How to Teach Your Toddler to Brush Their Own Teeth

How to Teach Your Toddler to Brush Their Own Teeth

My son just went for his first ‘real’ cleaning. Like they brushed, washed with the water hose, used the metal pick. The whole shebang. And I have to say, I am super proud of how he handled it. There were no tears or meltdowns, just curiosity.

It got me thinking about how much effort we put into preparing him for that exact situation. Today I’m going to share the exact steps we took to teach our toddler to brush his teeth.

Start Early

Our pediatrician recommended brushing as soon as your baby has teeth. I don’t know about you, but that felt super early to me. However, it does make sense. If there is a tooth, it should be brushed, even if there aren’t enough teeth to get food stuck between yet. 

We started with a super soft children’s toothbrush without any toothpaste at first. I let my son hold it, wave it around, and get used to it. Once he was familiar with it, I would mimic brushing my own teeth. This usually got a few giggles out of him.

After that, we started letting him put it in his mouth. When babies are teething, they usually like the feel of something against their gums, so this really wasn’t that hard. At first, I just wiggled the toothbrush back and forth on his gums a few times. 

This became part of our nighttime routine, just like bathing and reading a book. By making it a part of your child’s routine, they come to expect that brushing teeth is normal. 

Be Patient

If your child is currently teething, they may not want you poking around in their mouth. They may not like the taste of the toothpaste. They may want to do it themselves. Be patient and remember that this is all new territory for them and you. 

This is not an overnight process. Think about it: If your baby starts teething at 6 months old, you’re going to mostly be brushing their teeth for them for the next two years. Even at three, I still have to check behind my son, and I expect that I will for a while. More on that below. 

We now have him brush in the morning after breakfast and again at night before bed. He flosses at the end of the day as well. This took time before he could remember what was expected each day. Remember to be positive and make it a fun experience. 

Welcome the Mess

Teaching a kid to spit in the sink is not for the weak. His mirror is constantly covered in little spit stains. There are blue globs in the actual sink, and he wipes half the mess on his sleeves instead of using a towel. 

This is all a part of the learning process, and it is actually a good sign. Children learn through play and through trial and error. Keep allowing your kiddo to practice and remember that the mess will not always be there. 

Foster Independence

Give your toddler a chance to do it herself by setting her up for success. We got a little stool for my son’s bathroom that allows him to both sit on the potty by himself and stand at the counter to brush his teeth. That way, he can actually rinse his own toothbrush and see himself when he flosses. 

After turning three, I also taught him to squeeze his own toothpaste onto the brush. We’ve had some messy experiences, but he is learning to hone those fine motor skills. 

Use What Works

If you kid is super into Paw Patrol, buy the Paw Patrol Toothbrush. If they’re into Batman, get the Batman toothpaste. 

Use floss picks to help them understand flossing. We use these ones and they’ve worked great. Once your child is older and has more fine motor control, you can move on to string floss. 

Check Behind Them

Once your child is brushing their own teeth, it is still important to check behind them. This is because they are still learning and can be forgetful or less than thorough.

I wanted to make sure my son didn’t feel like I was correcting his work, so I usually start off flossing and then hand it to him to finish up. I also do a thorough brush before giving him the toothbrush to do it himself. I feel like this allows him to feel more in control.

One day, you’ll realize that your kiddo is doing their whole toothbrushing routine by themselves and you’ll be able to marvel at how far they’ve come. You’ve got this, mama!

Tips for Brushing

Your kiddo may be resistant to you shoving a foreign object in their mouth in the name of cleaning. To make it a little easier, try to reduce friction wherever you can. Below are some ideas to make brushing their teeth more fun.

Try Singing Songs

There are a ton of fun brushing teeth songs on the internet. Find a song that resonates with your child, or even make one up!

Let Them Explore

Let your toddler carry the toothbrush around with him before you start trying to brush. Have her Explore the toothbrush with her fingers or squeeze the paste out — just be prepared for messes! Your child will learn to associate brushing teeth with a fun (and safe) time.

Make it Normal

Brush your teeth when your toddler is around. Have them brush your teeth before they start brushing their own.

Read Books About Brushing Teeth

Books are a great way to introduce concepts to little ones. Here are three great books on brushing teeth!

• Brush your Teeth Please
• Daniel Goes to the Dentist
• Help the Lion Brush His Teeth!

At the Dentist

The dentist can be a scary and overwhelming experience for a tiny human. Make it a little easier by talking about the trip to the dentist in advance. Talk about how great it is to take care of our bodies, including our teeth. Discuss over dinner or during teeth brushing what we use our teeth for and what a dentist’s job is. 

If possible, let him come with you to your own dentist appointment to see what it is like. My (adult) dentist was fantastic and even let him safely check out the cleaning tools so he could see exactly what they were going to be using. 

While at your child’s dentist, be sure to stay with them the entire time and to continuously encourage them. If your child has a less than stellar experience, talk to them about it afterwards. The women at my son’s dentist are amazingly kind and so friendly. They make him feel at ease and that experience is invaluable for him. 

Because of these experiences, I believe my son was prepared and unafraid of going to the dentist. You may have to shop around for a pediatric dentist that meshes well with your child, and that is totally fine.

Teaching your child to brush their own teeth is a long journey. At three, my son is just now regularly brushing on his own. He knows his routine, and now we are working on being tidy while we go through that routine. 

What are some struggles you’ve had with teaching your toddler to brush their teeth? Let me know in the comments below!