We are all told how important it is to teach the children in our care how to brush their teeth.

Most children do not have the manual dexterity to do a good job brushing their own teeth until they are about 8 years old.  Other children may need help for longer. So parents and carers have the job of brushing teeth for others.

Often children will object to having their teeth brushed and it becomes a battle…..

So lets look at some of the reasons why some children (and adults) do not like tooth brushing by others

• Lack of control

Ask yourself….how would you like someone coming close to your face brandishing an implement and shoving it in your mouth? Now …if the other person is much bigger and stronger than you (and maybe feeling stressed at the idea of the battle to come) …that’s a scary prospect. No wonder children are not keen!

• Sensation

Oral sensitivity can make brushing almost painful for some people. Small and pre-verbal children cannot tell you this in detail so they may just cry.  Others may have a powerful gag reflex. Every human on earth will try to avoid pain, so the child will not want to brush.

• Taste

Toothpaste is often mint flavoured.  This can be very strong for some children (and adults) and can feel like a burning sensation.

So what do you do?

We all know that prevention is better than cure, and if toothbrushing is difficult for someone, a visit to the dentist will be even more of a challenge if they develop a problem.

Unfortunately then, we can’t just give up on brushing.

The purpose of tooth brushing is to remove plaque.

Removing the plaque twice a day prevents the plaque getting thick enough to cause problems which will need dental treatment.

What can help?

If the problem is lack of control and/or oral sensitivity, start by modelling the tooth brushing on yourself….if your child sees that it’s not a problem for you, it’ll be easier for them to accept.

The child can touch their own teeth with their finger first, then maybe touch yours.

Next get the child to touch the front tooth with something small – like a cotton bud – and wipe the surface of the tooth in circles. Then you can wipe the outside of the tooth too.

Gradually work up to super soft and very small toothbrushes like the mini tufted brushes for cleaning small spaces. Eventually you can work up to regular sized child’s brushes.  It may take some time, but it is really worth it.

Allowing the child to start the process each time themselves can be very empowering to them and gives them a sense of accomplishment, no matter how young!

If taste is the issue – switch to a tasteless toothpaste such as Oranurse, or don’t use any toothpaste – you can remove plaque without it.

Toothbrushing can be a battle field, but it doesn’t have to be!