Our 22 month old DS won't let us brush his teeth. He was fine with it up until about 4 months ago but now clamps his mouth shut. I really don't want to force the brush in there because I believe it will just make things worse.

Has anyone got any ideas/tips on how to encourage him to let us brush his teeth?

Thanks in advance.

All the kids in my mothers group went through this stage and one mother came across a tip that worked for everyone, 'story of the teeth'. Basically as you brush each tooth you talk about what that tooth did that day based on what your DS did. IE this tooth had weetbix for breakfast etc. Our story of the teeth evolved into made up stories like once a upon a time there was a tooth king and he... blah, blah, blah. Our DS loved the made up stories and would let us brush for 2-3mins.

Hope this helps.

I bought my son a vibrating one and he actually loves brushing now as it must feel funny to them

My DS loves drinking out of a cup so he now has a special cup in the bathroom that he is only allowed to use after he lefts me brush his teeth.

He used to resist but since the introduction of the cup he has been fantastic.

Maybe give him the toothbrush so he feels in control and let him brush first and then ask if you can have a turn? Sometimes with my DD if she has more say or independence she co operates!

I brush hers first though and then she has a turn smile

DS hated getting his teeth brushed so we didn't push it and do it very often. Then at 18mth I went to brush them and they pissed out blood he had a bad case of gingivitis. I took him to the dentist and they said the only way to fix it was to brush and ignore the blood. It was awful I felt so bad if only we made him brush his teeth he wouldn't have been in pain and more pain while we sorted it.

We now brush morning and night. It is getting better. I sit him on my knee in the bathroom. He holds one toothbrush and I have the other. I let him play with them for about 5mins. He will now chew on one happily its taken 3 weeks. Once he has had his play I hold his arms down and wait for him to protest and open his mouth so I can brush. He is getting better he doesn't protest anyway near as much. Its not nice but does get better. Take a look on the net of kids with teeth and gum problems The sooner you sort it and make it normal the better and easier it will be.

All the kids in my mothers group went through this stage and one mother came across a tip that worked for everyone, 'story of the teeth'. Basically as you brush each tooth you talk about what that tooth did that day based on what your DS did. IE this tooth had weetbix for breakfast etc. Our story of the teeth evolved into made up stories like once a upon a time there was a tooth king and he... blah, blah, blah. Our DS loved the made up stories and would let us brush for 2-3mins.

Hope this helps.

I tried this tonight and it worked!!! My DD is actually okay about letting me brush her teeth most of the time, but sometimes she will have an off-day when she is just uncooperative and clamps her mouth shut and won't let me do it. Tonight, she was very overtired having got up at 6.15 this morning and then not had a nap, so it was one of those nights, and she was already in full-blown tantrum mode by the time we needed to get her teeth brushed ... and this method actually turned her around after she had already started her tantrum.

I named her teeth after TV presenters and newsreaders because she is obsessed with them all and that was the first thing that came into my mind!

We have given my daughter an electric toothbrush and she uses that most of the time now. We started out by saying tickling your teeth. There is also a different toothpaste from Oral B that is bubblegum flavour that we use called "Stages" as my kids hate the mint taste of the other toothpastes. You used to be able to get it from supermarkets but I havent seen it there lately. I bought ours online and stock up so we never run out.