Any Advice on Brushing the Teeth of a 1 Year Old?

I had the same issue with my daughter- I tried a Dora tooth brush and kid toothpaste, but no luck. At first she didn't mind chewing on the tooth brush, but that was about it.

So I ended up buying a motorized Barbie tooth brush with a very small head. She loves it. I no longer let her control it either. I set her up on the counter or table and she lets me brush her teeth amazingly.

Good luck!

This may sound strange but it worked with my daughter. I would look for different friends or t.v. characters in her mouth and then scrub them. She enjoyed asking who was in her mouth and then getting them clean.

We made it a game by me saying "let's see what is in there..." and I would name all the items I knew she ate that day...and sometimes she would pipe up and add an item I forgot or didn't know.

My husband and I would brush our son's teeth together. One of us would hold him and the other would brush. He screamed and cried and fought us, but he also went through a phase where he reacted the same to diaper changes. Sometimes they just have to deal with things they don't like! : )

My son is also one and HATES having his teeth brushed. I just do it anyways. At times I have to hold him down and he screams and cries but I know I am not hurting him, he just doesn't like it.

Something that I have tried and it seems to help is to brush my teeth first and have him watch, he always wants my tooth brush when I do that so then I will get his and let him play with it and he just chews on it, but he feels like he is doing it himself. After I am done I will take his and brush his teeth, typically at first he is okay - then he doesn't like it anymore and I have to fight him. After I am done, he is fine so I know he is just being stinker, but I feel better knowing he won't have yucky teeth!

Hope this helps :)

just give her the tooth brush and let her put it in her mouth. my now 1 year old then she was like 7 or 8 months old i would hold her while i was brushing my teeth and she "learned" from me and i would give her a toothbrush and she does it herself.

I did what Sara M suggested. I had my boys watch me brush before I introduced it to them. They were fascinated and my younger boy (1 yr) thought it was funny...probably the foaming toothpaste. By the time I gave him the brush he was anxious to try it. Of course, at first he just chewed on it. Now he opens with "Ahh" to let Mommy or Daddy brush, then he gets to try it on his own...still mostly chewing. You might need to give your daughter a little break and have her watch you for a while before you reintroduce her toothbrush. BTW - we don't use toothpaste with the boys yet...I'm not sure what others think about that but, I wanted them to get used to the idea of brushing not just sucking off the "sweet stuff". Good luck!

What has worked most days for us, is I brush my sons teeth first, then I tell him it is his turn to get all the stuff I missed! He thinks he is really doing something that way. :-)

Hi R.,
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned - let her pick out a toothbrush or two at the store and when it's time to brush let her chose which one you will be using. Hopefully she will start to see that brushing is a necessity and not an option. I also sing a little song that I made up when I brush my son's teeth so he knows that we are only brushing for the time that I sing the song and then we are done...I know that once upon a time Bert and Ernie sang a song that went something like "brush your teeth, cha chah chah chah, Brush your teeth".When she gets a little older you can teach her to spit in the sink when brushing. Another way that I get my son to brush is to let him brush first while I brush my teeth and then while I make sure he "got all his spots" (AKA I brush his teeth) he can help me brush my teeth - this usually works best if you have nothing in your mouth and a reminder to be gentle in Mommy's mouth. Hopefully one of these will be helpful! Good luck!

Let her do it herself. Get her a step stool to reach the sink and brush your teeth at the same time. Little ones love water and water play.She'll get the hang of it. Get her a mild tasting toothpaste...sometimes strong mint is a bit too "hot" for little ones. You don't want teeth brushing to turn into a battle...make it fun!

My son - now 3 - also fought me on brushing his teeth. What worked for me was buying a two step process. First he brushed his teeth - or poked the brush around his mouth. Next mama "helped" him by holding his hand and we brushed his teeth together. This worked most days. On the days it didnt, I brushed his teeth while he squirmed and tried to get the toothbrush out of his mouth. Oral hygine is imperative. At this young age when only a handful of teeth are present brushing for 30 seconds is OK. Some toothbrushing is better than no brushing. Trust me, it gets better as they get older. Good luck.

Hi R.
I always made it a fun thing. I would give my kids their own brush. Let them brush, chew, whatever, while I did mine at the same time. Then I let them brush mine with my brush and I did theirs. I'd say "switch" and they thought it was funny, and a fun game. In the end they didn't even realize it was productive. I try to make everything fun, even chores. We roll dice to see who does what, or flip cards and say whoever gets this number, or this card. I think if you let her do yours she will think it is fun. Anyway, good luck and take care.

With my daughter we play a game when we brush her teeth. I tell her that there's bugs in there (a ladybug, grasshopper, etc) And we say oh no, a cricket! And bursh him away. Or if that doesn't work, I give her MY toothbrush and she can brush mine while I brush hers.

