Brushing teeth

[Ezz]

DS is just cutting his first two teeth (poor little guy ). Anyway - when do I need to start brushing them? How do I brush them? (with a brush? one of those finger brushes? toothpaste?)

[Janie]

Ezz, you can clean them with either a wet face washer, or a baby toothbrush. Kids should not use toothpaste until they can well and truly spit out (ie not for a long time yet!).

Just make it a fun thing, and maybe let him have a go when you're brushing your teeth, so he copies you. Remember though that parents should brush their kids teeth at least once a day until they are about 6 or 7.

[MantaRay]

Ezz, you will hear different answers to this question. I would start brushing as soon as you can see them, using a child's toothbrush (Colgate have good ones for kids). The kid's toothpastes say they are ok to use at any age I think, but I didn't bother with toothpaste until Jack was nearly two, and a bit eariler with Tom as the taste made it easier to brush his teeth. If you have fluroide in your water, I would delay until 2, here we don't have it so that is their only flouride.

The mechanics of brushing is more important than the toothpaste until about 2, make sure you brush every surface of every tooth - and GL, it's not always easy to do. When they are really young I have found it easiest to do while they are lying down, such as after a nappy change.

[Olive]

its great to introduce a brush early. but definaltly no paste at this stage, just let him chew on it!!!

ETA snap sez!!

[Janie]

MR, the mechanics are actually always more important than the paste! Those of us with fluoride don't need toothpaste at all!

[Beach Mama]

We started straight away and we give her her brush in the bath to do herself with lots of encouragement and then we finish up for her!! I have heard no paste til they can spit it out on command rather than swallowing!!!

[aussienic]

i always gave a toothbrush at night before bed.. Part of nightly routine.. I bought one of those "first toothbrush" thingos.. I started giving a drop of paste around 12 or 18 months..

[MantaRay]

Thanks Janie . Tan, dentists here say swallowing it doesn't hurt as they don't get flouride from other sources. I'm still a bit iffy about it though!

[Jac]

What about when your child carries on and refuses to co-operate with this task ? We try to make it fun but my 13mth old terror clamps his mouth shut when I try to brush and will start to cry if I persist. He is happy to chew on it himself and play with the brush but I'm worried that his teeth are not getting brushed at all. He has 8 big (dirty!) teeth. Should I leave it and continue to be gentle and fun (without really brushing) or force it a bit and put up with him resisting? I am worrired that he will have negative associations with teeth brushing OR have unbrushed teeth!!!.