Gething kids to brush their teeth

Kabazzzz

As the title of the thread would suggest I have trouble getting my children to brush their teeth... and always have done.

They are 13 and 12! I find it totally disgusting that they even contemplate leaving the house without cleaning their teeth in the morning but just don't know what to do.


I have asked them until I'm blue in the face and even started doing it for them again like they were small children but I'm at the end of my teather.


Any ideas?

FBaby

Do you take them regularly to the dentist? My 13yo started washing her teeth very carefully when she had to have braces. She was told very clearly that if she didn't, they would take them off. Because she has a gap she is desperate to lose, after being warned twice, she got the message. Habit then set and she is very good.

My boy started to wash his teeth regularly after three or four times at the dentist for check-ups and preventive treatment and he was told that he needed to do better. I kept reminding him. His last check up, he was told that they could see he was brushing well. He was so pleased and proud, since then, he won't go out or to bed without doing it!

Newly_retired

For my small grandchildren, I make a game of it, as if the mouth is a house, with upstairs and downstairs, telling them which room to go into, to make sure they brush everywhere.

balletshoes

yep, my DD is 12, she got a new dentist a couple of years ago, and this dentist doesn't beat around the bush - if DD hasn't done well enough with her brushing, dentist tells her off.
My DD may also need braces (she's had a referral letter and is on a waiting list) and her dentist has already told her if she doesn't keep brushing to a certain standard, she won't be fitted for the braces because if she can't keep her teeth and gums in good order by brushing properly without the brace, no way will she manage with them, so it will be a complete waste of time getting the brace.

Because DD wants her teeth straightened out with the brace, she has listened to the dentist and is good at brushing now, without me having to remind her.

OP do your kids not brush at all, or do they brush badly/not take enough time over it? You can get toothbrushes with timers, or I used to get my DD to take her phone with her and play a song while she brushed her teeth, as most tracks are at least 2 minutes long, and thats what her dentist recommended.

Kabazzzz

Yes they go regularly but they are always told that there are no problems, teeth are in good condition etc... which I don't understand when I know that if they can get out of doing it, then they won't do it.

tea_lover

Could you ask their dentist to be a little liberal with the truth on your next visit? Everything might be fine, but maybe he could tell them they really need to up their brushing skills - they might listen if it comes from someone else.

Lunar_Eclipse

We had this problem with one of our children when she was younger. It boiled down to a strong dislike to mint and the fact that as she moved to adult toothpastes, most of which are mint, she felt like her mouth was burning when she brushed her teeth. We have resolved it with one gel based product.

Could it be something like this (ironically gel based toothpastes make me gag!) or is it sheer laziness? If it's the latter, I would book a dentist check up (& perhaps go monthly until it's sorted?), mention it and see how they respond. You could call ahead before your visit, to say you are concerned about their oral health and could they have a word about what happens with poor hygiene. Our dentist always comments on how well they brush, any areas to concentrate on etc.

liney

If they are going to act like toddlers, treat them like babies and keep brushing them for them.

They will soon get bored with being babied, especially if other things that children of their age do are revoked, because they are not acting their age...

Marmiter

Similiar situation with DSD and DSS, I bought them some flashing toothbrushes from Poundland and they have to brush their teeth for as long as the light flashes (it's only a minute but it's better than nothing!).

Also, I bought some disclosing tablets from Boots.

They still need reminding, maybe when they start having to have painful fillings they will start cleaning properly

darrensurrey

Quite easy for me - I'd show them a mouthful of fillings as I sometimes forgot to brush before going to bed. :wall:

Tell them their breath stinks and all the girls/boys/whatever they hope to impress will call them stinky freaks.

That said, it's your house so you could probably lay down the law.

Toothsmith

rachyerbs wrote: »

Similiar situation with DSD and DSS, I bought them some flashing toothbrushes from Poundland and they have to brush their teeth for as long as the light flashes (it's only a minute but it's better than nothing!).

Also, I bought some disclosing tablets from Boots.

They still need reminding, maybe when they start having to have painful fillings they will start cleaning properly

Fillings aren't painful to do - unless the kid has been wound up by the parent to expect them to be.

That's not helpful.

If the diet is good, and sugar frequency is tightly controlled, then the teeth should survive a bit of teenage neglect.

If pop and sweets and biscuits and cakes and crisps and other sugary stuff are regularly consumed between meals - then problems will occur in any teeth - but grubby teeth will be affected worse.

Cleaning often improves again when attraction to the opposite sex becomes an issue!