Brushing teeth

[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!!!.