https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 27 May 2026 14:33:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1587490 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 20:04:07 +0000 photojane 1587490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sadie's not at an age where I can rationalize or really try to explain anything to her, so I force it. She did it willingly for several months, but all of a sudden about a week ago she decided she hates it. She will brush my teeth, her babies teeth, etc. etc. but she's not interested in having her teeth brushed. We used to do it in the bath, but now we do it on the changing table after the bath. I hold her cheeks and brush while she slaps and yells at me. I'd rather her be mad at me then her little teeth rot out. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1587456 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 19:49:24 +0000 Greentea 1587456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is so hard! She is 10 months. I hold her arms down and DH and I make her laugh (the only way she'll open her mouth!) and he goes scrubba scrubba! As fast as he can. Yeah. Then we repeat. Not a perfect system! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1587292 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 19:00:22 +0000 sweet_p 1587292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swurlygurl: She just turned 2. It's worth a shot with your 15 month old! I know how you feel though about mornings starting off that way. My LO cried and screamed for 20 minutes straight one morning, all because I brushed her teeth :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1587000 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:47:08 +0000 HLK208 1587000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I let her brush for two minutes (we have a timer) and once it's out of time, I force it. Now that she's 22 months, I will tell her, she's not allowed to pick out her bed time book if she doesn't brush - she gives in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1586994 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:40:54 +0000 jhd 1586994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hope you can find something that works! I have no experience personally as LO isn't born yet, but I would do whatever works to try to keep her teeth as clean as possible. My poor little niece has a mouth full of fillings! :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it/page/2#post-1586954 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:16:39 +0000 swurlygurl 1586954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sweet_p: How old? I'm wondering if a sticker chart would work for a 15 month old... haha. I know I need to brush twice a day, but I can't stand to start my morning like that and we're already always rushing :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586936 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:08:55 +0000 sweet_p 1586936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We went through this phase not too long ago where my LO suddenly hated getting her teeth brushed. I talked to her dentist and was told that we still need to brush at least twice a day, even if it means forcing her to. </p> <p>I created a "tooth brushing" chart for her and let her put a sticker on the chart each time we were able to brush her teeth successfully. When she filled up the entire row of 10 stickers, she was able to pick out a small prize. I was surprised, but this really worked for us. Now she actually asks me to brush her teeth and doesn't even ask for a sticker half the time. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586935 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:08:55 +0000 StbHisMrs 1586935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We force as well, but I'm not sure it's worth it because she has 2 cavities now :(<br /> It's not as much as a fight as it was before, but it still takes me holding her down and forcing the brush in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586834 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:30:43 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1586834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have to talk him through it. I tell him that if he lets mommy have a short turn, then he can have a turn (ie suck the toothpaste off the brush). We've had a few meltdowns where he cries, "Bo-bee's turn!" (that's how he says his name) and insists it's his turn. But we remain firm and say, no, we need to clean your teeth, and will even demonstrate by brushing our teeth with our toothbrushes and show him we all do it. And eventually he comes around. It takes a lot of persuasion, and my patience sometimes wears thin - but I have noticed that for us we get a lot more positive results by respecting his space/boundaries by not forcing him to do anything, but being an active participant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586821 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:25:48 +0000 Canoli 1586821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have given up on trying twice a day, I consider before bed a success. We have tried many different combinations of things. It depends on his mood sometimes he lets us do it and sometimes he wants to be a big boy and do it all himself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586692 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:33:37 +0000 swurlygurl 1586692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: That tongue is tough to get around!</p> <p>I also force it, and it is my most hated part of bedtime. She ends up laying on the bathroom counter while I'm holding her hands down. I can't see how this is helping her NOT hate getting her teeth brushed, but SIL is a dental tech and tells us the scariest stories!! 8 months old with black teeth?! :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586676 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:31:02 +0000 sandy 1586676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We forced and now she's fine with it. We started just at bedtime and did it during bath time. She holds one toothbrush and I brush her mouth with the other one. Once she got used to bedtime brushing we started morning brushing. I think it's worth it bc I'd like to do my best to prevent cavities...I would hate having to spend money on fillings for baby teeth that will just fall out</p> <p>ETA: we got some hello kitty toothbrushes from Target and she loves them. One green and one pink and sometimes she wants to hold the green one and sometimes the pink one </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586674 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:30:50 +0000 birdofafeather 1586674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we keep trying, but i don't force her mouth open. some days it's better than others! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586669 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:28:10 +0000 Freckles 1586669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used to force it as well, and i think it's worth doing. Gum/teeth hygiene is important!</p> <p>I find that brushing your teeth at the same time helps a lot too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586588 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:08:52 +0000 Beyond2 1586588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We force, but only once a day before bed... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586534 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:57:54 +0000 NerdBee 1586534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: I hope it works for you! I warn you that it is a pretty catchy tune and might get stuck in your head :silly: </p> <p>Oh, and at one point I also pretended to brush the teeth of the characters/kids on the screen before brushing DS' teeth and he seemed very satisfied with that and allowed me to brush with no problems. