when to clean baby's teeth (or tooth!)???

[trixipaws]

my dentist said now melissa's first tooth has cut i should start cleaning it. my boyf laughed and said its ridiculous to clean a baby's (tip of) tooth!
i still havent done it yet, im gonna but just wondering when's the best time to do it?

oh, and do u use a toothbrush, or just rub toothpaste on with ur finger?

im not expecting it to be easy as she hates having her mouth wiped after eating she gets really angry and wont open her mouth (when i wanna see how much more tooth is there!)

so any tips would be good too!

 

[newmum]

HI,
I got a leaflet and it says on it:

From the beginning gently clean the child's mouth with a soft towel.
Give the child a soft toothbrush to play with.
The child should be allowed to handle the toothbrush asap.
After every meal and sweet snack the child should brush his teeth.

I think my LO would try to eat the toothbrush but anyway, just thought it might help

 

[SarahH]

I started cleaning Arianna's as soon as they started to come in, morning and night.

You get special toothbrushes and toothpaste for the little ones!

 

[Beatlesfan]

this was a topic at my baby group last week. Advice given went along these lines... (from British Dental Health Foundation)


When should I start cleaning my baby�s teeth?
Babies are obviously not able to clean their own teeth, and children will need help to ensure that they clean them properly until they are about 7 years old. As soon as teething has started you should start cleaning your child�s teeth.
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How should I clean my baby�s teeth?
As soon as the first baby teeth begin to appear you should start to clean them. At first you may find it easier to use a piece of clean gauze or cloth wrapped around your forefinger. As more teeth appear, you will need to use a baby toothbrush. Use a smear of fluoride toothpaste and gently massage it around the teeth and gums. It can be easier to clean their teeth if you cradle your baby�s head in your arms in front of you. As the child gets older it may be difficult to use this technique, but you can gradually give more responsibility for cleaning their teeth to the child. It is important to clean teeth twice a day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. Check with your dentist or health visitor if you are unsure about how to look after your baby�s teeth.

Our Oral health advisor said it is a good idea to rub the toothpaste into the bristles as if it just sits on top, the baby will chew/suck it off If the paste is in the bristles, it will be rubbed on the teeth more effectively.

Good luck!

Oh the other thing is apparently babies need toothpaste with a certain amount of flouride in it. We were told..

A smear of 1000ppm flouride as soon as teeth erupt.
1450ppm flouride for 3+ years and adults.

She also said to avoid the "strawberry" flavours etc. as it encourages a sweet tooth.

Should I use fluoride toothpaste?
Fluoride comes from a number of different sources including toothpaste, specific fluoride applications and perhaps the drinking water in your area. These can all help to prevent tooth decay. If you are unsure about using fluoride toothpaste ask your dentist, health visitor or health authority. The current advice is to use a pea-sized smear of a toothpaste containing at least 1000ppm of fluoride. You can check the level of fluoride on the packaging of the toothpaste. Children should be supervised up to the age of 7, and you should make sure that they spit out the toothpaste and don?t swallow any if possible.

 

[Red_Fairy]

i havent started yet. (hannah has 9 teeth)
she quite happily plays with her tooth brush tho. They are just so small. I intend to start soon tho.

 

[Becky&Willow]

Willow loves having her teeth brushed i just say open wide and she does she love it (she wish i remembered more often )

Willow is the same as melissa as in she hates having her face wiped and she wont let me loook in her mouth but she lves her teeth being brushed so hopefully she will be the same

also i was told yesterday not to use toothpastes directed at babies and children but to use a floruide adult one as the kids one dont have enough floride in.

 

[Fiona]

Grace also loves having her teeth cleaned..... she just sits there with her mouth open and lets me brush them....... we do it am after breakfast and pm after milk.....

good luck

 

[Beatlesfan]

Becky&Willow is right about not using babies toothpastes ... they don't have enough flouride in. (They only have 500ppm when they need 1000ppm)

Also, I notice on the poll that most people said brush several times a day after food. We were told at our group by the oral health advisor that there is no need to brush more than once after breakfast and once at night, before bed (I guess this means after last milk ... if baby hasn't fallen asleep by then!!) Brushing too much and too soon after meals does not allow the body's natural response to break acid down (which causes enamel erosion) which is SALIVA Production. So you need to leave it a while after eating before brushing...not sure how long, but I am guilty of not doing this as I brush my teeth straight after my brekkie usually.

