I try to stay pretty on top of things as far as my daughter’s health and well-being go. As with most new aspects of motherhood though, I was pretty clueless how to go about caring for her. When does she eat solid foods? When she stops drinking formula, what on earth do I feed her all day? How on earth do I clip these tiny fingernails? How many naps should she be taking? How much tummy time is enough?
Each new stage brought new questions. At some point after her teeth started coming in, I realized they wouldn’t just keep themselves healthy. Do I have to like, CLEAN these things??
I remember reading in a parenting magazine that once there are two teeth that touch, parents should floss their kids’ teeth daily.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Have they met a baby? Better yet, have they ever met a TODDLER?
Needless to say, the flossing isn’t exactly going as the professionals recommend it should. However, we have tried to be pretty diligent about brushing my daughter’s teeth. She’s gone through phases of loving it and not loving it so much, but we’ve almost always been successful by making it a game or showing how daddy does it or something along those lines. Lately though, she will have none of it. If we even start to walk into the bathroom to brush her teeth she’ll flail and flop and fuss. When we try to actually put the toothbrush in her mouth it turns into a full-on meltdown. Some nights we give up and just let her “brush” her own teeth. Other nights we beg and try to make it fun. Last night my husband just held her arms while I tried to brush her little teeth as fast as my hand would go. Not pretty.
So now what? I’m hoping this is just a phase. I don’t want to give up brushing her teeth, because dental care is important. I want to establish healthy habits with her, and if I just give up because she puts up a fuss that will set a precedent for future tooth brushing and other issues I’m sure.
As a sidenote, some may argue that dental health doesn’t matter for little kids because they will just lose their teeth anyway. However, that isn’t true. If kids teeth rot and fall out too early, it could damage the development of their permanent teeth as well as their placement and overall health. Not to mention the importance of gum health, which they will carry all their lives.
So how do you get your toddlers to brush their teeth? Do you floss your kids’ teeth? If so, HOW? (I’m guessing you must be magic to get them to hold still!) What is your philosophy on the whole thing anyway? Advice is welcome.
I know!! However, I thought it was easier to brush their teeth as a baby because i would just tickle them and quickly brush their pearly whites when their mouth was open, laughing. Now, as toddlers and even my 5-year-old, it’s a struggle! Even threatening that their teeth will fall out doesn’t help!
P.S. Were you at the Service Soapbox Baby Shower on saturday and I didn’t get to meet you?
Camille- I was way bummed I couldn’t make it to the baby shower this last Saturday! I would’ve loved to have gone. My whole family has been sick so we’ve been confined to the house with kleenexes (sp??) clutched in our hands
Hopefully I can make it to the next even though!
I hate brushing my kids’ teeth so I usually make my husband do it (and the dentist always says my kids’ teeth are filthy and I keep telling my husband he needs to do a better job) so I guess I’m no one to offer advice. But maybe you could let the brushing go for a little while and see if she forgets about hating it? Or maybe you could let her pick out a new toothbrush and toothpaste at the store.
We used to use floss picks and now we have the ones that have a long handle and a replaceable flossing part.
Good luck!
Zina- those little floss picks are a great idea, I never even thought of that! Much easier than trying to get my my fingers into her tiny mouth.
We’ve gone through lots of rough times getting Jordan to brush his teeth. What seems to work the best with him is he picked out a new cool spiderman toothbrush and some new toothpaste at the store and he was excited to use it! He actually wanted to brush his teeth. We also have a chore chart and brushing your teeth is on that, so he knows he will get rewarded at the end of the day if everything is marked off. I know Claire is still kind of young for those things, but maybe you can think of something along those lines? It’s a constant battle!
When I am forced to brush my child’s teeth (and I do mean Stuart, btw) I tell him that if those teeth don’t get brushed that he can sleep on the couch. That’s it. Threats. (of course you know I am teasing. I have no idea how one would brush children’s teeth….)