I get nervous about cavities all the time, even though we brush together and try to make it fun. Sometimes I wonder if she’ll ever do it on her own, honestly. You’re not alone in feeling like it’s barely enough. It’s just tough sometimes.
I totally get where you’re coming from. My little guy used to treat brushing like it was a punishment—seriously, you’d think I was asking him to eat broccoli for breakfast. What helped us (on a budget) was making a sticker chart and letting him pick out a cheap toothbrush with his favorite character. Step one: let her choose her own brush, even if it’s the sparkliest thing in the store. Step two: we play a silly song and brush until it’s over. Some days it still feels like a battle, but honestly, she’ll get there. I mean, I still have to remind myself to floss...
Love the sticker chart idea. We went through a phase where my daughter would hide under the table when it was time to brush—total drama. What finally helped was letting her “brush” my teeth first, then I’d do hers. It got her laughing and way less tense. Curious if anyone’s had luck with those flavored toothpaste options? My kiddo only liked one and refused the rest...
We tried a bunch of those flavored toothpastes and honestly, it got pricey fast—half the tubes just sat there untouched. What worked better for us was sticking to a plain one she could tolerate and focusing on silly songs or making faces in the mirror. Sometimes less choice actually made things easier...
We went through a phase where my kiddo insisted on the bubblegum toothpaste, but then she’d claim it was “too spicy” two days later and refuse to touch it. I swear, I’ve got a graveyard of half-used tubes in the bathroom drawer... Honestly, what finally worked for us was turning toothbrushing into a weird little dance party. She’d pick a song, we’d both do goofy moves, and suddenly brushing time wasn’t such a battle. Less about the flavor, more about the distraction, I guess.
