Cleaning Teeth?

When do you start to clean your babies teeth?? And how did you do it!!!

Some people start as soon as the first tooth appears but in all honesty I didn't start until mackenzie was about 1. I just used water with a brush at first until she was old enough to understand to drink to get rid of the toothpaste (even now at 2.5 its a struggle to get her to spit the water out ie rinse - it just turns into a big joke when shes really drinking). I also don't make a big deal out of it when she just sucks the toothpaste off her brush as she goes thru phases where she will brush really well and then a few days later it will be back to just a quick scrub of the fangs! I also started getting her use to a toothbrush when she was in the bath - just to get use to putting it in her mouth etc when she was about 9 months old.

I started when the first tooth appeared mainly just to get the whole routine rolling. My DD has hyper-plasia where her teeth (her front top and bottom ones, 4 in total) are missing some of the enamel and are brown, it looks like they are rotten but they aren't. The dentist recommended I put toothpaste on her teeth after brushing too to help with the hyper-playsia. Anyway, my point is that it seems to be new that it's not really necessary for kids to spit toothpaste out, apparantly it is better for their teeth if they don't. I have always encouraged them to spit (harder than it sounds!!) but I always get some water and kinda rinse it out for them.

Thanks heaps!! Some good ideas. I like the toothbrush in the bath idea, will be going out today to buy a kiddy toothbrush!!

we introduced a toothbrush at around 9 months for play and clean his teeth in the bath. oscar is obsessed with electric toothbrushes and is always cleaning his teeth. actually he might do it up to 4-6 times a day as each of us clean our teeth he has to too.
beckles

Stewart is nearly 6months and I clean his single tooth with a face washer in the bath. I think it is good to introduce it early and so long as there is a tooth in there and they eat and drink it gets dirty. So that's what I do.

I started when the first tooth appeared. (when I remembered) and I just wiped out thier mouth when in the bath.

then I bought them a baby tooth brush when they started solids and then around 1 I bought the baby toothpaste

I don't think it matters too much, the way everyone else has done it sounds fine. We used an infant toothbrush (hard to describe, sort of has bumps on it instead of bristles) from the first tooth. You don't actually clean their teeth with it, they more chew on it and get used to the idea. Our dentist recommended from around 1 year to use a toothbrush without toothpaste as it's the mechanics (ie the brushing itself) that does the job at that age. Just to take care that each surface was brushed. Then when Jack saw the dentist at just under 2, she said he could start using the Colgate first toothpaste. She said to encourage him to spit, but like pp said, it's ok if he swallows some, in fact it gives him some fluroide (we don't have it in the water here) so is kind of good. His teeth were really good when they were checked so I will do the same thing with Tom.

Definitely a good idea to start cleaning any teeth as soon as they come through.

Using a face washer is fine, or some other soft cloth, but if you prefer you can get started straight away with an infant brush. Definitely don't need toothpaste at this age. Whatever you use, or however old your child is, make it a fun time so that they (hopefully!) become obsessed with it like Oscar LOL! And you should be at least 'helping' your child brush (ie you brush first, then them or vice versa) until the age of 7 or 8, they just won't do a good enough job before that! We can definitely tell the difference between those kids who have help, and those who don't.

If you live in an area with fluoridated water, it's important to get your kids to spit. If they ingest too much fluoride it's not great for their teeth (yes there is such a thing as too much).

My friend went to the Dr the other day and asked. Her son is 15 months and she was told it's not so important AS LONG AS they are drinking tap water. They're getting the necessary calcium that way. I have now started coco on tap water and havent brushed her teeth in ages. Same happened with tilly and she has fine teeth (good according to dentist), she still is a struggle to get to clean her teeth!! xo

We started brushing Cooper's teeth as soon as they appeared. First with a washer in the bath but we now have a Colgate Baby Toothbrush. After his bath we sit him up on the basin area in front of the mirror to brush his teeth. He loves seeing us brush his teeth! We just wet the toothbrush.