Brushing teeth!

Hi there
I am on the scrounge for some good ideas of how to brush my son's teeth. Lets just say he is far more interested in sucking the toothpaste off the brush and as soon as I try to actually do some brushing he usually throws the toohbrush in a fit of rage and clamps his mouth closed

He is 18 months and up until now has let me have a quick brush but for the last month or so he is really combative.

I don't really want to make a battlefield of it because I don't want to make a big issue of it because I think that will just make the problem worse. I am consoling myself that at least he is getting the benefit of the fluoride in the toothpaste he sucks off!

Any suggestions? TIA

at that age i dont think the toothpaste is really necessary... esp if all he is doing is eating it! (they arent supposed to swallow it, but what kid doesnt).   we just give the 17mth old her toothbrush and she sticks it in her mouth and is now trying to copy the older boys. but yeah stacey is right, they will copy you.

I brush my sons teeth after breakfast and dinner while he is still in his highchair.
I always brush a little first then he gets to brush second.
SOmetimes he will clamp down on the brush so I juggle it in his mouth gently wobbling his head and laugh along with him. He soon stops and we go back to the brushing.
He does suck on the brush but I only use a very tiny amount of toothpaste so I don't worry about it.

I try and remember what part of his teeth I have brushed the last time and what needs doing at the next clean and start there first. Every now and again (like tonight) I have to lie him down and do the head lock brush.....stubborn child!

we do it together and sing the 'brush brush brush' song from playhouse disney. Lily also has a pidgeon training brush which she plays with, usually in her highchair but I don't put toothpaste on that one,

E is the same age and when Dh bathes him he sometimes lets me go in to brush them...no idea why(as we brush at night in the bath) ... otherwise the morning brush(just started) is while he is watching tv...lol ..

Chloe has started refusing to let me brush her teeth too.

She loves toothbrushing tho. We have a special step-ladder thing which we unfold by the sink and she climbs up, runs her brush under the tap, I put on the tiniest smidge of toothpaste, then she wriggles the brush around in her mouth, copying me as I brush my teeth, and we sometimes sing "this is the way we brush our teeth". She has recently started to copy me spitting in the sink.

Our dental hygienist said that at this age it is really about getting them into the habit, and trying to teach them, than actually "cleaning" teeth, if they have a reasonable diet (not heaps of sweets etc). And said that we should just use a smudge of toothpaste on a guaze cloth every once in a while to clean her teeth. So I do this a couple of times a week on the couch or something, but Chloe brushes her teeth twice a day (after breakfast and dinner)

Our son started being difficult with brushing his about a month or so ago. So we started singing a song with him. We made up our own song that goes to the tune of 'this is the way we wash our face'. The song is long enough to do the bottom and top twice and then rinse. He is so good now when it comes time to clean them.