brushing teeth

United States
April 20, 2009 2:02pm CST
how do you get a 10 year old to brush his teeth i took my 10 year old to the denist and they yelled because he refuses to brush his teeth they told me if i have to hold him down and brush them but how can you hold down a 10 year old and brush his teeth its easier said than done.
1 person likes this
5 responses
• United States
20 Apr 09
It is not that hard, you make your ten year old bathe, so you can do this also. You will have to watch it happen, and if he refuses then start taking away the things he values most. Explain to him that he takes his teeth and toys for granted, it will take years for his teeth to rot out but you can take his toys away now. The only way to get them back is to take care of his teeth by brushing at least every morning and night. I would take one item away every moring that he does not brush and every night that he does not brush, put a peice of masking tape on it with the date he gets it back (say in 3 days, more if he continues to not brush his teeth) You may need to clean out your closet for all of the neat toys you will be taking from him, but I think that if you do this and stick with it, he will soon get the point. You will have to watch him though for at least a few weeks and after that you will need to check his toothbrush to make sure it is being used, kids lie about things if they are going to loose a privalage. I remember when I was little I lied about brushing my teeth because I wanted to go swimming and did not want to brush my teeth. Mom asked and I lied, I did not get to go swimming that day but my sisters did. I did not lie about it again.
• United States
20 Apr 09
Why not punish him for NOT brushing his teeth?
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Apr 09
my son don't care if he gets punished hes been punished plenty and he just dont care he has adhd,odd and bipolar so no matter what punishment you give him he don't care thats the big problem.
2 people like this
• United States
20 Apr 09
Have you tried any of the musical or light up tooth bruhes including various other power brushes. Maybe some peer pressure would work if he has a sibling or whomever mention how yellow his teeth are? Maybe pics of what his teeth will look like? Or like Okki... said start taking things away & I'd especially ban things that aren't good for teeth as an additional preventative. Say he wants some of his Easter candy, well he's not getting it unless he brushes his teeth ect...
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Apr 09
Maybe have sit next to you by the computer, while you pull up some pictures of what happens to people's teeth who don't brush'em. That's just an idea off the top of my head. Honestly, I don't have this problem. If anything, I believe in leading by example. Let my kids see me brush my teeth, but not say look at me, look what I'm doing. How can I tell them to do something if I don't do it myself, not saying that you don't brush your teeth. Another idea that just popped up, I remember I went out and bought some cartoon character batterey toothbrushes. They got all hyped about using'em to brush their teeth.
@wirnen (67)
• South Africa
20 Apr 09
try to buy him a really good tasting toothpast or say he can have a reward or something every time he brushes his teeth.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Apr 09
i tryed that and it didnt work out the way i hoped it would , its always a fight to get him to brush his teeth
1 person likes this