….I put her in her high chair so she can’t run. Then I put on cocomelon to distract her….it is what it is.

Answer

A new toothbrush usually helps. They love that. Haha. Or I just flat out explain, "We have to brush our teeth to keep them healthy. We eat food and snacks all day so we have to clean our teeth or we will get booboos in our mouth." Maybe that's wrong, but it's pretty true. Haha. Also, my husband tries to pull the, "Oh just skip tonight" BS and I hate it. I know toddlers with cavities. I'm not putting my kid through that if I can help avoid it.

Answer

I disagree with your husband as well.  I absolutely pinned me daughter and put my finger in the back of her gums to make her open up to brush.  That’s one thing I will not mess around for and it’s not up fir discussion in my house.  Luckily that technique was needed for long, as we had tremendous success with the oral B magic timer app.  It’s great

Answer

My son loves baths, so I’ll tell him he has to brush his teeth before getting in the bath and he listens instantly. On non bath nights, we use a sticker as a reward for him brushing his teeth. Just got a pack at the dollar store, and he has a piece of paper we taped to the side of his dresser where he gets to put his stickers when he gets them.

Answer

Have you tried different toothbrushes? When he was younger my second haaated brushing his teeth, it was a fight every single time and it was exhausting. I ended up finding 3-sided brushes on Amazon and they worked like a charm with him. Those brushes made it so much easier to get his teeth brushed. He’s 2.5 now and has started to accept regular toddler brushes the last few months.

Answer

My babe was the same way for a while. We had to start telling him about the germs in his mouth and that got him - he hates being dirty lol. He liked the Blippi teeth brushing song too.

Answer

Cocomelon video about brushing teeth works for my son. He recently started hating brushing his teeth, I guess because two molars were cutting through. So I turned on that video several days ago, and he loved it, I can brush his teeth without any resistance now. He’s 15 months old. And I strongly believe that baby teeth should be healthy too!

Answer

have you tried letting them do it they're self and get familiar with the feeling ? that's what helped us i let my little do it his self then il do it and say oh you missed a spot may I help you get it

Tips for toddlers who hate brushing teeth?

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