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586504 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:51:45 +0000 Jenn23 1586504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NerdBee: Awesome. I'm totally using this video tonight to see if helps J relax more during brushing. He loves Elmo so I bet it will help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586499 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:51:08 +0000 Mamasig 1586499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the no force camp too. I don't want it to be a traumatic event every day. I found that it has slowly gotten better over time. At first, he wouldn't open his mouth. Then one day he wanted to imitate daddy brushing his teeth. So he "brushes" them by himself but it's mostly chewing on the brush. Some days he lets me brush them a little. It's all a work in progress. I guess I'm just choosing my battles at this point. Toddlers change so quickly, I'm not really worried about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586469 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:41:32 +0000 NerdBee 1586469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started forced brushing when DS was around 12 months while letting him watch this Elmo video about brushing teeth: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxMrtK-kYnE" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxMrtK-kYnE</a></p> <p>He would cry but be distracted enough by the video to allow me to brush. As soon as I was done brushing, I would let him watch the rest of the video in peace and sometimes even play it again if he wanted it and was good. Eventually, he put up less and less of a fight and now (at 2 years) he doesn't even need the video and will even brush his own teeth, although not very thoroughly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586446 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:37:44 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 1586446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Electric changed everything for us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586391 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:20:31 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1586391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got him an electric toothbrush and basically we let him do it himself because that's the only way it's happening. He doesn't do the most thorough job in the world, but it is good enough and better than nothing.</p> <p>We got him this and because it is powered, it really does the work for him:</p> <p><a href="http://www.diapers.com/p/oral-b-power-toothbrush-my-friends-tigger-pooh-2-pk-299963?site=CA&#038;utm_source=cse&#038;utm_medium=cpc_D&#038;utm_term=PG-3597B&#038;utm_campaign=googleproductsearch&#038;CAWELAID=1338739775" rel="nofollow">http://www.diapers.com/p/oral-b-power-toothbrush-my-friends-tigger-pooh-2-pk-299963?site=CA&#038;utm_source=cse&#038;utm_medium=cpc_D&#038;utm_term=PG-3597B&#038;utm_campaign=googleproductsearch&#038;CAWELAID=1338739775</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586383 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:17:51 +0000 Pumuckl 1586383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I force it in the evenings. No brushing in the mornings yet. The pedi was ok with that until he turns 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586359 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:13:54 +0000 keiki_mama 1586359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We also force it even though LO puts up a stink. Some nights take longer than others. :bummed: I hate brushing his teeth! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586357 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:13:36 +0000 Smurfette 1586357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: I agree. I can't tell how good I am doing since she is moving her head all over to make it stop. And she sticks her tongue out so I can hardly get to the bottom ones. I hate it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586346 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:12:06 +0000 dagret 1586346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>L is 15 months and wants to do it on his own. I force him into letting me do it - I tell him he can't do it until Mommy brushes his teeth first - and then I let him have the brush. Then I get down to his level and brush my teeth at the same time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586344 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:11:27 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1586344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: We're forcing it with E, but I honestly wonder how much good we're doing because I can't tell that I'm actually getting all the teeth surfaces. We'll keep forcing the issue, but I really hope someday soon he'll just get used to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586328 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:09:02 +0000 septca 1586328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have two different methods - a finger-tip toothbrush that I use on her (sometimes she tolerates it, sometimes not). She likes it a lot better when I use a tiny smidge of (mint) toothpaste.</p> <p>Second method is that I just let her play with a small regular toothbrush. Mostly she just chews on it and drools a ton, but I think the chewing on the bristles is half-way to brushing, so if that's all we get some days... :meh: ... then that's all we get.</p> <p>Getting her to sit on the potty, on the other hand... that seems to = full torture. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586322 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:07:52 +0000 LuLu Mom 1586322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I force it, she's only mad when I do it then she's over it. I've found that if she sits in our bathroom on the counter so she can see me brushing them she feels like a "big girl" but it's so hit and miss. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586320 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:07:34 +0000 JerricaBenton 1586320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure if it would help if your LO already hates tootbrushing but we gave her this banana toothbrush to chew on before she even had teeth and she loved it. Now we only give it to her after meals and she gets excited. I let her do her thing, which involves some chewing and some brushing motion, then I swoop in and brush quickly. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002QYW8LW?pc_redir=1398203372&#038;robot_redir=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002QYW8LW?pc_redir=1398203372&#038;robot_redir=1</a></p> <p>ETA she still only has 4 teeth so I get that it's more difficult when there are more teensy teeth to get to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/teeth-brushing-battle-is-it-worth-it#post-1586315 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:06:05 +0000 mamimami 1586315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We force. All behavioral stuff with little ones is so transitory! Some days they don't want to do whatever it is, then at some point they just start being OK with it. That has been my experience. Both my kids liked brushing, then disliked it, and fortunately both are onboard right now with toothbrushing! And we did force them so I don't think you will turn your child off dental hygiene forever!</p> <p>PS I took my 3 yo to the dentist last week and he got so many compliments on his teeth he was just GLOWING with pride!! :D </p>