First teeth and tooth brushing

[peasandchips]

DD has just got her first two teeth. When and how do we start brushing, or introducing the idea of brushing? I expect she will just want to chew the brush, but any tips please?

i think you start as soon as you get them through.
i brush ds2 two times a day. i try to distract with singing / looking in the mirror etc. tbh at bedtime, i brush before his milk properly, as he is more receptive then, before he falls asleep during his milk and then point blank refuses to let the brush into his mouth. i then do a quick going over, but less thorough after his milk.

Many thanks. Will pop to Boots local high street chemists tomorrow.

Was just about to ask this very question! sheep do you use toothpaste already?

With the very first teeth I just rubbed them with a damp muslin wrapped round my finger.

Only got a toothbrush once they started biting with more teeth! Used toothpaste once they had a brush - just a tiny little smear of adult toothpaste (only got conned into kids toothpaste once they could articulate a choice )

i use just a tiny tiny smear, not sure if supposed to though, so probably best to ask a health visitor, as not sure if i'm right in that.

both my ds's got their first tooth at 12 months / 15 months, so quite late.

baby toothpaste is more than just a gimmick its about the amount of flouride in it, adults have more flouride in toothpaste than baby toothpaste. However if u use just a small amount of adult toothpaste then u will be lowering the amount of flouride anyway i guess.

My ds loves brushing his teeth hes 10mo and gets v excited when the brush comes out :) i brush his teeth and then give him the brush to have a little play after.

I brush before nightime milk, hes bf, and i figure befoe he was weaned hed be sleeping all night with a milky mouth so im not too worried about that. Its more the food and drink and the stuff in that i want to clean his teeth for

I spoke to my dentist about this yesterday and he said that it's important to start brushing their teeth as soon as they come through, both to get them in a good habit and also to get the fluoride into their teeth. The teeth are not fully formed when they pop through and absorb the fluoride in the toothpaste with strengthens the teeth.

He recommended a tiny smear of baby toothpaste on a toothbrush. Dd is a bit hit and miss with brushing, as she only has two teeth at the moment I let her chew the brush but will have to be more stringent when more teeth come out.

We were advised to start brushing as soon as you thought teeth were imminent, just to get used to brushing and the feel of the brush in the mouth. Only use a tiny spot of baby toothpaste, don't worry if they want to eat it at first! Just persevere, they will soon get used to it, or clamp their jaw shut so you can't get the brush in! You can get some lovely kids toothbrushes with fave charactors on.

DD is now nearly 15 and has never had a filling, she has only had teeth removed for braces. She will have lovely teeth when the braces come off, much nicer than mine - because I didn't look after them.

My HV said to use a smear of adult toothpaste, not the baby stuff.

My hv advised and toothpaste is fine with fluoride of 1000 or less.