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Original poster

teeth cleaning

50 replies

Pj · 09/04/2001 22:27

My baby is 11 months and has 4 teeth. Should I be brushing his teeth? If so, how often? I was brushing them in the bath and he seemd to cooperate but my health visitor said brushing too young would hurt his gums so I stopped. Now I worry that tooth decay might start early. Any advice?

OP posts:

jasper · 13/12/2001 21:36

Wendy do you mean your daughter's deciduous molars?
I am sorry you have lost faith in dentists.(you are certainly not the first!)
On the subject of x-rays, as a dentist you are damned if you do and very occasionally damned if you don't. On occasions when I have wanted to xray a suspect back tooth on, say a three year old , the parent has not been happy. I think they think dentists are trying to make money by doing unnecessary xrays. The fact is that under the NHS a dentist does not get paid AT ALL for xraying teeth of anyone under 18 to check for decay. ( gets a fee if xrays are taken, say following a fall or an injury or if considered orthodontically necessary) The xray issue has in the past few months become further confused. An orthodontist who worked near me was recently struck off for taking what was considered to be too many xrays with insufficient cause! This has slightly put the wind up the dental community who are even more reluctant to take xrays.
Best wishes.

jasper · 13/12/2001 22:07

Wendy, forgot to add I am in Scotland.
I am sorry you are having difficulty finding a dentist you have confidence in. However you are so well informed you possibly don't really need one!
Good luck in your search

wendym · 14/12/2001 12:49

Still need the dentist, unfortunately - to replace the fillings I had as a child, for accidents and to make sure I haven't missed anything. Used to have a good dentist when I lived near Wimbledon. I always remember him when I despair of finding another.

bossykate · 03/02/2002 19:09

ds's first teeth have appeared. he's 6 1/2m and a CLB. i would really appreciate it if someone could please recommend when - as in what time of day - is best for the twice daily brushing. sorry if this seems a daft question, what i really mean is, if he is all nice and drowsy after his last milk feed, should i brush then (would seem to be logical from the dental care point of view) or would it be ok to brush beforehand at bathtime (which would be better from the getting him off to sleep easily point of view).

it would be interesting to hear what others do. thanks in advance

dm2 · 03/02/2002 19:32

Bossykate - I was just about to ask the same question!

jasper · 03/02/2002 23:38

Bossykate, I remember a funny feature on That's life or similar, many years ago, questioning why toothpaste manufacturers made a big deal out of the fact that their toothpastes had zesty wake-me-up tastes, when that was not what you wanted last thing at night! They made a spoof toothpaste based on the packaging for Crest and called it Rrrrest. There's got to be a gap in the market for sleepy toothpaste.
At night, go for the after milk brushing. I doubt very much if he will mind as soon as it becomes part of his routine. Once he gets drowsy his saliva flow slows down and this is when damage to teeth is more likely so you don't want milky bits lingering in his mouth.You may like me find the brushing when a bit drowsy helps; my two are less likely to resist if drowsy and it does not seem to wake them .
Morning brushing - after brekky. if he has had fruit or juice wait about half an hour before brushing.
Don't they look even cuter when those first teeth peek through!

wendym · 04/02/2002 10:38

use a special baby toothpaste as the flavours tend to be milder. Many babies dislike peppermint so you may want to try one of the fruit flavours. You don't actually have to use toothpaste if they still hate it. Most dentists would say you should but there are quite a few who wouldn't use fluoride before age 2.

bossykate · 04/02/2002 21:24

great minds, dm2, great minds!

thanks v. much jasper and wendym.

wendym - i see chanelno5 has us together in batters hockey team!!!!

Nicko · 28/05/2003 20:40

I have been advised by a consultant that my boys need to have blocks fitted for 12 months, to make the lower jaw stick out more, then rail track braces for about 18 months. He said that if they were his sons he would have the work done, but I am very worried about the blocks, has any one had this treatment? can you offer advice

meanmum · 28/05/2003 21:10

Don't know if anyone has said this but my ds loves our electric toothbrush so I put the paste on and away it whizzes in his mouth without him realising he is actually brushing his teeth. It's the only way we've had success.

