brushing teeth. Help please!

[newmum]

Help! How can I clean my LO's teeth? She won't let me do it. Bites and sucks the brush and then pushes it out. She's really stubborn and really strong.
I try with a cloth but she just sucks it. I even tried me and OH brushing our teeth too because she likes to copy, but she just wanted to suck my toothbrush


Please don't say to do it in her sleep 'cos I am in the 'no sleep club' and it's Holy Hour when she goes off to sleep.

 

[andreag]

I have the same problem. I got an electric toothbrush which she seems to like, and I think it will more effective becasue as long its in her mouth it should be doing some good. I try to move it around her mouth whilst she is still holding on (we do evening cleaning after her bath while she's on the changing mat), and can usually get to all of her teeth.

With all the rubbish on the market for babies, why isn't there a teeth cleaning biscuit like you get for dogs?

 

[newmum]

With all the rubbish on the market for babies, why isn't there a teeth cleaning biscuit like you get for dogs?

A HUGE gap in the market!! I will have a go on the changing mat (if she stays there long enough). Do you mean a little baby electric one? Think I saw one with a battery?
Otherwise I will wait until she is crying and do it then!!!!! If she's crying anyway, got nothing to lose

 

[minxie]

I have the opposite problem...Jacob cries when I take the brush away! he must think its food!

At first, when he wasn't used to it, he would suck on the brush too and be less cooperative than he is now. I don't know when the magic day happened and he started to like it...what I do do is sing 'brush my teeth', wave my head like a mad woman and smile (makes him laugh)..so maybe he has learnt that brushing teeth is a positive experience (well he gets to take the mickey out his mum..haha!)

Also what toothpaste are you using? Maybe she doesn't like the flavour? I use a tiny tiny bit of the aquafresh milk teeth one (came free with bounty bag i think).

 

[leckershell]

I have a little baby toothbrush with one end as a teether and if he's being unco-operative I'll just give it him and he prefers to attempt it himself. I don't think it's a huge deal if it doesn't get done "properly"... anything's better than nothing.

 

[newmum]

Thanks everyone. I'll keep trying. Funny thing is, when she was teething before she always wanted things in her mouth and wanted to chew. This time round she is suffering big time and won't put anything in (except stones, leaves and other garden stuff ) and has stopped eating too. So I guess I'll keep trying. Maybe she will get used to it or I'll just do it when she cries

 

[Misslarue]

Dan would only let me clean his teeth if I praised him. As sson as I got the toothbrush in his mouth I would shout 'yay! well done Dan, good boy' etc etc
He will clean his teeth on his own now, although I sometimes have to give praise and encouragement!

 

[MissThing]

Daniel LOVES his teeth to be brushed. But, we use this http://www.soorganic.com/product.php?pr ... 202&page=1 It is strawberry flavored toothpaste and it tastes really nice. As soon as he sees his toothbrush with this stuff on he opens his mouth and is all ready to go. After I brush his teeth I also let him chew on the toothbrush a bit so he get used having it his mouth/hand.

Hope it will work out for you

 

[Minime]

Eefs usually lets me but the times he doesnt its probably because his mouth is sore as he's teething at the mo. I'm with Shell though, I just let him do it if he wants to as its better than nothing

 

[Vickyleigh]

Summer doesn't like her teeth being brushed but she is better at doing it herself.
She clamps her mouth and teeth together so I can't get the brush in

 

[andreag]

Do you mean a little baby electric one? Think I saw one with a battery?

It is actually a full size adult one with a battery - that way she can hold it but I can manouvre it around her mouth.

 

[lauramumof2]

I have 2 handy, I start with ther first one and when it gets grabbed out my hand Im in with the second one.