Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

I haven’t brushed my baby’s teeth yet

23 replies

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 14:49

I feel so guilty - DS is 8 months, he’s had 4 milk teeth since about 6.5 months and I haven’t even attempted to brush them yet. I’ve been so caught up with weaning that it didn’t even cross my mind - bad I know. Could I have caused his teeth to decay?!

Also, his top two teeth have a large gap between them - is this normal and will it close? Or will he just have very gappy teeth until his adult teeth come through?

Lastly, is he still okay to chew on his hard plastic toys that he loves (like the Newby teething necklace) or could it break his teeth?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PotteringAlong · 18/12/2020 14:51

But a toothbrush and some toothpaste and crack on!

PotteringAlong · 18/12/2020 14:51

*buy

jessstan1 · 18/12/2020 14:51

Don't worry about it but start now gently with a soft tooth brush.

I'm sure your baby's teeth will be fine!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

6-9 months old Babies & sleep Dental health Families

iano · 18/12/2020 14:54

I'd start brushing immediately!
He can still chew on hard stuff and the gap will probably lessen as more teeth appear.

PinGwyn · 18/12/2020 14:57

No point in worrying about the past, there may or may not be damage but baby teeth aren't permanent so it's not the end of the world.

Just start now, I gave mine a toothbrush to chew on after meals to let them get used to it and meant if they fussed too much when I was brushing it wouldn't be such a big deal to leave it.

Happy teeth are normal, lots of space to grown but other teeth around them will most likely push them together. My 7yo is back at the gappy stage as her front teeth are growing in!

As for chewing, I figure they just pick stuff up and chew it anyway. He'll soon figure if it's uncomfortable!

Original poster

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 14:59

Thanks all - I feel so bad, like I’ve let him down And I’m so worried I could have harmed his teeth!!

When is a good time to brush and what is the easiest way to do it? I don’t really want to brush between his last milk feed and bed - I put him down after his final bottle and if I take him into the bathroom and start brushing his teeth he will be wide awake again!

OP posts:

Original poster

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 15:00

No point in worrying about the past, there may or may not be damage

I feel so bad - how could this not have crossed my mind?!

OP posts:

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/12/2020 15:02

Brush twice a day. Re: the evening at that age I brushed teeth and then gave the night feed- then by about 1 I realised the toothbrushing should happen after The feed and switched it round.

DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon · 18/12/2020 15:03

Well yes obviously if you dont brush the teeth theres a risk the teeth could decay. Good news is being a baby their diet is likely to be very low in sugar and so the risk is low. Most likely it will be absolutely fine, however start now

A gap in childrens teeth is normal, most children will have gaps.

doctorhamster · 18/12/2020 15:03

Don't worry about it but do start doing it ASAP. They do need to be done after the last bottle, otherwise he's going to bed with his teeth coated in milk.

Original poster

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 15:07

Thanks. Do you find that brushing their teeth after the last bottle causes them to be wide awake again and harder to settle for night time sleep?

OP posts:

81Byerley · 18/12/2020 15:30

@newmum234

Thanks. Do you find that brushing their teeth after the last bottle causes them to be wide awake again and harder to settle for night time sleep?

When my first child was a baby, the dentist told me just to gently wipe them with a damp flannel or muslin. If you did that last thing at night he'd probably get used to it. You could brush them in the morning.

mindutopia · 18/12/2020 16:09

It's absolutely fine. Unless you are feeding him a load of junk, it won't matter. Babies teeth are hard to brush and they don't usually get brushed very well for the first few months.

Original poster

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 16:19

Thanks @mindutopia. I’m worried about how to accommodate the evening brush into his routine. I read you’re not meant to brush for half an hour after the last feed, so will have to bring that last feed forward I think, or DS will be falling asleep whilst I brush!

OP posts:

Redwinestillfine · 18/12/2020 16:26

Don't worry about the bottle. At 8 months there's no need for a bottle. Give milk in a sippy cup so they don't fall asleep, then brush, then story then bed. That way they learn to self settle too. It will make things a lot easier if they're not dependent on a bottle falling to sleep.

Original poster

newmum234 · 18/12/2020 16:43

Thanks @Redwinestillfine. Should all milk feeds be given in a sippy cup now or just the bedtime one? DS has four milk feeds a day currently.

OP posts:

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/12/2020 17:06

It’s not unusual for an 8month old to still have bottles, pls dont stress about moving to a sippy cup yet

soughsigh · 20/12/2020 05:54

You can try a sippy cup if it appeals to you, but I don't know anyone that gave formula from a sippy cup. Ours didn't give up the bedtime bottle till 18 months, we just brushed his teeth after it. I take his toothbrush to the bedroom. It did wake him up a bit, but he's been put down awake since 6 months.

Now he's older, he has milk in his sippy cup before his bath.

Original poster

newmum234 · 20/12/2020 06:13

Thanks. I’m struggling with the brushing - DS just clamps his mouth shut! So worried that his teeth are going to rot

OP posts:

Himawarigirl · 20/12/2020 06:28

There are toothbrushes you can get that babies can chew on, rather than it being a formal process. Look up finger toothbrush for early on and then my kids loved the brush baby chewable toothbrush once they were a around 9 months or so. You can squeeze a little toothpaste into it and then they would happily chew it during their bath. You don’t have to get a perfect and totally thorough brush at your baby’s age. My youngest is 17 months now and only just switched to a baby version of a conventional toothbrush and he doesn’t mind having a brush at bath-time. We didn’t brush in the morning as well until they were a little older.

toddlingthroughtoddlerhood · 20/12/2020 07:16

If you can OP try not to worry. Your baby's teeth will be fine.
I have always been told that at this age teeth brushing is as much about encouraging good habits (ie teeth brushing twice a day).
For a long time we just put toothpaste on his brush in the bath for him to chew on and then gradually intervened more with more "brushing". He is two now and we brush in a more formal sense.
If your LO sleeps after the final bottle I wouldn't start brushing teeth, just do it before bedtime routine presumably milk hasn't got too many bad things in it!

ZooKeeper19 · 21/12/2020 11:10

@newmum234 buy a brush, give to them to play with. They will start brushing themselves (sort of). Give them 2-3-4 to play with (yours preferably, but beware of it ending up in the toilet). Our one is 14m and brushes whenever he gets his hands on a brush when me and DH brush, he just cries till we give him our brush and gets on. It soothes the teething pains (maybe even the toothpaste helps, who knows...). No worries, they do so much chewing on things (like puppies) that they do quite a good job but it's a very good habit to get into. Don't force it, I do 2-3 strokes then leave him get on, then repeat. Good luck!

Toniaberry · 24/06/2024 02:16

Hi everyone I’m new here. I just feel I should put this out here and I feel guilty about this, My baby is going to be 8month on the 5th of July and I don’t brush he’s teeth regularly, I do it like 0nce in 3 to 4days since when he clocked 3month and I usually brush he’s teeth after morning bath. Just wanted to know if this is going to damage he’s teeth or is going to be fine because I’m really worried. Thanks🙏

Flip