Tissy · 02/06/2003 08:41

Thank you so much for that advice...

I searched for this thread on Saturday, because I'm fed up with the fights we have with dd (17mos)at teeth cleaning time- at times we've resorted to holding her down and brushing when she opens her mouth to scream

Yesterday we bought a child's electric toothbrush, and this morning she sat still and opened her mouth wide to have her teeth cleaned . I expect it helps that we both have an electric toothbrush so she thinks she is just like Mummy and Daddy!

meanmum · 02/06/2003 08:44

Fantastic news Tissy. I hope it keeps working for you. It still is for my ds.

Bossanova · 02/06/2003 16:57

If your young child is reluctant to let you clean their teeth you could try a hand puppet to hold the toothbrush. They might be more willing to let 'teddy/rabbit' etc clean their teeth.

katierocket · 04/01/2004 13:28

wanted to resurrect this thread to see if robinw or jasper (or any other dentists) could give me some advice. DS is 26 months - we have cleaned his teeth twice a day since they came through - he does have the occasional chocolate/sweet and some yogurts with sugar in but not many and only had very weak diluted pure juice (in beaker not bottle)

over last few week though I have noticed that he has what I can only describe as a brown staining - a bit like tartar looks on adult teeth - I am petrified that it is decay. Realise that you can't say without seeing it but is it possible for baby teeth to stain.
He has dentist appt in Feb anyway but going to bring it forward. Would appreciate any thoughts.

katierocket · 04/01/2004 13:30

sorry, should have said, the staining is on the front of his front top and bottom teeth i.e. if you bite your front and bottom teeth together.

Angeliz · 04/01/2004 13:32

just a tip that i do with my dd(aged 2.10). I let her clean her own teeth and then i take the toothbrush and say............"have you done these ones.(and i clean the front ones).have you done these ones?(and i clean the back ones), that way she feels independant and i know they are properly cleaned!
katierocket i will be interested to hear responses for your question as my dd's teeth don't look as white as her cousins !

katierocket · 04/01/2004 13:40

It really is so odd and I'm worried sick that it might be decay but really don't see how it could be.

katierocket · 04/01/2004 18:10

sorry to hog boards - anyone logged on with any ideas?

jasper · 04/01/2004 22:24

katierocket can you describe exactly where the stains are on his teeth? Right in the centre of each individual tooth /between the teeth/ near the gum line? What colour exactly?

katierocket · 05/01/2004 11:35

thanks for replying Jasper, it is likely a very, very pale brown over the front of the teeth from gumline to approx 3/4 of way up each tooth. It looks like what adult tarter looks like (although less severe).
I have been checking them obssessively since noticing and it doesn't seem so bad now - what do you think?

dinosaur · 05/01/2004 11:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

bluecow · 05/01/2004 11:45

My ds - 14 months with 12 teeth -is a terror when it comes to teeth cleaning. He has cried and squirmed ever since we started trying to clean them many months ago. The one thing he occasionally makes the least fuss over is the silicone brushes you put on your finger.

jasper · 05/01/2004 21:22

Katierocket I coud not say for sure without seeing your son, but it does NOT sound like decay. SOme kids have chromogenic bacteria in their plaque which can give the teeth various stains ranging from brown to green.
I suggest you give the stains a right good scrub with his toothbrush (harder than normal) to see if they come off.
I have , on many occasions seen stains on the teeth of young children which came off with a more vigorous scrub ( by me) than the parents were inclined to give
Let me know what the dentist says, and good luck.

katierocket · 05/01/2004 21:54

thanks so much jasper - really appreciate it. I did really scrub them last night and they seemed much better but oddly tonight they looked a bit stained again.

sis · 06/01/2004 09:42

Katierocket, my neices had brown stains on their teeth when they were very young and my sil found that it was caused by something in the vitamin drops she was giving them - not sure if she found any drops without the offending vitamin/mineral in them and can't remember who the offenders were. Sorry can't be more helpful but perhaps an avenue to follow?

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