If toddler toothbrushing has become a battle, relax. You want your child’s teeth to be clean; he wants autonomy and physical comfort. A win-win solution is possible if you and your toddler approach toothbrushing from a flexible and lighthearted perspective.
Toddler Toothbrushing Tools
First, take a look at your tools. Do they help you flow with different day-to-day preferences? Encourage your toddler to select a variety of interesting toothbrushes. You can find toothbrushes with favorite characters, ones that play music, ones with specially designed handles for little hands, and even ones that light up. Remember those little baby finger-brushes? Get those out of storage. Also, try the Angel Brush – a baby/toddler toothbrush made of silicon specially designed for chewing and chomping.
Fun and Games
Let the toothbrushing games begin! Ask your toddler to help you brush your teeth. Offer your brush to him and let him get to work, and then gently introduce his own toothbrush into his mouth.
Screaming is a viable toothbrushing solution. Let your toddler know that you’d like to clean her teeth, but you can only do it if she screams. Oh, no. You need her to scream much louder. There you go – a wide open mouth and a kid having a blast. Encourage her as you brush by asking her to scream like a monster, a baby, or whatever crazy idea comes to mind.
Brush along with characters in books and movies. Chances are that you have several storybooks and videos around the house that feature a character brushing his teeth. Load up a toothbrush and present it when the toothbrushing scene occurs, inviting your child to brush like the character.
Get in touch with your goofy side as you make funny faces and sounds. Different sounds will encourage your toddler to form her mouth in a way that makes it easier for you to brush. Demonstrate a sound along with a funny face, and ask your child to imitate you: “Can you do this? EEEEeee! How about this? AAAAaaaw! And this? Blaaaaah!”
Take advantage of possessiveness and love of the word “no.” If your toddler is focused on ownership and loves to say no, ask if you can use his toothbrush. You may get a reminder of just whose toothbrush it is along with a very easy toothbrushing session.
Relax Your Toothbrushing Protocol
Toothbrushing can take place anytime and anyplace. If you have been insisting upon very routine toothbrushing, try loosening up and considering different options.
Is your toddler having a sticky snack like raisins? Wordlessly put out a bowl with the Angel Brush for her to chomp on when she’s finished. When it’s time, tell her she can chew-chomp-crunch it like a monster or a dog with a bone.
Remember that you never have to brush your toddler’s teeth right this minute. Keep it all in perspective to avoid battles that will only increase resistance later. Are you getting a firm no in response to your attempts? Back off and say that you know you’ll be able to find a good time for toothbrushing soon. You may be surprised at how quickly another opportunity appears.
When looking for toothbrushing solutions, keep your focus on creativity and fun. With a positive attitude and a hefty dose of flexibility, you’ll see resistance to toothbrushing melt and willingness gradually take its place. If you put a peaceful relationship with your toddler first, clean teeth will follow naturally from that.
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