How can I get my 2-year-old to cooperate when I brush her teeth?

Mommys Question: My 2-year-old screams, thrashes, and twists away every time I try to brush her teeth. How can I get her to cooperate? Expert Answers Penelope Leach, child psychologist The simple answer is "with difficulty"! Still, dental hygiene isn't something you can — or should — avoid for long. In fact, as your child gets more teeth and eats more foods (including sweets) that might get stuck between those teeth, regular brushing becomes increasingly important. Some tips: Since 2-year-olds love copying most everything their parents do, it's well worth it to make sure that one of those things is toothbrushing. Start by buying identically colored brushes for her and you. Next, sit with your child on the bathroom floor so she can see what you're doing with the toothbrush and try to mimic it. Use a cup for rinsing and a bowl or the bathtub for spitting; each time your child puts the brush in her mouth, she earns the right to spit (undoubtedly a 2-year-old's favorite part of the process!). Once your child is willing to put the toothbrush in her mouth, let her "brush" your teeth while you do a thorough job on hers. If the ploy doesn't work, though, don't push it. As you've already discovered, you can't force the toothbrush into your child's mouth without hurting or at least scaring her. Some other tricks: Let your child climb up on a footstool (with you behind her for safety) so she can see herself in the bathroom mirror. As she stares at the reflection of the two of you, point to and count her teeth and yours. Then touch each tooth with the brush "to give it its share of toothpaste." (Kids younger than 2 should not use fluoridated toothpaste, however.) Use whatever kids' toothpaste she likes most — this may have more to do with what's on the tube than in it. No matter what kind she chooses, though, be careful to use only a tiny dab and store it in a place where she can't help herself. It may also help to name each tooth as you attend to it so she's persuaded that no single tooth should be left out. This will appeal to her sense of justice and help keep her mouth open when boredom looms. No matter how you tackle toothbrushing, don't assume that it'll be easy — and don't expect perfection. Few 2-year-olds are consistently cooperative about getting their teeth brushed. What's more, even if your child becomes positively enthusiastic about dental care and brushes her teeth with gusto, she lacks the manual dexterity to do a thorough job. Match her tooth-cleaning attempts with thorough cleansing of your own.