Monday, September 25, 2006

The brushing of tiny teeth

Apparently you're supposed to brush your kids' teeth as soon as they start appearing, and this post in Blogging Baby tells you the recommended way to do so.

The Little Madam's teeth-cleaning procedure consists of chewing on the bristles of her little duck-decorated toothbrush, then chucking it overboard in favour of a little plastic cup which she uses to empty bathwater out onto the kitchen floor.

I've tried brushing her teeth for her. I've tried and tried and tried. But TLM just will not let me get the toothbrush anywhere near her mouth. It's much like how she reacts to the sight of a spoonful of food.

Hopefully TLM's brush-chewing action is enough to remove any food that might be stuck to those little incisors (of which there are now five), because even though milk teeth are going to fall out anyway, what kind of mother would I be to allow her daughter to grow black toothlets?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I happened upon a good technique when I was researching how to brush "lil Worm's" teeth. The technique is to act like brushing teeth is the absolute greatest goddamn thing in the whole world. I'm at the point now where I'm clapping my hands and jumping up and down before we race off to the bathroom together.

Works like a charm. I've learned it's ALL about the approach.

Amanda said...

Hahaha...sorry, that was just me laughing at the very idea of my daughter consenting to stand still and have her teeth brushed as in the photo of Baby blogging site.

I did find one technique that worked for a bit. I'd sing a "Brush your teeth" song and she would agree to brush her teeth on the condition that I stopped.

Unknown said...

I once brushed my cat's teeth.

I say teeth, but it was more like tooth. I got the first one done and then I fled the room, bleeding heavily from the face and hands.

Rainypete said...

Our little guy doesn't have a problem letting a brush into his mouth, but it doesn't get in without getting gnawed on.

Violet said...

wormbrain: when we first got the toothbrush for TLM, one of us would demonstrate with our own toothbrush so's she could copy us. Then we got lazy. I'm thinking it's time to start doing the brushing demos again...

mtnw: it certainly wouldn't work for us, 'cos TLM isn't standing on her own yet. So how does the toothbrush song go? Not that your technique would necessarily work on TLM, since she's become quite de-sensitised to the sound of my singing voice.

Beth: I used to have perfectly straight teeth. Then they fell out and my adult teeth came up all crooked :-)

gary james: you tried to brush your cat's teeth? What insanity! But you've obviously learned from your experience...

rainypete: I think gnawing is unavoidable.

Amanda said...

It goes "Brush your teeth, little [child's name] brush your teeth. Brush your teeth..."NO MUMMY! DON'T SING! Thats pretty much it really.