Top tips on getting your toddler to brush their own teeth

Dental hygiene is very important and is an important life skill for your toddler so it is important to teach them good habits whilst they are young.

So here are a few tips to help to encourage your toddler to brush their teeth with out tears and tantrums.

Let your toddler feel like a grown up

Lots of toddler want to feel like a grown up, so treat them like one when it comes to brushing your toddlers teeth. Let your toddler stand along side you and copy you whilst you brush your teeth. This will encourage your toddler to develop a good teeth brushing technique and make brushing teeth more fun for your toddler (it also means you can make sure your toddler is brushing their teeth properly).

Put your toddler in front of the mirror

Watching yourself brush your teeth is quite a funny sight. There is nothing wrong with your toddler having a giggle whilst brushing their teeth. They can also see what they are doing and which teeth they have cleaned/missed.

Musical teeth brushing with your child

Sing a song that your toddler likes whilst you brush their teeth. This will make toothbrushing time more fun and your toddler will look forward to having a sing a long.

You can also get toothbrushes which play a song for two minutes, so lets your toddler know when their toothbrushing time is up.

Let your toddler brush their teeth with their favourite characters

See if you can get your toddlers favourite character on their toothbrush as this is a light hearted way of encouraging your toddler to brush their teeth.

Let your toddler brush your teeth

Brushing teeth is quite different from normal every day activities so your toddler might find it a strange concept and be wary of it.

Let your toddler brush your teeth brush your teeth so they know it is ok and not scary, painful or anything to be afraid of.

Try an electric toothbrush

It's different and the distraction of something different may just work.

Try different toothpaste

Pick out a few child friendly toothbrushes and toothpastes and let your toddler choose which ones you buy.

Gently remind your toddler they choose the toothbrush and toothpaste when it comes to brushing and encourage them to try out their new supplies.

Take a trip to the dentist

An authority figure in a white coat telling your toddler they are doing a good job at looking after their teeth and to keep it up will mean a lot to your toddler and is likely to give them the encouragement to continue brushing their teeth.