Typically, this is something you don't want out of a child. My 4 1/2 yr old has been brushing his own teeth for about a year. The problem is that I can't convey to him to spit out the toothpaste. I model and explain and still he just swallows. Suggestions very welcome.
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Interesting problem. If it were my son, I would try with water. Take a mouthful, swish around, spit. Repeat. Try to make a game out of it. See if he can hit a cup in the sink or something. If this works, move onto toothpaste. Do the exact same thing. Take a mouthful of water, swish, spit. |
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Perhaps demonstrating it for him as well might help, aside from what Jeffrey said. |
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If your child is pretty good with competition (this won't work with kids who are sensitive about not winning things or who don't want to participate in competition) Have a spitting contest. I know, as you said, "not a behavior you really want most of the time" BUT there are times for it - you've found one. Practice spitting watermelon seeds and things that do NOT taste good like his toothpaste probably does (explain this behavior is only for really special times like in the bathroom and adult condoned spitting contests). Have a family contest in the backyard. Then, when you know he CAN spit (because now he has gotten help from you, siblings neighbors etc and shown you he's pretty good at it right?), you can use water swishing to help him have enough "stuff" to spit when brushing his teeth - just don't use so much you negate any effects of ongoing protection. You might also try making a game out of it like, how long can you brush without swallowing OR spitting? Brush together and see who "wins". If you aren't having a contest, just encourage him to spit more often than you would yourself, use an egg timer to have him spit every 30 seconds or so. . . Make it fun and silly, he'll laugh, you'll laugh and maybe he'll get it. |
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My son has recently started doing this all by his own, just because we did it (in a typical 3yo way he did it way too often). Children under 7 should only be using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to minimise swallowing, so I wouldn't worry, I'm sure they will adjust in their own time. Brush your teeth together, and just keep encouraging them every time you do it. |
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My son does this, or on occasion he puts his head over the sink and opens his mouth watching the water just fall out, same effect but different concept. Although you could practice outside, or in the bathroom sink, with a cup of water and do more "modeling". I think the whole swallowing reason is why children's toothpaste, at least in the US, is made to be swallowed since young kids don't always grasp the concept. |
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