Dentist recommendation for 1 yr olds....

Sunrise - posted on 01/21/2010

I have seen those as well Sara, thanks for the info. I am currently working our way through the piles of the big kid and adult picks we have that I've purchased on sale or clearence!

Sara - posted on 01/21/2010

I found some kid sized floss picks (no pick on the end to hurt themselves). They are fruit flavored and a bit smaller than the regular adult ones. They work great for flossing my LOs teeth! just thought I would pass that info one.

Elisa - posted on 01/21/2010

Our dentist said not to bother bringing our daughter to him untill she was 2-3yrs old. He recommended to us that at 1 she could start 'brushing' her own teeth with a teething brush so she gets used to having her teeth cleaned. We use water on the brush- no tootpaste. She actually likes brushing her teeth now. She watched me every morning and does her own teeth at night.

Danielle - posted on 01/20/2010

I work in a dental office as an assistant. You really only need to start taking them in at 3 unless there is a problem, which brings me to baby bottle decay. You want to avoid sending your child to bed with anything in their bottles (if you ABSOLUTELY have to use a bottle/sippycup to get them to sleep) that contains any sugars or starches. (they feed bacteria) This includes milk, formula, juice (even watered down) and hopefully no one is giving your baby sodas! You do want to brush your babys teeth with a non-flouride toothpaste and a smaller toothbrush. Colgate makes a great toothbrush for kids and they are sold in stages (categorized by age). You want it to be a softer brush, especially when they have sore gums from teething.

KIM - posted on 01/20/2010

I just brought my 15 month old in last week. The ins. recommended starting at 1yr. I bring my older son(5) to a pediatric dentist who is awesome! When she saw us, she said the same thing, keep using a wash cloth after eating/bottles and she did clean his 6 teeth! He kind of didn't like it, but put up with it. And she did brush on the fluoride. She said the reason to start seeing them so young is... to start when they first get teeth and go in every 6 months just like with anyone. That way they are used to going and are not apt to be afraid of going. Even if they don't get there teeth cleaned, just looked at, they get used to going and learn that it just what you do!

Chessa - posted on 01/17/2010

I haven't taken him to the dentist yet (still haven't added him to the dental insurance honestly), but I did ask my dentist what to do about him a couple months ago. He was about one then, and I had been using the finger brush with him, and she actually told me not to use that. She said to switch to a 'regular' toothbrush because if you do it when they're older they're more resistant to it... We had a kid's toothbrush included in out baby first aid kit, so I've been using that. She also recommended to take him into the dentist at three.

Sara - posted on 01/17/2010

I saw a dental hygienist this week for my daughter. She suggested not only the finger brush and flossing but also having my LOs teeth painted with a fluoride stain. It is simple and easy to do. Most dentists do not offer this but have it available if you ask. It is very helpful to make sure their teeth get the fluoride they need and prevent cavities. It was a free service, so I had her do it to my daughter. She did cry because she had to lay down but it was not hurting her. Done in 30 seconds and can last 3 months. Anyone else hear about this treatment for teeth or have used it?

Sara - posted on 01/08/2010

Sunrise, thanks for the idea about using a floss pick to get in between teeth. I heard a recommendation to floss their teeth and I was thinking how difficult that would be. The floss pick would make it much easier!

Ashley - posted on 01/07/2010

my daughter is 15months and just went to the dentist last week. She had all of her teeth. he said to coutinue to brush her teeth. We use a training toothbrush and toothpaste. She enjoys it very much. The toothpaste is tastefull and taste like bubble gum. Our next appt. is in 6months. The dentist said that brushing her teeth was good pratice for her in the future and we should move to a better tooth brush by 18 months.

Sunrise - posted on 01/07/2010

My older kids see a pediatric dentist and they recommended kids getting their first check up at the age of three (this was back when my kids were little, they are now 8 & almost 10). I was just reading an article in one of the Parenting mags that recommended taking them at the age of 1 or when they first get a few teeth if it’s after 1. They also recommended brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste which I was informed long ago is a big no no. The fluoride can be swallowed and can lead to stomach problems. I plan to take Kiera when I take my older kids to their next appt. and will inquire as to what they currently are recommending and why then. In the interim we brush her teeth with a finger brush and she “brushes” with an infant brush at least 1X per day. We also use the floss picks to floss where two teeth are touching.

Sara - posted on 01/07/2010

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Laura - posted on 01/02/2010

Our dentist recommended a dental checkup for my son when he turns 4. The checkup was quick and easy. It's best no to use flouride toothpaste until your child knows how to spit out after brushing.



It's good to know not to use toothbrush on my daughter's teeth (she's 15 1/2 months old).