Brushing a Toddler's Teeth - What Tantrums Are Made Of

If you don't mind spending a little bit of $$ - get one of those musical toothbrushes (called Toothtunes). They cost about $10.
It worked amazingly well for my kids!!
We got a Beach Boys one for my son - he fought me at first (like normal) but as soon as the brush hit his teeth and "Fun, Fun, Fun" started playing in his mouth... well... now he begs me to brush his teeth!!!!!
My daughter got a Hannah Montana one and we got a Smash Mouth "All Star" for my 2 year old. They have a TON of different songs!
You can buy them at any store - or go to their website if you are looking for a specific song: http://www.hasbro.com/toothtunes/default.cfm?page=Product...

Good Luck in whatever you decide to do!

My son will only let me brush his teeth if he's doing it also. Also, he'll only give it up if he's the one to rinse it, otherwise he fights me when I try to put it away. He's become quite the independant little man! It's nice, but sometimes makes things a little complicated, too.

I was having similar problems, I would wind up holding my daughter down to brush her teeth real quick.

Oooh, one thing that helped is that I bought that baby einstein "training" toothpaste...it tastes like berries. She became a lot more willing to let the toothbrush in her mouth after that stuff came on the scene.

Then we got cable, specifically, that show on Noggin called Wonderpets. She LOVES this show, I don't understand it but whatever works! I give her the toothbrush, let her chew on it for a minute, then I take it and tell her Aaaaah and she opens her mouth and let's me brush her teeth real quick. It's like TV puts her in a semi coma or something, but we have had no toothbrush related tears in the month that I have been doing it this way.

Good luck!

My son really admires his daddy and tries do do everything he does. He'll stand next to my husband in the bathroom and do whatever he's doing, if it's washing his face, to brushing his teeth.
I have problems getting him to brush all the time, I did buy him a spongebob toothbrush that helped a lot, but if it wasn't for my husband, his teeth wouldn't be that clean..

We had this same issues...here is what has helped:
1. be consistent and do it daily
2. choices choices choices: "You want to do it first or mommy?" "You want me to brush tops or bottoms first?" "Do you want to sit in my lap or lay on the floor?" Empower him to thinking he is in control. If he refuses to answer, "Oh, so sad. Mommy will chose for you today."
3. We sing a song to the tune of "Mary had a little lamb" and we talk about what we ate that day..."Brush away the waffles, waffles, waffles, brush away the waffles to make our teeth all clean." I try to brush the tops for one verse and then switch to the bottoms with another verse of something else we ate that day. Now that she can talk, she likes to think of what we ate or drank and tell me what verse to sing while I brush.

It is tough, so in the beginning, you may sing one verse for the whole mouth and gradually increase the time it takes. Praise him for any effort to being helpful in the process. My daughter also likes the little cups to 'spit' afterward, so I would tell her "I will be happy to let you spit after you brush your teeth." (since they are short we spit in the potty or bath tub---then I rinse it out).

Now at 2 1/2 she does not fight me anymore. There is a light at the end of this dreaded tunnel.....

K.

I found it helped if my son had his own toothbrush too. I would let him brush my teeth while I brushed his teeth. He loved that!! Just make sure the brush is very gentle and soft. Also be careful not to push down too hard when you brush. That can make him not want to brush again. Once my son got used to me brushing his teeth he no longer had a problem with it.

I started brushing while watching TV and she sat in my lap. I let her hold a sheet of stickers and IF she didn't throw a fit she got to pick one out for each hand. Now after a while we don't need these anymore.

I also made up names for different parts of the mouth (bottoms, tops, backs, etc.) and would tell her which part I was going to brush next. Once she knew the names she would pick which one to brush first. Silly, but it worked.

I also always let her brush them herself fist and then she gets to put more toothpaste on to let mommy help her.

Once we're done she gets to be a big helper and put the toothbrush and toothpaste away in their special cup.

You may also let her pick out her own toothbrush and flouride free toothpaste at the store.

It took a little bit but there are no more issues now and we don't even need the stickers or have to do it in front of the TV. Just lather on the praise.

Hange in there!!

We have been brushing our teeth since before we had teeth, so my twins who are 19 months are use to it. We let them brush their teeth with the toothbrush and then we do it. I also use the finger thing. It's a little deal that you slide onto your finger and you put toothpaste on it.

Good Luck.

All of the suggestions you have recieved already are awesome. We also go through what she ate that day and pretend like it is still on my daughter teeth, for instance, " get those chicken nuggets off of there" or "you have broccoli all over your teeth, get the broccoli". We did the let her brush our teeth while we brush hers. We take turns and let her pick who goes first. We have all kinds of games, one thing will work for a few weeks then you have to switch it up. Just find fun games to play

When my oldest was around 18-24 month, he would throw a fit when we would try to brush his teeth. We tried everything. Finally, we just did it anyway while he screamed and wiggled around. After a few months it passed and now he loves to brush his teeth. Go figure!