When the pediatrician asked me if I was brushing my daughter’s teeth at her 12-month check up, I looked at her like she had two heads. She only had four teeth! But the doctor assured me that I should start getting her used to it and brush her gums, so I had my new task.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to get my daughter to let me brush her teeth, so I started by letting her watch me brush my teeth. When she started becoming interested in what I was doing, I introduced her to Raffi’s “Brush Your Teeth”
Next, I put a little Earth’s Best Organic Toddler Toothpaste (in strawberry banana) on a toothbrush and let her taste it. She immediately accepted the taste and let me put the brush in her mouth and move it around while I sang, “Ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch…” Beginner’s luck.
We worked at our new chore everyday, and what started as not much brushing and plenty of screaming has slowly developed to a few seconds of actual brushing. She thinks it is a little game; I brush her teeth while singing, and when I am done she brushes her teeth while I sing, finally “all done” and off to play. It’s a process, but we are making progress, and I know I have Raffi to thank for his ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch…
Lyrics to Raffi’s “Brush Your Teeth”
If you get up in the morning at a quarter to one
and you want to have a little fun,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch….
If you get up in the morning at a quarter to two
and you want to find something to do,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch….
If you get up in the morning at a quarter to three
and you want to hum a tweedle dee dee,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch….
If you get up in the morning at a quarter to four
and you think you hear a knock at the door,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch….
If you get up in the morning at a quarter to five
and you just can’t wait to come alive,
You brush your teeth ch ch ch ch, ch ch ch ch….
First, I have a story about the Raffi song. When I was a kid I had that Raffi tape, and we listened to it all the time in the car. I particularly remember a cross country trip from Florida to Coloado and Wyoming to visit family and see Yellowstone. My Mom, Dad and I are cruising along the interstate, listening to the Brush Your Teeth song and making a tooth brushing motion during the “ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch” parts. We must have looked so crazy.
On a more serious note, when I was at the dentist yesterday, I asked the hygienist how soon I needed to think about taking my son (now almost four months old) to the dentist. She said he needs to be able to sit in the chair without being upset, and suggested 3 or 4 years old as a good age to start. She said for the first few visits it’s all about having fun (riding up and down in the chair) and getting comfortable with the dentist’s office. The advice she gave that I found most interesting, however, was about brushing his teeth. She recommended starting to brush his teeth as soon as they come in, and to continue helping him brush until age 7 or 8! That’s about the age when they are really able to do a thorough enough job. She also recommended flossing his teeth as much as he would tolerate to help instill good habits. I would never have thought to assist with tooth brushing for seven years, so I’m really glad I asked!