Help! My toddler won’t let me brush her teeth
As your sweet baby becomes a toddler, your pediatrician will likely recommend a visit to your family dentist to begin your child’s preventative care. Around 18 months of age is the standard time frame for toddlers to see a dentist, as they typically have the majority of their baby teeth by this time.
While the idea of new teeth can be very exciting, it also comes with new territory — brushing their teeth! Your child may seem thrilled about the opportunity to learn to brush their teeth, but it’s possible that at some point, they will protest and fight you from cleaning their tiny little pearly whites.
In this article, we’re sharing the best tips and tricks for guiding your toddler through learning how to brush their teeth. Our goal is to provide you with the tools to reassure your toddler that brushing their teeth is fun, hygienic, and what big kids do.
Avoiding Temper Tantrums During Teeth Brushing
If your toddler begins fighting the nighttime routine of toothbrushing, there are a lot of things you can try to encourage their compliance and avoid the power struggle.
Use a soft-bristled brush
Be sure to purchase a small, soft-bristled child’s toothbrush for your toddler to use. The small head will fit better in their mouth, and the shorter handle will be easier for them to hold. Using an adult toothbrush as a 2-year-old will be frustrating for your child, and he may become frustrated if he can’t move it around his mouth.
Choose a mild toothpaste
Spicy, fluoride-filled kinds of toothpaste are great for adults but may leave your child’s mouth uncomfortably hot. If they associate brushing their teeth with that spicy feeling, it’s no wonder why they don’t want to brush!
Try choosing a toothbrush with a small amount of fluoride in a flavor like bubblegum or cherry that tastes good and won’t be too strong for their palette.
Related read: The Best Toddler Snack Cups (your kid’s perfect food buddy! )
Let them choose their own toothbrush
Take them to the store and let them choose a toothbrush. This will encourage their independence and make toothbrushing a little more fun. If their favorite character or superhero is on their toothbrush, they may just be a bit more agreeable when it comes time to brush.
Brush their toys’ teeth
Brushing our teeth is best done with friends, right? In your toddler’s world, it sure is!
If your child has a favorite doll, stuffed animal, or toy, be sure to include them in teeth-brushing time, too. You can get the toy its own brush or encourage your child to practice brushing the toy’s teeth before their own.
Making brushing fun may distract your toddler from getting irritated or frustrated with the task at hand.
Related: The best unique baby doll accessories
Brush along with them
Children often want to imitate whatever their parents or caretakers are doing, and if your child exhibits this behavior, then use it to your advantage.
Brush your teeth right alongside them and make funny faces in the mirror, dance together, and make it fun!
Stay consistent
In the beginning, there will be times when the teeth brushing goes smoothly, and other times it will be challenging and frustrating (even for you). The key is to stay consistent with teeth brushing, so it becomes a part of your child’s morning and evening routine.
The more you stick with it, the faster your child will understand that brushing their teeth is important for good hygiene, taking care of their teeth, and staying healthy.
More parenting tips: How To Teach A Child To Climb A Ladder
How to Make Brushing Your Toddler’s Teeth More Fun
All the helpful tips in the world will only get you so far with a stubborn or opinionated toddler. If you need to bring in some extra muscle, here are some of our tried and true products and various items that will help make the transition to teeth brushing easier.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Books about brushing teeth
Enlist the help of Daniel Tiger, Elmo, and many more teeth brushing books to reassure your child that all the big kids brush their teeth, and it’s another way they can be more independent at home.
More parenting tips: How To Keep A Toddler From The Fridge
Watch a video or sing a song
Visit YouTube or your favorite music streaming service to find cute videos and cheerful, catchy songs that encourage good hygiene and make brushing their teeth more fun.
It doesn’t matter if it’s Mickey Mouse, Cocomelon, or Sesame Street who encourages your toddler to grab their brush and get to scrubbing! Sometimes their favorite characters or shows are all they need to become more agreeable to doing a task they don’t enjoy.
You might also enjoy reading: Indooor toys for active toddlers
Enlist the help of an older sibling
Having an older sibling can make learning how to brush much smoother. Older siblings often serve as role models for young children, so ask your older child to help out with teaching their younger sibling to brush their teeth.
Whether your older child joins in every morning and night or just makes an appearance now and then, whatever works best for your toddler is the right move.
Related post: How To Wash A Toddler’s Hair Without Crying
Sticker chart incentives
To make brushing rewarding for your toddler, enlist the help of a fun sticker chart to incentivize them to brush their teeth each morning and night. Each time they brush their teeth without a fuss, reward them with a gold star that they get to hang on their chart.
Related post: Tips on How to Put Sunscreen on a Toddler
Wrap up- My toddler won’t let me brush her teeth!
You will quickly learn that raising a toddler means rolling with the punches and remaining as neutral as possible. It’s easier said than done, but the less you let things bother you, the better off you will be. Temper tantrums are natural and a very normal part of childhood, so stand your ground when it comes to teeth brushing and try every trick in the book until your child has mastered the art of good hygiene. We believe in you!
Related Reads: