When to start brushing teeth?

asmileaday

Sun, Jan 09 2022, 3:25 pm

I start brushing with a finger toothbrush as soon as there are any teeth. But just with water, nothing else.
I may be wrong but isn't it a little concerning that her breath smells bad? Unless she just ate something horribly smelly, baby breath is so delicious!
I still love the smell of my almost 1 1/2 year old's breath!

amother

Sun, Jan 09 2022, 3:27 pm

asmileaday wrote:

not sure, shes my first. idk whats normal or not
its smells in the morning or after she eats milk or food

amother

Cerulean

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 2:15 am

Normal once they have teeth to brush teeth with a soft baby toothbrush (or those ones you put on fingers) without toothpastes. Make it fun, not forceful. Gets them into good habits. My 2 year old has been brushing for while and is very okay with it, asks me to check him etc. He wants to be like his siblings. Also tries to swipe their toothpaste but that's another matter... ;-)

SG18

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 3:16 am

I brushed from when my LO's first teeth came in, around 4.5 months. I got a little toothbrush that has a wide base, and we sing a song while we brush. She loves doing it herself, chewing on the toothbrush for a while after we're "finished." But she doesn't have bad breath, I do it to remove plaque/food, but won't use toothpaste until she won't swallow it.

FranticFrummie

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 8:12 am

There is non toxic baby toothpaste out there, that you can use to get your little one used to using a toothbrush. I think that Tom's of Maine makes one, but it's been a while since I've checked.

Definitely brush them as soon as you see them, even if all you use is the corner of a damp wash cloth at first. It's something a baby needs to get desensitized to. As my dentist likes to say, "Only brush the teeth you plan to keep."

DD loved chewing on her toothbrushes. We went through a lot, but she liked having control, and she was super sensory. If she could do it on her own, she handled it really well.

If your child's breath is not so fresh in the morning, brush once in the morning and once before bed. Adults should be doing the same thing BTW. Set a good example! Very Happy

PS: A lot of people don't think that baby teeth can get cavities, or if they do it's no big deal because they will fall out anyway. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Infection could damage the adult teeth coming in, or even lead to bone infection. I hate hearing about little kids who need root canal surgery under sedation.

Your kids are going to have those teeth until they are around 7 to 8 years old, and that's a long time. If you skip brushing before bed once in a blue moon, it's not the end of the world. Just know that it's really important for your kids to have a positive attitude about dental care. Your kids should be bringing you their toothbrush and saying "Mommy, you forgot to brush my teeth!"

abaker

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 8:40 am

When the first tooth comes in. Dentists say even before that. By 11 months definitely brush once a day, twice if you can. Use a training toothpaste and a soft silicone baby brush. One of my kids I noticed having smelly breathe in the morning but I don't think it was that young maybe around 2.5 years old ...and I noticed the child was breathing through mouth when he slept at night. He doesn't seem to do it now that he's older and he brushes regularly with an electric toothbrush. But does your baby possibly breathe through mouth at night?

amother

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 4:27 pm

abaker wrote:

the pst two weeks yes bc she has a cold
but usually not bh

amother

Mon, Jan 10 2022, 4:54 pm

im feeling likea. neglectful mother bc my baby is 11 months and I didnt know about brushing her teeth
my mother made a comment and I figured to ask u experienced moms

2x a day?
she has milk in her bottle at night tho doesnt that defeat the purpose of brushing at night?

asmileaday

Tue, Jan 11 2022, 8:01 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

No worries, you can start now. Don't feel bad.

Bottles at night with anything other than water in it are really bad for the teeth. If you can try to wean her off milk and give her water instead that would be so much better.

I just ordered this toothbrush and my baby is loving it. I think it's genius.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N.....share

amother

Gladiolus

Tue, Jan 11 2022, 8:50 am

If her breath smells there is probably an overgrowth of bacteria somewhere. I’m not sure how to advise you because most pediatricians wouldn’t catch this and would definitely not know how to treat it. If you live in Brooklyn go to Dr. Sisser In ODA.