Grandchildren - teeth cleaning

GS is not bad at brushing. He likes the electric toothbrush and seems to do a reasonable job. Where we have always fallen down is with toothpaste. He was okay with the strawberry flavoured milk teeth toothpastes but after trying some of the junior ones, even the supposedly fruit flavoured ones seemed to have a hint of mint, which he absolutely hates. The dentist suggested Oranurse which has no flavour at all, and he is happy with that. Mummy on the other hand is less so as it is rather expensive, but if that is what it takes....

I remember (many years ago) babysitting my DGs's when the 3 year old said "Daddy says if you don't brush your teeth you get black holes in them. That's not true is it Nanny?" I opened my mouth and showed him my very old fillings, which looked black, and told him I was a naughty girl and didn't clean my teeth when I was little. He scuttled up stairs so quickly, you couldn't see him for dust!

The 4 year old has an egg timer when brushing his teeth and the 10 year old has an electric toothbrush with a built in timer.

Paddyann - I can't imagine still brushing my 11 year old DGD's teeth - she's taller than me and physically adult - she would definitely think it an invasion of privacy.

Think it is a common problem! I don't recall it with DDs but selective memory and all that! DGC reluctantly brush..I stand in the bathroom with the younger ones to make sure. DGD1 (almost 12) is not a problem!

absent..... how sweet.

hildaj same problem here, had to wrestle DGS to the sink this morning and had to clean his teeth for him, as he is petrified of getting toothpaste on his hands.
As he is as tall as me, it's getting more and more difficult.

Hellomonty - the reluctance is both morning and night

Brushing is the important bit, not the toothpaste. I let my two-year-old grandson suck the little blob of appealingly flavoured toothpaste off the brush, then he has a go a brushing. Actually, he has got the idea and doesn't do too badly. Then he gives me the brush to do a proper job before I return it to him for one last suck to see if any vestige of the Dora the Explorer toothpaste remains. Every time he follows me into the bathroom he suggests that we brush his teeth again. Sometimes we do.

The other grandchildren are old enough to brush their own teeth. They do so, with the older ones keeping a firm eye on what the five-year-old is doing.

Is there less of a fuss in the morning? Sometimes kicking up a fuss teeth brushing at bedtime is actually more a ruse to put off/ protest against bedtime than about the brushing itself!

I always used an egg timer for my own kids,my grandchildren are happy to brush their teeth with the egg timer too but the 7 year old's other granny says she's too young to brush them herself and wont let her....she says 12 is the age where they brush properly,this is the woman who also still wipes this wee girls bottom??I think she's on a different planet from me ,I think the sooner they learn to look after themselves the better and 12 seems a wee bit old to have your granny brushing your teeth for you.

DGS 3 years old - Mummy sings Thomas song twice while brushing - she has calculated timing and I sing made up crocodile with a sore tooth song when he is with us - he loves the songs and it has been part of his routine since he started brushing. Normal children's toothbrush. He is excited as baby sister received a purple toothbrush and toothpaste in the weaning talk pack from the health visitor - she is nearly 6 months and has no teeth I may add! Both Mummy and DGS had no teeth till 11 months!

Aargh! My grandchildren hate cleaning their teeth. It must be horrid for them, as the boys all have sensory processing issues and don't like the feel of the toothbrush, or the taste of the toothpaste. It's a battle every night.??

Yes, there is an app - the DGC have used one.
I think the older one has an electric toothbrush but I don't think they are considered suitable for milk teeth.

Ah thanks Trisher

As far as I know electric toothbrushes are not recommended for very young children. In fact my DIL a paediatric dentist uses an ordinary children's brush for her 2 children. If you are interested she has advice about brushing and other teeth things here www.toothfairyblog.org/how-to-get-your-child-to-brush-their-teeth-a-psychologists-perspective/
There is also advice on the bspd- British Society of Paediatric Dentists website
bspd.co.uk
She plays lots of games as she brushes including making noises- AAAH for the back molars, Silly smile and EEEEE for the front teeth.

I think there's an app for it lol.

It encourages them to brush for the required period.

I like my electric toothbrush, I feel like it cleans better than a manual one.
We've looked after children who have been averse to teeth cleaning, we bought a big brightly coloured timer and encouraged them to clean teeth until it ran out.