Brushing Teeth

Amanda - posted on 09/08/2011

We have been brushing our sons teeth since he had them which was around 5 months old. We started with the finger tooth brush and moved on to the toddle brush now. We go through it step by step ( open, top, bottom, side, big smiles, and tongue) so that he is involved and learning to do it himself. I brush for him and let him rinse. he asks to brush his teeth now. I brush his teeth and while he rinses I brush my teeth.

Myra - posted on 08/24/2011

i started brushing my daughter's teeth from the day she got her first one, i used the finger toothbrush and Glicerine, now she is two I would brush her teeth using my thumb to make it easier to guide the toothbrush and use flouride toothpaste which doesnt have to be rinsed which will protect the teeth, you can also do it with him/her. There are loads of baby toothpaste and tooth bruhes, by oral B, colgate, aquafresh, you have options

Michelle - posted on 10/20/2010

We brush after breakfast, after lunch, and during bathtime at night. I brush her teeth with a baby toothbrush and fluoride-free toothpaste (safe to swallow), then give her the toothbrush, and she "brushes" her teeth as well :-) She has 8 right now, all the front top and bottom ones.

Morgan - posted on 10/18/2010

i've been brushing my baby's teeth w/ a small child's toothbrush and water since she got her first tooth! i'm not sure on the toothpaste thing yet....her pediatrician didnt really mention anything about it, but as soon as we find her a good dentist then i'm sure we'll start with the toothpaste...to get her to hold still...idk, i've been brushing her lower teeth for a while so she's pretty good at holding still...for the upper teeth i found that if i stand behind her and hold her lip up she'll let me brush her teeth...that's what works for us

Cassie - posted on 10/17/2010

I started brushing her gums before she even had teeth and once they came in i brush them every morning and night!

Kris - posted on 09/27/2010

Yes, they have baby toothpaste and toothbrushes. It doesn't have fluoride as this can be dangerous to babies. I started trialing and she wanted to do it. I ended up buying two toothbrushes, one for her to hold and chew on and the other I try and brush in between her breaks. She takes it in the tub with her and everything. I don't get them all brushed but I figure she's getting the idea of AM and PM brushing.

Gloria - posted on 09/27/2010

My baby is 1year and 1 month old and she loves brushing, even if the teeth are just 8 in number lol, she uses the A. B. C MILK TEETH PASTE, and a little brush that suit her teeth. she want you to apply it and give to her and she holds it for a very long time until you get it away from her.but my son is 4 years and hate brushing you have to force him to brush his teeth. please what do i do?

Kris - posted on 09/11/2010

We do every night at bath time. Had to buy two toothbrushes: one she can hold and chew on and one that I actually use to brush with baby toothpaste. Depending on her mood, sometimes its thorough, sometimes not but at least she's getting used to the idea.

Krissy - posted on 09/10/2010

Heyah :), My son kinda brushes his own teeth, I jump in & help till he gets annoyed wth me.
I was given a baby toothbrush & toothpaste by my Plunket nurse.he just turned 1 :)

Joy - posted on 09/09/2010

We've been brushing teeth since she was about 4 months old. We have both a toddle toothbrush & toddler (no flouride) toothpaste. However, after the first tube of toothpaste ran out and we got the 2nd one, she's become more resistant to using the toothpaste so we're using just water now. She has 8 teeth (and more on the way based on her teething atm.) We have a 1st dentist appt set for next June.

Quiuana - posted on 09/09/2010

We just started brushing this past Sunday. Aiden (my 1yr old) is too busy eating the toothpaste and sticking his fingers in the brissels of the toothbrush. He gets independent every now and then and decides that he wants to do it himself and you should see his face afterwards.

Michelle - posted on 09/09/2010

We started when he was onths old-even when he was all gums. Just to get the days residue off. He now has 4 teeth. I start with my doing it all- very quickly and with a natural flouride free toothpaste. Then I give him the toothbrush and he does it for awhile. He loves it!