Have you tried Melissa yet Trixipaws? How did she fair?

 

[valentine]

Becky&Willow is right about not using babies toothpastes ... they don't have enough flouride in. (They only have 500ppm when they need 1000ppm)

You can get child's toothpaste with 1000+ppm flouride (sp?) - I bought Punch and Judy toothpaste at my local independent chemist. We have low flouride in our water, so our HV advised us to buy a toothpaste with 1000+ppm.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Beatlesfan]

You can get child's toothpaste with 1000+ppm flouride (sp?) - I bought Punch and Judy toothpaste at my local independent chemist. We have low flouride in our water, so our HV advised us to buy a toothpaste with 1000+ppm.

Valentine Xxx

Sorry should have said some babies toothpastes have flouride which is too low. Not all. We were given a typed list of which ones have 1000ppm ..which wasn't too many....

x

 

[lauramumof2]

I brush teeth at night after dinner, ususally while they are in the bath. Jess will do hers in the morning too when she come in with me while im getting ready.

I started the minute a tooth appeared, its good to start early then they dont really know any different.

Some of the kids at Jess's nursery got teeth removed and im not saying its because they didnt get their teeth brushed but its a high price for a 2 minute job.

Laura.x

 

[weenik]

My Hv told me to start as soon as teeth appear, and if none by 6 months or so to wipe over the gums with some toothpaste either with clean finger or gauze. I haven't started yet, will probably wait until settled a bit more with weaning before introducing something else new

 

[kimmumof2]

i started as soon as reanna had them come through (after her gums had settled down), my hv gave me a pack the other week for kayla and she doesnt even have teeth yet, they are now also advising not using the milk teeth type of tooth paste because it doesnt contain enough flouride and they gave me a full tube (used to be a small sample) of colgate toothpaste.

xxxx

 

[Princess_Puddles]

We brush Harrisons teeth before he goes to bed at night. We were told by our dentist not to brush them in the morning too just yet and to wait untill he's about 3years old

 

[leckershell]

Ryan's got 2 teeth and I do it after his evening meal but before his bottle. He has a baby toothbrush and toothpaste

 

[Gemma & Jake]

I brush Jake's every evening before he goes to bed and every evening he screams I need to start doing them in the morning aswell but I always forget I usually let Jake hold the toothbrush first but he just sucks it so I have to take it off him then and give them a good scrub. I am unsure about the amount of fluoride you are supposed to have in toothpaste because I have also read that if children swallow too much they can get fluorosis(white/brown spots on the teeth). I use a toothpaste with 500ppm fluoride at the moment because Jake can't spit it out and I worry about him swallowing too much and getting flourosis.


http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/caringfor/teeth/

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/car ... ethexpert/

 

[Hellokitty]

Maia only has half a toof at the moment so I just wipe it with a muslin after meals.

 

[Joy and Ben]

Lots of the children in my class at school (I'm a teacher) have had teeth removed cos of tooth decay, which I think is awful. Either parents are giving far too much sugary foods or not making sure that the teeth are cleaned peoperly.
Because of this I've made sure that I brush Ben's teeth every day

Only problem, he hates it!!!!! He screams tightly clamps his lips together and refuses to let the toothbrush anywhere near him. Hates the taste of the toothpaste and hates the bristles. I've given him the toothbrush to play with in the bath but it doesn't seem to help things. any suggestions??? I don't want him to lose teeth due to tooth decay before the age of 4!

 

[leckershell]

Joy - maybe not much help but you can get some toothpastes in fruity flavours, would that be better?

Ryan has the milk teeth toothpaste and seems to actually enjoy it, probably helps with the teething pain, so I can't suggest anything I'm afraid. Try letting him watch in the mirror?