Sticker charts were a bust at our house too. My daughter was all about the sparkly unicorn stickers... for about three days. Then it was like, “meh, next?” I totally relate to the stress of her “doing it herself”—half the time she’s brushing her tongue or just chewing on the brush like it’s a snack. I’ve tried narrating a silly story while we brush, which sometimes buys me a few extra seconds. Honestly, I think we’re all just winging it and hoping for the best. Dentists must see this stuff all the time, right?
“half the time she’s brushing her tongue or just chewing on the brush like it’s a snack.”
This is my life right now. My son treats the toothbrush like a teether—sometimes he barely gets near his teeth. Sticker charts didn’t last here either, and I swear I’ve bought every cartoon-themed toothpaste out there. The only thing that kinda works is brushing together and making it a “race” (which I always lose, but whatever). I’m convinced dentists have seen way worse. At this point, I just celebrate any day we manage more than 30 seconds.
The toothbrush-as-teether phase is real. My daughter used to gnaw on hers like she was auditioning for a beaver documentary. The only thing that helped us was letting her “brush” my teeth first—she thought it was hilarious, and then she’d let me have a turn with hers. Not exactly textbook, but hey, some toothpaste actually made it onto her teeth. Dentists definitely see worse, and honestly, 30 seconds is a solid win in my book.
My kid did the same—chewed the bristles down to nubs before I could even get near her teeth. I get nervous about whether she’s actually cleaning anything, but honestly, if she’s at least getting used to the brush, I try not to stress too much. I’ve found singing a silly song while brushing sometimes buys me an extra few seconds. It’s not perfect, but I guess it’s better than a total meltdown.
I get so anxious about this exact thing. I always wonder if letting my kid just chew on the brush is actually doing any good, or if it’s just making me feel better for trying. The dentist keeps telling me “it’s about building the habit,” but I can’t shake the worry that we’re missing out on important cleaning time. I totally get what you mean about the meltdown—sometimes I feel like I’m choosing between a tantrum and actual dental hygiene, and neither option feels great.
We tried singing too, but sometimes she just clamps her mouth shut and stares at me like I’ve lost my mind. Then I start second-guessing if maybe I’m making it worse by turning it into a big production. Have you ever worried that all these tricks (songs, silly voices, letting them hold the brush) are just distractions from the fact that their teeth aren’t really getting clean? Or am I overthinking this?
I even bought one of those toothbrushes with lights and music thinking it’d help, but honestly, she was more interested in biting it than brushing. Maybe it’s just a phase and eventually she’ll let me actually brush her teeth... or maybe I should be stricter? Sometimes I see parents online saying they “just hold their kid down” to brush and that sounds so extreme, but then again, maybe they’re onto something?
Is there an age where this gets easier? Or do some kids just never get used to having their teeth brushed? It feels like everyone else has figured out a magic trick except me.