Nicole - posted on 09/08/2010

i have been brushing my babies teethe since she was eight months. before i bath her i let her lay down and then i brush her teeth. you get the kiddies tooth brush and toothpaste and you get tooth brush for babies which you can get from any baby shop

MEGAN - posted on 09/08/2010

I HAVE BEEN BRUSHING SENSE MY LIL ONE WAS LIKE A MONTH OLD. COLGATE MAKES A THING THAT SLIDES OVER YOUR FINGER. WORKED WONDERS! NOW WE ARE ON TO A TOOTHBRUSH. WE BRUSH EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT. MY LIL ONE LOVES IT!

Roxanne - posted on 09/08/2010

We have an awesome thing called Bennetts toothies- they are baby tooth wipes. They are apple flavoured and have xylitol in to help clean teeth and gums you just rub it up and down their litlle gums and teeth. (I dunno if you can get that where you are) Also they make different types of baby tooth brushes- ones you can put over your finger tip and then ones they can actually hold. And there are all sorts of baby tooth paste.

Natalia - posted on 09/08/2010

My baby doesnt like anyone touching her mouth lol, so i found this product, its a first baby tooth brush which she just loves! because also it soothes teething, and brushes her teeth at the same time!
here is the link. Eventually we will have to move to a toothbrush for toddlers but for now, this is great, and she also is a year old

http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?SK...

Chantelle - posted on 09/07/2010

You can buy baby toothbrushes and the toothpaste at any woolies, coles etc...I've been trying to brush my daughters teeth since they came through and shed rather chew on the toothbrush herself and eat the toothpaste. My midwife said to no even bother with the toothpaste until they get a bit older.

Emma - posted on 09/07/2010

I started brushing Tiffany's teeth as soon as she got one. i don't use toothpaste yet because there is no need. If she see's me brush my teeth then she will let me brush her's.

Janelle - posted on 09/07/2010

Wow i am surprised by all of the comments.. I have been cleaning my babies mouth out since birth. I started with a washcloth then moved to a finger brush with training toothpaste and now that he is 1 he has a big boy tooth brush. We always made a game out of cleaning his teeth. He has 7 teeth now and counting and we do it 2x a day like we do ours..We make silly sounds and make it fun for him and it has never been an issue. My son is one of the hardest babies to keep still but he loves brushing his teeth because its fun time when its time for teeth brushing. I don't hold him down/force him to brush his teeth. There is no need to do things that way. I can see why people have such a hard time. The earlier you do things with your little ones the easier it is on everyone. You can go in any grocery store/pharmacy/babies r us and by a training tooth brush/w the training tooth paste. Eventually it will become second nature to him because it will be part of your routine on a daily basis. I have done that with all my children and it has worked out well for all of them, even though they are all different :-) Good luck

Jennifer - posted on 09/06/2010

I have been brushing since about 2 months old. I started out with the orajel tooth and gum cleanser set, and it comes with a gum cleanser thats really soft and easy on their gums. I used that until she got 2 teeth, then we switched to a baby toothbrush. We are still using the orajel baby toothpaste, and she loves it!!! I don't have to fight her or hold her down, she absolutely loves having her teeth brushed! We brush twice a day(am and night) and, I make it a point to brush my teeth when we do hers, so that she sees mommy doing it also. I don't know what I did to make her like it so much, but from day 1 I have never had to wrestle her to brush her teeth!

