teeth

Right now, I try to wipe their gums with a wet papertowel after they eat but dd is cutting 2 teeth so I was wondering when and how I am suppose to start brushing them. Thanks.

 

I use the Gerber tooth and gum cleanser that comes with a finger "tooth brush". Its really easy you just put the toothpaste on the brush and rub it around their gums and teeth and it is safe for them to swallow. I brush their teeth right after breakfast and right before bed.

 

I am going to see my dentist for myself this week, I will ask!

 

As soon as they have teeth, you should start brushing! You can also just use a wash cloth with a little of the baby toothpaste, which is sometimes easier when they are young!

 

I did washcloth brushing before they even had teeth at the pediatrician's suggestion. She told me that the earlier you get them used to letting you do this the better and they'll probably like having their gums rubbed while they're teething.

They don't mind having their teeth brushed now so maybe it worked.

ETA: We switched from the washcloth to a baby toothbrush once they had more than 4 teeth and they loved it!

 

i started when they got teeth. i used the finger brush first...but now use a regular baby toothbrush. they don't seem to mind. the pedi said you could use a washcloth, but they would never let me stick that in their mouth! :icon_eek: i don't think they love the toothpaste stuff though. i usually do it before bed.

 

At my girls 1 yr appointment, they both had their bottom teeth coming in. The ped told us to start brushing. We bought them the baby toothbrushes which are very soft and the non-flouride toothpaste that is safe for them to swallow. To this day, they LOVE brush brush time and can even do it themselves. I think the bristles feel good on their gums

 

Thanks for all the responses. Now here's another question, if they get a bottle before bed to make them sleepy, do you brush the teeth before or after the bottle? I am thinking it should be after but then it will probably wake them up and defeat the purpose of the bottle, no?

 

You are supposed to start before they even get teeth, but we didn't get serious about it until they had 4 teeth each.

ETA: Just saw your follow-up question. Yes, it doesn't do much good unless you brush after the bottle. But think of it this way -- it's an opportunity to shift your bedtime routine so that having the bottle isn't the very last thing -- which will be helpful when you get to the point of wanting to give up that bottle! If you need to do something to make them sleepy just before putting them down, you can switch it to something like reading stories, rubbing their backs, etc.

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Aug 27 2007, 06:52 PM) [snapback]382470[/snapback]
ETA: Just saw your follow-up question. Yes, it doesn't do much good unless you brush after the bottle. But think of it this way -- it's an opportunity to shift your bedtime routine so that having the bottle isn't the very last thing -- which will be helpful when you get to the point of wanting to give up that bottle! If you need to do something to make them sleepy just before putting them down, you can switch it to something like reading stories, rubbing their backs, etc.


I totally agree with this. However, I do admit that for a while we brushed their teeth and then gave them the bottle which I know in some ways defeated the purpose but at least their teeth were a lot cleaner then when we didn't do it at all. It just so happens that it was because of the tooth brushing that we decided to get rid of that before bed bottle first. My girls are big water drinkers so we give them water now before they sleep. Sometimes they take a couple of sips, sometimes not but I feel much much better knowing that they are going to sleep with completely clean teeth.

 

I started brushing once she had two teeth showing (just Lauren since Emma just popped #2 recently). We used to do bottle, stories and then bed so once we had to do teeth too I would do bottle, stories, teeth and then bed. Of course there were nights I forgot but I do after a.m. nap and before bed nearly everyday.

 

I've always heard that you "brush" from day 1 by wiping their gums, so when they get teeth, you just switch to brushing!