Ah, toddlers and teeth brushing. It’s like cats and dogs. They usually just don’t go together. That is why I’m sharing my top 5 tips on how to get toddlers to brush their teeth!
1. Start Early and Get Into a Routine
I have twins so routines in general are incredibly important for us and our sanity. After our kids turned 1, we introduced the toddler toothbrushes to them with a dab of non-fluoride toothpaste, no more than a grain of rice. My husband and I would gently brush their teeth once a day after dinner when both kids were still in their high chairs.
The AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) recommends brushing your child’s teeth at least twice a day once the first tooth erupts. Maybe it’s different for parents who have one kid at a time, but I can tell you for us….we were lucky if we brushed our twins’ teeth once a day!
As for the routine, whether you brush them once or twice daily, be sure to do it at the same time every day so they know what to expect. We liked doing this in the high chair after dinner because the kids couldn’t escape, haha!
2. Use a Toddler Approved, Natural and Yummy Toothpaste
Before the age of two, it is recommended to use fluoride-free toothpaste when brushing your toddler’s teeth. After they turn two, you can switch to fluoride toothpaste.
We really liked the Tom’s of Maine Natural “Silly Strawberry” fluoride-free training toothpaste to start and then switched to the “Silly Strawberry” anti-cavity toothpaste once they turned two. It’s dye-free and tastes great!
3. Use a Fun, Extra Soft Toothbrush for Kids
There are both toddler and children’s toothbrushes on the market. When my kids were one, we started off with the toddler toothbrushes. I would buy a multipack on Amazon and would replace them every couple of months.
These are great because they have extra soft bristles on one end and a rubber-biting ring on the other!
Once they turned two, I started buying these fun and affordable Firefly light-up toothbrushes that you can find at most retailers. The light flashes for one minute to let the toddler know how long they should brush. It says ages 3+ but they worked well for our two-year-old twins.
4. Make it Fun
There are games and rewards you can offer to get your toddlers to brush their teeth.
One idea is to hide the toothbrush in a different location every night. If you have more than one child, let them get “colder” or “warmer” until they find it! Then they can race to the bathroom to see who can finish brushing first. But try to get them to brush for at least one minute.
Another idea is to do a reward system. For every night that they successfully brush their teeth, they can get a sticker on a chart. You can keep the chart in the bathroom or kitchen. For every three stickers, they get to pick a prize! Maybe you can grab some fun little toys at the dollar store and keep them in a prize bin.
There is also a great new app and toothbrush by Colgate which has been proven to really get the kiddos to brush their teeth! I’ve heard fantastic things about this app called Colgate Magik Smart Toothbrush. You’ll need a smartphone for this.
The kit includes 1 toothbrush holder, 1 kid's toothbrush with extra soft bristles, and 1 phone holder. No more bedtime struggles – so fun your kids will want to brush!
It’s a fun gaming experience that inspires kids to brush to unlock new worlds and earn rewards.
The Magik mobile app coaches kids to brush properly for better habits and features a toothbrush timer for kids as well as a dashboard for parents to view how well and long their children brush! The toothbrush holder provides easy upright storage.
5. Beware of the Sugar Buggies!
A fellow twin mom and friend of mine told me about the “Sugar Buggies” and the tactic has been working ever since. My twins just turned 3 and have recently been resisting the evening tooth-brushing session.
As I was trying to help my daughter brush, begging her to open her mouth so I could reach the back molars, I told her that she had lots of sugar buggies in there and I could see them! I had to get them out “quick, quick, quick”! A little startled at first, she obliged and let me brush those hard-to-reach teeth.
Then I tried the same with my son and to my surprise, he was excited to have mommy remove the sugar buggies from his teeth!
Now every night, I let them start off brushing their own teeth to fulfill their desire for independence and then they willingly hand over the toothbrush so that I can get the SUGAR BUGGIES out. And believe me, I see a lot of sugar buggies in there!
Thank you for reading my 5 Tips to Get Toddlers to Brush Their Teeth, and good luck! I hope this helps you avoid some struggles when getting your toddlers to brush their teeth. Please share if you found this post helpful and join my Facebook group for more relatable topics!
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