Alexis - posted on 09/05/2010

I have been brushing my lil guys teeth since he got his first one. I started with a finger brush and baby toothpaste, but he started biting my finger about a month ago so I got a child size tooth brush. I do it during bath time. He likes the flavor of the toothpaste and after a couple of days of telling him no bite I can actually brush his teeth. In fact he tries to do it himself now too, but then just ends up sucking on the toothbrush to get all the toothpaste off of it. LOL

Rachel - posted on 09/05/2010

have been for a while now since my son has 8 teeth lol

Sarah - posted on 09/05/2010

I've been brushing my son's teeth since he was 2-3 mos. old. We do it every morning and now every night. I hold him in my arms and he opens his mouth and enjoys having his teeth brushed (after doing this for many months of struggling). I use baby toothpaste and a soft, rubber finger tooth brush. Doing it at a predictable time every day helps him, as does singing. I sing the same song to him every time. He happily accepts having his teeth brushed now :D

Claire - posted on 09/04/2010

I've brushed Grace's teeth since 4 months old and she has had 16 teeth since she was 11 months old...she only has the back molars to come thro so I make sure she only has water at bedtime (I brush her teeth in the bath just before bedtime and after breakfast). I'm also consicous of the fact that since she has loads of fruit and raisins as snacks (which contain alot of natural sugars) its important to brush them.
I usually end up pulling funny faces, making all sorts of sounds to distract her and giggle so i can give her teeth a really good brush, even brushing my own at the same time to encourage her to open her mouth. She has an old mangled toothbrush of hers that i give her to chew on whilst i do them with her new toothbrush.

Amy - posted on 09/03/2010

yes they have toothbrushes and toothpaste made just for toddlers. its safe for them to swallow the toothpaste.

Lisa - posted on 09/03/2010

I have started brushing my baby's teeth. I use the rubber toothbrush you can put on your finger with a little infant toothpaste and she just opens her mouth for me, and then I let her chew on it after I brush them a little. I don't worry too much about how long I do it right now, just getting her used to it. I've also used a child's toothbrush and she was fine with that too.

Areeba - posted on 09/03/2010

MY SON STARTED TEETHING AT 3 MONTHS AND NOW HE IS A YEAR OLD WITH ABOUT 10 TEETHS AND STILL COUNTING LOL. WE STARTED TO BRUSH HIS TEETH FROM 4 MONTHS ONWADS I WOULD USE A WET SOFT CLOTH OR RAG BEFORE JUST WITH WATER AND RUB INTO HIS GUMS BU THE TIME HE WAS 5 MONTHS I STARTED TO USE IT WITH THE TOOTH PASTER AND AT 8 MONTHS I MOVED ON TO THE BRUSH. HE LOVES IT THE SOONER YOU START THE EASIER IT GETS AS DEY GET OLDER.

Elena - posted on 09/02/2010

I've been brushing my sons for about a month now he has about 8 teeth. They sell finger brushes or regular ones in the tooth brush department and finger ones in the baby isle (at walmart) They sell baby flouride free tooth paste for little ones it has little bear or thomas the train. My son like to suck on it more then anything but atleast it's a start :)

Brittany - posted on 09/02/2010

I have been brushing her teeth and gums for bout 2 months.. I use Grins and Giggles for gerber it is a infant tooth and gum cleanser... it is fluoride free and safe to swallow... when we do brush her teeth we use the little thing that slips onto your finger and I like to sing her a song... she loves watching me brush my teeth and that is how I got her started.. good luck!!

Meridth - posted on 09/02/2010

I brush Uschi's teeth after every solids meal (three times a day) with baby/toddler toothpaste that's safe if she swallows it. She does, however, have a whopping 11 teeth, so I'm a bit paranoid about cavities.

Jennifer - posted on 09/02/2010

Yes we've been brushing Samuel's teeth. He has 8 teeth, at first I just used the toothbrush and water, but we went to the dentist today and they said to use the baby (fluoride free) toothpaste. He like brushing his teeth, he watches us brush and wants to brush too!!

Angela - posted on 09/02/2010

i always brush my teeth when it's her bath time... she started showing interest in that i was doing so i bought her a baby tooth brush to play with when i brushed mine. then i slowly started trying to brush her teeth with her brush and baby tooth paste before i gave it to her. the brushing its self doesn't last long at all but we're getting there.

