Friday, April 11, 2008

Boys hate to brush teeth!


Is it true or not?

I think it is. A friend shared this story with me. It's a true story.

She was on vacation with another couple and their son in China and they were staying with some friends. Their friends could only take 2, so she and the boy bunked in with them, whilst the couple went to stay in a hotel nearby. Her friend told her to remind her son to brush his teeth every morning and every night. She, at first thought that her friend was the so-kiasu and kiasi mum that would pamper and remind the son to do things. To her horrors, she noted that the boy, though 14 years of age, would not brush his teeth if he wasnt told to do so!! And even when told, would do so reluctantly.

I am facing the same problems. My son, N, hates to brush his teeth! I have to remind him to brush his teeth everynight. If not, it would not be done. And even if I do remind him, he still doesnt do it sometimes. I end up having to check his toothbrush to find out if he had indeed brushed his teeth!! Ewwww!

Sometimes, when I am too lazy, I dont check. Or when I dont want a showdown, I just let it pass even if I know he hasnt brushed. Recently, I discovered that he doesnt brush before school. So (if I wake up early) I will haul him back to the bathroom after breakfast to brush! Coz it means that if I do not haul him back, he doesnt brush in the morning and at night, he may not even brush his teeth for days!! Double Eeewwww!

Why are boys like that? The dentist did tell him that he has very nice teeth, and that he needed to brush well. She also told him that he probably would not need to go thru what his sister did (mass extraction of teeth under sedation/GA) coz his teeth are growing very nicely in his mouth. Yes, his mouth seems to have the space to accomodate all his teeth. It would really be a shame if he has none in there from not brushing!!

Any ideas on how to remedy this problem? Short of me standing by the sink everyday, I really dont know what to do. You would think that at 8, he would be responsible enough to want to brush and smell good. Or do I have to wait until girls feature in his life before I can stop nagging him??

6 comments:

iml said...

Phew!!! what a relief and I thought I was the only one having this unspeakable problem!! What's wrong with boys????

bp said...

Hahaha! Maybe girls in the picture will help!

So it's a boy thing! Phew! My two boys also have to be reminded day and night, and also have no qualms leaving the house with teeth unbrushed! Eeewww, as you said!

How ah? I also don't like to nag and nag them to brush and brush!

Yan said...

Just the opposite, my boy loves brushing teeth from young. He said that his biggest "assets" to show off are his "white teeth". When we go shopping, his interest is always attracted to tooth-care sections!

He really does have nice teeth to be proud of. Take a peep here, if you don't mind me "selling" here :)

yantouch.wordpress.com/2005/12/23/who-is-jesus/

Probably getting the boy to choose his own tooth brush, tooth brush etc?

stay-at-home mum said...

Hmmm - looks like it is definitely a boys thingey! Guess we just have to put up with bad breath until a girl features in their life!
Yan's son must be the only exception.
Yan - my son does choose his own toothbrush. But toothpaste is dictated by the dentist!

NomadicMom said...

for a while, my boys were also lazy to brush their teeth. Donno what happened, now they brush quite diligently and refuse to use their Kid's toothpaste, and insisting that they use COLGATE withe the 24 hour protection. Must be a scary movie that they watch or what?

stay-at-home mum said...

Hi Nomadicmom
My children also use the Colgate 12 toothpaste. Please, please tell me which scary movie. I will go get it at once!!