Dental Hygiene -How to make your toddler brush

So the last time I wrote about dental hygiene(Dental Hygiene for babies- When to start and how!!) was when I was dealing with a baby and this time I am dealing with a toddler.

A simple thing like brushing  teeth can be a reason for great misery atleast for parents.I have seen a whole episode of meltdown because I asked someone to brush his teeth.

When we started with the real brush it was all fun, my baby was 13 months and had a fixed routine of getting up and sitting on his high chair while I combed his hair and brushed his teeth.Before that I use to wash his teeth and gums with washcloth.It went on well for few days then he started snatching the brush from my hand.Attimes he would try to brush on his own which was fine with me and most of the time throw it away.It went on for quite sometime and then I realised I need to break the monotony.

I tried different fun ways to teach him how to brush and today he waits for his brushing time.

Let them watch 

So the first mistake I realised  was making him brush sitting or for that matter not in the proper place.I started taking him to the washroom while me and my husband brushed our teeth.Initially he use to stand there and ask for brush and cry for our brush if we handed him over his own.So we bought a brush for him our size off course.After few days he wanted his brush.

ToothPaste in not important Brushing is 

All of us make this mistake I did as well,I would stress on using toothpaste and hence he got a feeling of something being forced into his mouth.I stopped giving him toothpaste for sometime to make him comfortable with brush and introduced the paste again when he was comfortable with toothbrush.

Make Brushing fun

This may sound silly but me and my husband use to sing and dance while brushing.That made him feel he is missing out on something and to join us he would take his brush and shake his bum.

Brush Brush Brush your teeth, every morning every night is his favourite.

Role Play

Make everything brush their teeth in the house, my sons makes his doll brush his teeth every morning now.We have a brush for the doll similar to what he has.

Give them Options/Freedom

This is very important let them choose keep few brushes and let them choose.Most of the time they end up making their favourite.Sometimes when even after making so much effort and even after making it as a habit my son doesn’t feel like brushing I let him be.Forcing will make him hate it which I don’t want to.

Make the area accessible

Let them brush their teeth where everyone in the family does.We bought a stool for him to stand and he comfortably reaches the wash basin for brushing and yes some fun with the running water is a daily activity.

Show them how to 

Instead of taking their hand and making them brush, show them how to.Children are curious and they try to imitate.Take advantage and show them how you do it.

Switch Brushing Buddies 

This was so far the most effective in making him brush.I stay with my son the whole day so brushing was taken over by his father and this is something they look upto now.They both sing and brush together.Once he gets bored I will takeover again.Hopefully he would not get bored ever.

Just like any other thing with babies brushing requires lot of patience from the parents end.When we make it a routine it becomes boring add some spice to it and let them enjoy and you will see the difference.

Wishing you guys happy Gums and teeth and Dental Hygiene is important always remember that.

Watch this video and see how my little one loves brushing now

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