How Do You Brush a Toddler's Teeth?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 25, 2006

Has she been to a dentist yet?

We get a LOT of children for dental repairs and extractions that are 3 years old, have 8 teeth, and 7 of them are shot (thanks to bottlemouth). That young and already having dental problems. I don't have any tips for getting a toddler to brush, but please just keep trying.

SharonH, RN · May 25, 2006

Try a different tasting toothpaste and let her taste it from your finger first. Then you can use one of those baby washcloths and wash her teeth with a tiny bit of the paste. I seem to remember doing something like that with my kids.

Meerkat · May 25, 2006

She has not been to a dentist yet. She is 16 months, I was thinking they don't see the dentist til they are three or so. I have an idea just now, I think I will call a dentist office and see if they can tell me how to brush her teeth :)

meownsmile, BSN, RN · May 25, 2006

My dentist always said baby teeth can be wiped with a soft cloth, then later when more foods are introduced let them be the guide at first. Dont try to hold the baby and "do it right". Let them explore with the toothbrush in a controlled clean environment. EVERYTHING goes in a toddlers mouth. Let them just chew on the brush until they can be accepting of small "lessons" about the tooth brush. And by all means dont expect a little one not to be real suspicious of a tooth brush if someone has tried to put that thing in their mouth and brush their teeth for them with any nasty tooth paste on it. The consistency and initial taste of the toothpaste itself will clamp those jaws shut.

Start them at the dentist office for "happy visits" around 3 when hopefully there wont be anything wrong to be fixed. I havent ever had trouble getting my kids to the dentist, but i wish i could say they never had a cavity. Although they didnt when they were little, its when they get adolescent age that those visits start getting a little more costly.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 25, 2006

http://www.ehow.com/how_2299_brush-toddlers-teeth.html

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/printthread.php?t=90788

http://forums.naturalparenting.com.au/showthread.php?t=936

cardsRN · May 25, 2006

what does your pediatrician say? i don't know what age dentist trips should start at, but i think i'd start with the pedi. my guess is that if she doesn't want to brush the best approach is not to force the issue though, wait till she's more ready.... my :twocents:

mommy2boys · May 25, 2006

Duct tape and a tranquilizer. J/K The thing that finally worked for my kids was the finger tip tooth brush. It is a tooth brush thats slips on your finger.

I also let them "brush" (more like chew on it) their own teeth first, so they were more willing to let me try.

Just keep trying. It will get easier as they get older. Try making it fun, by letting her pick out her own brush and tooth paste. sometimes they just want to feel in control and by letting them pick out what they want to use will make it easier.

HTH

Erin

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · May 25, 2006

Try making it fun, by letting her pick out her own brush and tooth paste. sometimes they just want to feel in control and by letting them pick out what they want to use will make it easier.
HTH
Erin

Bingo! That's what worked for my nieces - they both started out using the same thing (Actually, the elder kid picked her own one out. Then the younger one insisted on picking her own but picked the same kind as her sister :rolleyes:

:chuckle)

I frankly don't care S'long as their teeth get cleaned

I've got bad teeth myself and a boderline phobia of the dentist office (just one example: 3 root canals done on the same tooth :uhoh21: )

And the white stuff on their tongue isn't thrush (unless it's curdy white - literally looks like curds. I'm on a thin edge here, medical advice and all) - but I'm pretty sure it's gunk.... 'specially milk gunk! :eek:

It should scrape right off with water and a washcloth :)

babynurselsa, RN · May 25, 2006

She likes to do what you are doing I am sure. My little man likes to mimic everyone on the house. Let her brush her teeth while you are brushing yours. Make it a game. Out boy likes to brush his teeth when big sister does hers. I am usually able to get a swipe or two in also.

HisTreasure, BSN, RN · May 25, 2006

I have three youngins, 2, 3, and 4. My older two were very easy to teach how to brush. I started them early with baby toothbrushes and baby orajel toothpaste (with little bear on it). As they got older I started letting them brush their own teeth with the baby toothbrushes. Then, as they started eating more bacteria causing foods I transitioned them to adult toothpaste and character shaped electric toothbrushes. I would allow them to start, but then I told them that mommy needed to help so that all the nasties got out. Oral hygiene is very time intensive in this house. With my son he is still using a baby toothbrush. Just last week I started letting him do it himself to start. He was very difficult at first, but once he saw his big sisters doing it he became more accepting. Now that it is routine it is no big deal. Kids thrive on routine.

As for the dentist, our family dentist would not, as policy, see the children before age 4. I needed them to have dental records for the preschool they were going to so they saw all three, but the younger two only got their teeth brushed, no xrays... Check with your family dentist about when they start seeing toddlers/preschoolers.

Jolie, BSN · May 25, 2006

I didn't use much toothpaste when my girls were that young, just a soft, easy-to-hold brush. I gave it to them when they were in the tub, and they'd chew on it while I washed them up. In the morning, they used the toothbrush at the sink with their special cups. They were little teddy bear-shaped cups with an attached toothbrush holder that came from the dentist's office. My 8 year old still has hers!