Brushing teeth/bedtime bottle

[orangutansmummy]

My DD's first 2 teeth have just come through (she is just 5 months), but I'm not sure when I should be brushing them - at the moment she has a bottle last thing and then goes straight in her cot. Don't really want to mess with this routine as it works and she goes straight to sleep. But should I be brushing her teeth after this bottle? Would be grateful for advice.

Interesting question, I've seen the advice to be to brush after the last feed too. If I tried that with my rather willful and easily excited 8mo I'd never get him to sleep - toothbrushes are far too entertaining.

So to cover the guilt about going against the advice I brush as part of his morning routine and also after his dinner.

I then worry that I'm setting up a bad habit. Gah! Sorry, not much help...

I never do - we brush teeth in the bath, before story and bottle.

We also brush after breakfast.

I think that is enough - that's what my mother did with us and neither of us had a filling!

Mentioned it to a dentist friend and she said, Oh don't worry - they are only milk teeth and will all fall out anyway in the end!

I've always brushed my ds's teeth after his milk but then he didn't get teeth until he was 10 months.

At your dd's age I would carry on as you are but as she gets older swap it around so teeth are being brushed last.

Oh and we alway's brush teeth before breakfast, never after. Something to do with the first meal of the day making a protective layer on the teeth.

Sorry I didn't catch the full reason why as I was trying to hold a child in the chair whilst the dentist was talking to me.

Thanks, I think I will go with doing it at bathtime and after the morning bottle (we haven't started solids yet - that'll just add another thing to the equation!!

I remember having this dilema with DD. I questioned the visiting dentist about it when she came to our local toddler group. She said not to worry too much, brush in the morning and after dinner and continue the bedtime routine as normal.
She just said that she will grow out of the bottle and needing that milk and can then change her routine in incoporate brushing before bed.

DD has just turned 22mths and its only the last few mths that we have dropped her bedtime bottle. She now has a beaker of milk before her bath and brushes her teeth during her bath.
However DD didnt get her first tooth till 14mths old so hasnt had teeth that long really!!

If you're using normal fomula dont worry too much about brushing just before bed but if you ever move to follow on milk (which for the sake of babies teeth i'd strongly advise against!) you MUST brush after milk

Regardless of what milk is being consumed, you need to brush after wards.

When you eat/drink (except water) your teeth come under an acid attack, that lasts 20 minutes, that cause plaque to be made & that sticks to the teeth, that plaque has bacteria in it that eats away at the tooth surface, which eventually causes decay.

Brushing too soon after a meal causes those acids to be brushed into the teeth, which is why you should not brush any sooner than 20 minutes after a meal!

lifeas3plus1 "Oh and we alway's brush teeth before breakfast, never after. Something to do with the first meal of the day making a protective layer on the teeth" so you spend all day with that first meal bacteria on your teeth? Yuk.,..sorry but whoever advised you of this os totally wrong!

We never advocate leaving food debris on teeth for over 12 hours! (assuming you have breakfast at 7, then don't brush until bedtime, which would be later than 7 for an adult!)

No to mention that you are swallowing plaque which contains bacteria, which can be harmful to the rest of the body.

My current dentist advises that, unless they are falling asleep with a bottle in their mouth (which of course is seriously inadvisable for many reasons, and after which you cannot brush) or dri king anything other than cowsmilk, breastmilk or water, it's not a big deal if you brush their teeth before the last drink. It is what I havedone with all my dc and so far their teeth are all fine. My eldest is 9.

Interestingly this dentist, unlike the previous ones, is also a father, and appreciates the importance of a bedtime routine that works.

differentnameforthis

It was actually a dentist that told me this, But then I always brush ds's teeth (and mine if I rememeber ) half an hour after his lunch too, before he goes down for his long nap so he is actually having his teeth brushed 3 times a day!

Very odd, lifeas3... I have never known a dentist to give that advice.

Even 4+ hours of plaque on the teeth is not a good idea!

You know I thought it was odd but then who am I to question a dentist!

Will be doing his teeth after breakfast now then!

This parenting thing is mad! Everyone has different views on what's best. Ah never mind. I know now! [smail]

I obviously meant

the British Dental Health Foundation advises brushing before breakfast and that is what we always do - it is to help dental erosion

Brush Before Breakfast advises the British Dental Health Foundation.

What is the best way to brush my teeth?

You need to brush your teeth to remove all the plaque and to keep your teeth and gums healthy. It is important to brush your teeth twice a day while the plaque is still soft. Brushing your teeth should be part of your daily routine, just like washing your hands and face and brushing your hair. - Brush your teeth carefully for two minutes before breakfast and after your last drink before bedtime. - Choose a toothbrush with a small, soft head and toothpaste that has fluoride in it. (Fluoride is a mineral that helps to keep your teeth strong.) - Use small, round movements. The bristles of the brush should point towards the gum. Don?t forget to brush all the different sides and tops of your teeth. Everyone should visit the dentist regularly to make sure that their teeth and gums are healthy.
Back to top

So what I was doing was right! I didn't think I had misheard the dentist when he told me that.

Thanks for that Seona1973

The trouble with brushing before, as I said is that you then have plaque on your teeth until you brush next...in the case of people who only brush twice, that is 12+ hours.

Also, if you brush 20 minutes after breakfast, you don't have to worry about erosion!

If you read the article that Seona linked to it says it actually depends what you have for breakfast. If you have acidic food or juice then it's bad to brush your teeth for up to an hour. So it's not a general before or after breakfast rule but more to do with what you have eaten.

Muffin, I was a dental nurse for 16 yrs, and we never gave the advice to leave food on the teeth for 12 hours, which brushing before breakfast would do.

An acid attack only lasts 20 minutes, so you are fine to brush after that, regardless of food intake.