Have you tried giving your baby the toothbrush to see what they do with it on their own. Or give them one and you do an example of it with your own and keep doing it until they pick up the brush and start putting it in their mouth. They may not brush right away but at least you have a start with putting it in their mouth. Good Luck

My daughter did the same thing! I finally just started letting her "brush" her own teeth and then I will do it when she is done, she still fusses a little when i do it, but i try to make it quick! Maybe I will try the "Grease" song too! LOL :)

We tried singing a song (make any song up) and that worked for a while. Then, he didn't like it again but my husband just forced it on him. Then, I tried brushing his lovey's teeth and he had a good time watching that and then wanted me to brush his. Now, he's back to liking it. Of course, I sing him a song while we do.

Your issue is not untypical for this age! My husband has figured it out! He makes the little one laugh through either tickling or joking around...once he opens his mouth he quickly..just for a quick second or two brushes upper and lower teeth. It may take several minutes of kidding around. Make a game out of it! Don't be too hard on your self. My two year old just now is allowing me to brush his teeth more properly than before.. It's still a game most often! Sometimes, when he is tired it's nearly impossible!
Have a blessed time!
C.

Try giving her a brush to hold onto while you do the actual brushing.

K.

Hi R.,

Have you tried a spin brush yet? At this age they all love things that move and make noise. She probably only has her front teeth at this time so let her hold the spin brush first. The brush itself will do most of the work. After she has her turn with the brush you finish up. It may sound mean but I would sit on the toilet and hold my son between my legs. He would not be happy but his mouth was wide open while he was screaming. I worked for us, he is now 2 and a half and he gives us no problem at all when it's time to brush. Hope this helps. If you have any other questions regarding dental care for your child feel free to e-mail me. I'm a Dental Hygienist.

T.

My daughter is 8 months old, has 2 teeth and another just coming in. As soon as she got her first tooth, whenever I would brush my teeth I give her her own toothbrush and say 'time to brush our teeth!' Then when I am finished I would say 'let mamma help' and I give her teeth a quick swipe top and bottom and then we're done.

I would try to let her do it on her own while you're brushing your own teeth. Make it fun. Smile, maybe hum a song or something. Show her it's a fun thing to do. Ask her if mamma can help at the end, but don't make it a long drawn out thing. Kids learn by watching us. You model it... she will pick it up.

I was told if you just let them chew on the toothbrush they are doing a good job. There is also a toothbrush that you can put on your finger then the child might think it's a game. I've never tried that, but friends have and love it!

R., One of my children absolutely would not let me put a toothbursh in his mouth at 1 year old. What I did was (and he only had 4 teeth 2 on top and 2 on bottom) was just give them a quick wipe down with a wash cloth. He usually would like to chew on a wet one anyway. After awhile it wasnt an issue anymore. Hope this helps.

I don't know if it's a GOOD idea, per se, but you could get some of those fake, rotten teeth at a gag store and pop them in when it's time. Let her know that that's what happens when you don't take care of your teeth. And you'll look atrocious in addition!

But she's only 1. She may not have a vast concept of what's going to be good for her and not. I'd say let her fight you. You're on a mission and you need to stick with it.

Just part of being a parent. Oh Hey! get a battery powered toothbrush. Especially with cartoon characters she likes. Tickle her with it and make it at least some fun, and praise the heck out of her when she lets you brush her 'toofies'. Or maybe she wants to get the gist of it herself. get a starter toothbrush, and let her maneuver it as she watches YOU use yours. Monkey see monkey do. That might work!

If all else fails, ask the dentist.

I let my son brush his own teeth in the morning or when ever he wanted so he could learn it could be fun. Yes it was messy...but it worked. Then at night time it was mommies turn and I sang different silly songs while I did it. It worked for me. Good luck

Try making it a game and let her try it. Maybe taking turns? She is young enough that if you don't use toothpaste EVERY time, I'm sure she will be fine.

Heres hoping you make it thru!!

K.

Along with trying just about everything that has already been recommended, here are a couple other ones that have worked (at least for a while) with my now 3 year old. Letting her scream (while going through the whole inside/outside voice stage) while we brushed her teeth. Hurts your ears, but gets the job done. Using the non-fluoride toothpaste. There is also a Jo-Jo's circus episode where Jo-Jo teaches Goliath how to brush his teeth by using a toothbrush and toothpaste tree (he gets to choose which one he wants to use). That worked for a while since we had invested in several kinds of toothpaste and toothbrushes. I just held up two toothbrushes and said "toothbrush tree!". Another one that worked was a battery powered toothbrush shaped like ice cream. She thought that was a hilarious. Good luck!

I let my daughter "brush her own"....she sits and basically chews on the brush and then when Im about to take it away I brush the front and do a few swipes in the back....I try to make it fun and even sing a song (I use the one from the movie Grease...Brusha brusha brusha...lol, I know) Now she will BEG to brush her teeth and if she even sees a tooth brush HAS to have it...Good Luck! Hope this helps!

Have her watch you brush yours, then have her "brush" hers. Give her the toothbrush and let her go at it. Then tell her it's mommy's turn. If she still has a fit, remind her we take turns... Make it a fun thing, or you will battle with her for the rest of your life!!!! :) My youngest son was like that, but this seemed to work well for him....