Jenny - posted on 09/02/2010

Yes twice a day since her 1st tooth came thru. She loves to do it now too!

Tanya - posted on 08/31/2010

My son's dentist said to use a tiny dot of adult toothpaste instead of baby toothpaste and gave him a toothbrush when we went for his appointment. He showed me how to hold him with his head kind of in my armpit so I can do it even if he's fighting. I keep one of his arms tucked behind me and the other I hold with the arm I am holding him with.

Valeria - posted on 08/31/2010

We actually have a baby sonicare! She likes using it also. I am a hygienist and I have been brushing ever since she got teeth but only recently have we started using the sonicare brush.

Cassiday - posted on 08/30/2010

We let him "play" with the gum brush that came in our baby grooming kit as soon as he got his second tooth to get him used to the idea. Now eWe brush every night before bed. We got the fingertip brush and toothpaste pack (can't remember the brand off the top of my head),and he just loves it.

Diane - posted on 08/30/2010

Ummmmm no! LOL We have a baby tooth brush that came in a Safety 1st kit and she plays with it but try to get it away from her without her freaking right out.....goooooood luck. I do try to brush, just with water for a few seconds to let her get used to the feel of a toothbrush doing what they're meant to do. But I've only started doing this like 3 weeks ago. She's only had 2 bottom teeth and only now her top 2 are coming in.

Ali - posted on 08/29/2010

I brush my daughters teeth every night. yes she does have baby toothbrush and tooth paste. I didin't actually brush her teeth to start with i simply let her play with it so she got used to it and then i would actually brush them!

Kylie - posted on 08/29/2010

my son has just turned 1 & has 7 teeth. we still only brush using water. I read some where that the flouride in tooth paste is not good for young babies. did you know that childrens tooth paste comes in a small tube because if a child consumes too much (eg. an adults tube), they can become seriously ill & it has been known to even cause death. small amounts are fine, but please make sure you keep the tooth paste out of reach.

Amber - posted on 08/27/2010

I think it's oragel that comes as a set! I know they make training toothpaste, that's what we bought for the first 2 1/2 years. We bought the colgate the last time cause it was on sale!

Amber - posted on 08/27/2010

We have been brushing both of our children's teeth since they were babies. We just use the training toothpaste. My daughter is almost 3 and she loves brushing her teeth, my son on the other hand (almost 13 mths) is a little more difficult! He will only hold still for 2 seconds and then he gets mad and tries to get away! They have a pack that you can buy with the brush and paste in it as a set, I can't remember who makes it though. Look at the baby dept in your local store and you should be able to find it, otherwise check the toothbrush/toothpaste aisle. But I'm pretty sure I always found it by the baby stuff (generally by the bath washes and butt pastes). I would count on the fact that they are flavored and hope that your child likes that to get him/her to let you brush their teeth, otherwise try to make a game out of it somehow! Good luck :)

Stephanie - posted on 08/26/2010

I started when he had 4 teeth it's better to start early then they get used to it. I brush them first at bath time and then let him play with his tooth brush and he loves it.

Angie - posted on 08/26/2010

I first started w/ just a wet rag and then gradually moved to a wet baby tooth brush. Now I put a pea-sized amount of baby Colgate toothpaste on the brush. I do it every morning and night. Depending on my son's mood, he sometimes likes it and will let me brush them good and other times he simply refuses. I'll brush them first and then let him have a go at it. He mostly just chews on the brush and then throws it.

I think, as most things, it is just something you'll have to do over and over and over before they get the hang of it. Will they ever like it, though? Probably not.

Asiah - posted on 08/26/2010

Thanks! My son's a year and dont really like to hold still. But maybe he'll like biting down on a brush which should be good enough for his 4 small teeth lol.

Jacqueline - posted on 08/26/2010

We brush every night at bath time. Colgate makes a baby toothbrush and paste. At first I let her do it so she gets used to it. Now mommy brushes first then I let dd have her turn. She loves to have her teeth brushed!