Getting your toddler to brush their own teeth can be one of the biggest tests of patience for parents.
Ask me how I know!
Yes, getting my 2 year old to brush his teeth was such a struggle. It was the last part of our daily routine right before bed.
Some nights, he would stand there with his lips tightly closed and shaking his head, “No!” There was usually a foot stomp thrown in for good measure too!
It felt like a power struggle every single night and it was a struggle that I was losing. So my husband and I came up with a different approach.
Instead of thinking about it from our perspectives, we thought about teeth brushing from our little toddler’s perspective.
That’s when things changed.
Here’s what we did differently to help our son and daughter develop good brushing habits.
How to Get Toddler to Brush Teeth
1. Think about brushing from your toddler’s perspective.
Getting a weird looking brush with gross tasting goopy toothpaste put into your mouth is a brand new experience for your little one.
They haven’t been brushing their teeth for decades like you have. So even though it seems like a simple, normal experience to you, it’s not for your toddler.
So have some grace and patience and remember that your toddler is learning a new skill which may seem hard and scary.
2. Introduce and educate your toddler about teeth brushing.
Since tooth brushing is a new experience, you’ll need to start small and work your way up to brushing your child’s teeth with toothpaste.
Talk to you child about how important it is to take care of their teeth in order to prevent tooth decay and disease control.
Explain the importance of dental hygiene. Brushing teeth helps them have a beautiful smile and the best way to care for teeth.
You may even want to read a picture book about teeth brushing or watch a Sesame Street video.
You can even introduce teeth brushing to your child by letting him watch you brush your adult teeth. Explain the steps you are taking.
Once your child has watched you brush your teeth, let them pick out their own toothbrush. There are so many different toothbrushes available. Let them pick one with their favorite character or color.
Always choose a soft toothbrush with a small head made for kids.
You may want to not use toothpaste at first. Instead let your child get used to just the toothbrush and water being in their mouth. Make small circles with the toothbrush around your toddler’s teeth.
Keep the brushing time quick and gradually build up the amount of time you spend brushing as your child gets used to having the toothbrush in his mouth.
3. Make tooth brushing fun!
There are many fun ways you can make your toddler’s brushing routine a fun experience.
Say things that get your kids giggling and sidetracked.
Pick something that you know your child would like and say that you are looking for it in their mouths. Just make it a silly thing to do.
My son loved dogs at the time, so we would say that we saw dogs and they were barking in his mouth.
Our daughter liked Minnie Mouse, so we often saw Minnie Mouse in her mouth.
Another idea is to sing a special song. This didn’t work with our oldest, but our youngest loves to sing no matter what she is doing, so she liked me singing a fun song about brushing her teeth!
Toddler’s also like to hear silly voices. Talking like a robot or quacking like a duck will make tooth brushing fun.
4. Teach your toddler brushing independance.
Toddlers are in the independent stage, but of course you can’t just let your toddler brush their own teeth. Instead let them do as much as possible on their own while you teach them good dental hygiene.
Let your toddler hold the toothbrush while you put the toothpaste on it. They will only need a small amount, especially as they are starting out.
Tell them they can brush their teeth after you do it. So you brush their teeth and then they get a chance to do it afterwards.
Use small circles as you work your way around your child’s mouth. Be sure to get the back teeth as well. Once you have finished brushing, give the toothbrush to your toddler.
Since they are still learning motor skills, they probably will struggle getting the toothbrush to go in circle. However, it will still get them used to the toothbrush in their mouths.
Once they have brushed their teeth, make a big deal of their accomplishment by providing positive reinforcement.
You may want to use a reward chart or sticker chart. Or simply reward them with a book to read or special stuffed animal to take to bed after they have brushed their teeth.
5. Fake it with a smile!
Sometimes it is simply a struggle to get your toddler to brush their teeth no matter what you try. But the worst thing you can do is force them to brush their teeth or lose your cool and get angry.
This will only escalate the experience and cause more anxiety over teeth brushing and make the next time even harder.
As a parent, remember your child doesn’t understand why they have to brush their teeth, and it will take lots of repetition and time for them to finally get comfortable brushing their own teeth.
Even when you don’t feel like it, put a smile on your face and get through the 5 minutes as positively as you can.
Your toddler will respond to your mood and attitude. So try to remain as calm and positive as possible.
Eventually it will get easier. Remember it is only a season.
Try these tips out with your toddler and you’ll notice a big difference!
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