I have an 18 month old. We started brushing his teeth around 1 year. He didn't exactly fight it, but he didn't really let me do it at first either. The routine we have is that after his bath every night, he gets his toothbrush (with a little toothpaste) to chew on while I do his lotion and get his jammies on. I figure that if he is chewing on it, his teeth are getting at least a little bit of scrubbing. And it also probably feels good on his teething gums. After he has played with this for a while, i usually take the toothbrush and do whatever scrubbing I can. It has gotten much easier in the last few months to actually brush his teeth. Hope that helps.

We are also going through this w/ our 19 mo old! I kept thinking it will get better, but it's getting worse as she's starting more temper tantrums! She loves to suck on the toothbrush herself and I always brush my teeth at the same time to show her - but as soon as I try to actually brush them she freaks out! She's never let me near her mouth very much, even w/o a toothbrush - I guess she's just overly sensitive. I'm sure teething doesn't help either!

This issue has caused many arguments w/ the hubby as well. I think I need to hold her down and force her - He thinks she'll catch on as she gets older and I'm making it worse forcing her.

Our compromise right now is to force her only once a week and the rest of the time try to encourage her to brush them herself. I've been searching for books or movies that I can show her. I'm very interested in your responses. Sorry I don't have any advice - just know you're not the only one in this situation!

All the advice below is great.... my solution (when the others don't work) is ... when you tip a child backwards in your arms, hold them cradle style and tip backwards, they naturally open their mouth. Yes, they still yell and kick, but at least their mouth is open! Quick shove the tooth brush in and brush like crazy!!!! LOL- good luck.

Hi R., first off, she's one now, and its time for her first dental visit. It will just be an exam and then they will talk to you about prevention. I'm a grandma now, and also a dental assistant. None of my 3 children ever gave me a problem, I always started brushing them before they had teeth, just to help with teething and strengthing their gums. I wasn't an assistant then, just into clean teeth. Gross teeth turn my stomach. Anyway, my grandson, now 3, was born with alot of issues, was in the hospital for 3 months, sees 8 specialists, so he hates anything or anyone touching him. He brushes his teeth in the morning and evening, but before bed, I brush him, kicking and screaming. But its like changing diapers, it has to be done. It upsets my daughter that I force the issue, but, I"m not backing down. And if not before, now that I'm an assistant to a pediatric specialist, I've helped work on 1 year olds who have to have crowns and extractions already. So I'm even more into making sure its done. My boss made a video of my grandson to teach dentists how to do an exam on an uncooperative child. He's not being hurt, he just doesn't want to be touched or held down. Good luck and if she yells, you know she's not being hurt, but you're making her healthy, just like getting vaccines, its for her own good. No one wants their child to cry or fuss, but they all do:)

R., maybe if you brush your teeth and let her brush her teeth at the same time, it will help. Make it like a game. Have her copy your motions, etc. L. S.

Personally, I think holding a child down to brush their teeth is a terrible way to get them to learn dental hygiene. I was told by our first pedodontist to do exactly that - hold him down, pry his mouth open and yes, he will probably cry.
I had a little brush that went over my finger that I used with infant (non-fluoridated) toothpaste when we started. He chewed on my finger a bit when he was teething, but it was more to massage his gums and get him used to the brush at the beginning. When we graduated to a real toothbrush, he picked it out and picked out the toothpaste (Oral B Stages - Pooh). He would brush/chew while I was brushing my own teeth and then I would "touch him up". I'd ask him to open wide (just like the dentist) and tickle his teeth with the brush.

What has worked for us is that I usually brush my teeth at the same time and then my daughter likes to immitate me. A lot of times, she'll just suck the toothpaste off of the brush but then I ask her to get little scrubs on her teeth just like mommy. Most of the time, it works. I try to stay easy going about it (when most of me wants to reach out and do it for her!) and laugh through it. I've found that when I try to help her too much and rush, she fights it and cries. Of course, we still have our bad nights when she's tired but this method works the majority of the time.

Go to the store and let her pick out a favorite toothbrush. Babis r us has a great selection of fun ones. My daughter loves her electric Elmo toothbrush. Also, I good thing to do is brush your teeth at the same time and help eachother out. Make it fun. I sit my daughter on the bathroom counter(I'm right there by her side by the way) and I brush when she does and then we switch. It's fun for her. Do whatever is fun and interesting for your daughter. If it's not she won't want to do it. I know I wouldn't. You can even do like 3-4 times a week at first them everyday. Just to get her used to the "new and fun way" of brushing her teeth. Good luck. It will all pan out.

My dentist advised that they simply chew on the toothbrush and become familiar with it. Make sure you are brushing your teeth in front of her too. After she plays with the toothbrush a bit, try to give one good swipe over her teeth and call it a day.

R. what I have done was let my son who is now 2 brush his teeth first. We kinda do a buddy system. He will brush his teeth and I will brush mine, then when he tells me he is done, I say to him it's my turn, that way I know they are really getting brushed. Something to try! D.