another q: do you brush baby's teeth as soon as they have them, and how, if they can't spit etc?

[Gemmitygem]

I was wondering whether to start brushing DS's teeth (10 months).. he can sit but can't stand unaided and certainly couldn't spit out on demand. The Yehudi Gordon book says clean with cotton bud or baby toothbrush as soon as teeth appear, twice a day. But should I use baby toothpaste as he will just eat it? any advice much appreciated!

you don't need baby toothpaste. I used just a baby toothbrush. Even now they're older, they don't spit, but they eat the baby toothpaste. I only use a tiny bit of toothpaste.

Start off with water and then the tiniest amount of child's toothpaste. I recommend the sugar free one. It is expected that they will swallow it, and then rinse after with some water.

Make sure you get fluoride-free toothpaste. Fluoride is OK topically but not swallowed. I used a little baby tooth cleaning thing that was like a little rubber finger glove with rubber bristles. and yes, start as soon as teeth show up.

I disagree with using floride-free toothpaste, but I think it depends on whether or not you have fluoride in your water. Our dentist has told us to use toothpaste that has 1000 parts per million of fluoride (says 1000 ppm on the label) but we don't have fluoride in our water. The best thing to do is to speak to your dentist.

Agree to ask the dentist. I was told the adult toothpastes are too high in flouride so to use baby toothpaste until she can spit.

I have found the Mamm toothbrush the best as she tends to chew the bristles and they come out less with these than with the colgate etc brushes. I think I got mine in Mothercare.

The best technique I have found is to have a little brush myself then give it to her to chew on for a bit. The dentist told me this was a good idea as it rewards them for letting you brush first. The Mamm brushes have teething chew type ends so it is safe for chewing on by little teeth.

How on earth does anyone brush their top teeth? DS won't let me near.

You can just wipe off with a muslin.

Would defo start brushing his teeth. They don't spit, but if you use a tiny piece of toothpaste he won't get a huge mouthful of foam anyway.

DS opens his mouth as soon as he see's the brush, but I have been brushing his teeth since his very first one came through. The only time he bitches about it is if he has got some more teeth coming through, then I have to try and poke the brush between his lips.

Ditto Coleyboy. He was fine with the bottom ones. But the top ones? Nightmare!

I may be overly cautious about fluoride, but my first husband was a children's dentist and he talked about fluorosis a lot. So it is something to keep in mind.

I've read about fluoride and it doesn't sound a good thing to use. It's actually a by-product of nuclear waste! www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/06/17/1437211

Oops hope DS 17mths doesn't overdose. He has a current obsession with toothpaste and loves trying to find it and suck on the tube ( luckily I usually get there in time to stop him) He LOVEs his toothbrush and toothpaste but only allows me to brush his teeth for a few seconds

www.drjaygordon.com/development/pediatricks/fluoride.asp lots more links on flouride out there to see as well. Not good imo

My 9month DS is happy for me to brush his teeth if he can see his daddy doing his too. we haven't used toothpaste yet tho as I wasn't sure about him swallowing it.

And in the first link yes it enriches uranium but it harmed the workers there breathing it all in and harmed animals in tests. Flouride being harmful is nothing new.

I got an unbranded toothpaste called OHP 1000 from my dentist when DD got her first 2 tooth - aged 3mths fgs! She is now 6 months and the proud owner of 2 bottom teeth and 4 top teeth and I have a NIGHTMARE trying to clean any of them! Any tips??

2 teeth!

My son started teething really young 4 months and now at nearly two has a full set...we found in mothercare a brush style gum massager that fits over your finger and we then once he was happy with the feeling got the milk teeth brush, we would only wet it and when he started weaning and using his teeth I intoduced a smear of tooth paste, not a pea sized. After talking to my dentist and him checking sons mouth he said as long as he his brushing well twice a day not to worry about the paste. I do take son to dentist every six months and he has a check up which i think is just as important.

good experiences..

tried again to brush and DS (10 months, 4 teeth) not having any of it). I demonstrated Mummy brushing and he was quite entertained, but didn't want the brush in his mouth. Don't want to force it and have him dread having his teeth brushed, so not sure what to do; let him play with the brush a bit, then just gave up. Will get it out again tomorrow. thing is he's really suffering with his teeth and hates having his gums rubbed etc so prob just thinks it's another horrible invasion of his mouth! poor boy...