teeth cleaning

• 11-19-2008 2:58 AM

  teeth cleaning Mark as Not AnswerMark as Answer... Reply Contact  Up until about 3wks ago, Adria was ok with me cleaning her teeth. She has never been very co operative, its always been a bit of a battle. Well now she just wants to do it herself. And she won't even let me finish off to make sure she has been cleaned properly! Its soo frustrating and I'm worried her gums/teeth are going to suffer. But short of pinning her down and prying her mouth open (which is not so easy at 8 mths pregnant) I cannot get in her mouth! Does anyone else let their toddler clean their own teeth all the time with no help from you? Should I be concerned?

• 11-19-2008 5:29 AM

  In reply to

  Sarah1589451 Joined on 07-27-2006 Posts 422

  Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact Mine used to only want to clean his, so I'd let him "clean" them himself and either follow-up afterwards or clean them first and then let him have the toothbrush.  Sometimes he fights me, sometimes he doesn't, but my trick is to leave him in his highchair after he's eaten and brush them there.  That way I only have to deal w/arms.  I also have to pry his mouth open about 50% of the time, depending on his mood.  This is the only way I brush teeth b/c it's so much easier and it helps in the evenings w/him going to bed so early that I don't have to worry about him eating anything else.  I only give him water afterwards!  It also helps that I got this toothbrush that has a brushing mechanism on both sides, so IF  he doesn't bite down too hard, I can get the top and bottom at the same time.  Usually this doesn't happen, but if he wants the brush himself, he has a greater chance of getting all his teeth.  It's kind of like a teether/toothbrush.

• 11-19-2008 6:44 AM

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  ~JuliaGulia~ Joined on 08-23-2006 Edmonton, Alberta Posts 1,226

  Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact I have been letting Kaelin brush her teeth by herself when I am brushing my teeth or washing face.  But then we go back after she eats breakfast and I give them a good brushing myself.  Also at night she lets me do it.  I guess she figures that she does get to do it herself a couple of times a day, just let mommy do the other times.  She ends up brushing her teeth about 4 times a day, but as long as it's getting done I don't mind.  What about trying a reward if she lets mommy do the brushing?  Is she into stickers?  I'm not too sure what else to suggest.  Good luck!

• 11-19-2008 7:39 AM

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  MarjorieandGrey Joined on 04-11-2006 Minneapolis,MN Posts 1,769

  Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact  We just got Grey his first big boy tooth brush!! He loves to stand with his big brother in the bathroom and brush right along with him!! But to me it looks like he's just brushing under his tongue..so I have to grab him after and do a quick run thru..and I say quick bc he doesn't like to sit still while I clean his teeth anymore either. If you're worried just do the brush routine like 3 times a day..eventualy it will start becoming more natural..hopefully!

• 11-19-2008 9:47 AM

  In reply to

  leslie1326289 Joined on 03-31-2006 NoVA Posts 4,701

  Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact Evan is the same way, sometimes he's ok with me or DH doing it, sometimes he's not.  Like last night, was a huge fight, but it was also past his bedtime and he was getting cranky!  One thing that I've noticed has helped is, telling Evan that it's time to count his teeth (can't remember if I heard about this one on the TV or in an article), he seems to be pretty receptive to that, not all the time, but the majority of the time, he'll even count with us.

• 11-19-2008 9:58 AM

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  precious#4 Joined on 04-19-2006 lindseyswardrobe.blogspot.com Posts 1,882	Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact Lindsey brushes hers first, then I do it after she's done.  Sometimes it's a battle and sometimes she doesn't mind me doing it.  I have noticed that it helps when I brush my teeth at the same time because she tries to do the movements I do.  I doubt Adria brushing by herself for a day or two will do much harm, unless you feed her sweets all day long.

• 11-19-2008 5:03 PM

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  Re: teeth cleaning Mark as Not AnswerMark as Answer... Reply Contact precious#4: Lindsey brushes hers first, then I do it after she's done.  Sometimes it's a battle and sometimes she doesn't mind me doing it.  I have noticed that it helps when I brush my teeth at the same time because she tries to do the movements I do.  I doubt Adria brushing by herself for a day or two will do much harm, unless you feed her sweets all day long.   LOL she does eat a lot of junk food. I am just going to have to be more forceful with her I guess. I am just a bit tired of it at this point, she is VERY defiant. I have just about accidently drowned her in the bath trying to clean her teeth there! Her brushing consists of biting on the toothbrush pretty much. Probably only twice this last week she has let me have a 'turn' after she's done (we used to do it the other way around, she'd let me have my turn then it was her turn, until she saw the brush brush song on Nick Jnr). Its just so hard for me to get down to her level and pin her down with the big belly. She has an advantage over me at the moment!

• 11-20-2008 5:52 PM

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  Luvin Joey n Andy Joined on 05-10-2004 Muskego, WI Posts 3,948	Re: teeth cleaning Reply Contact The dentist told me to let Joey do his first without toothpaste, and then I should follow up with toothpaste. His reasoning was that Joey would loosen everything up, and then when I went in there with toothpaste, it would do its job better.