I think we all put this off as long as possible but really when the child starts getting teeth, you should start brushing. It has gotten a bad stigma to be a battle of the wills when you try to brush the child's teeth but really it isn't that bad (most of the time). Honestly, Z seems to really like it when he is teething- I think it feels good on his sore gums.
Some tricks I have found helpful...
- Have the child laying on their back while you brush
- Let them hold the toothpaste while you brush
- Hold your mouth the way you want them to hold their mouth so that hopefully they will mimic you
- If they chomp down, use the toothbrush as a lever to pry their mouth open (yes, seriously… they need to learn that this is open mouth time)
- Be conscious about the possibilities of there being sores in their mouths and/or teething- they just might be extra sensitive when that occurs and need less brushing
- Be ok with getting whatever you can get done done… this doesn’t need to be as thorough as when you brush your teeth
- Double team if you must… have one parent distract while the other brushes
Suggestions I have heard from other mommies:
- They have baby automatic toothbrushes that some kids like
- Brush your teeth at the same time so that the baby sees that and wants to be just like you
- If they close down on the toothbrush talk for the toothbrush and say “oh no, I’m stuck!” this will at least get them laughing so they open their mouth
Way to go... encouraging good oral hygiene like that!
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