Share your tips & tricks on keeping your children's teeth healthy for Colgate - chance to win a £250 voucher! *NOW CLOSED*

[KathrynMumsnet]

Colgate has asked us to find out about your thoughts and concerns about dental hygiene and how you keep your children’s teeth healthy.

Here’s what Colgate says: “Did you know that 84% of children and all adults suffer from cavities at some point in their life*?

“Cavities, also known as tooth decay, are the most common chronic disease on the planet. But cavities are preventable and this is why Colgate® has created a breakthrough new anti-cavity toothpaste called Colgate® Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser™.

“Providing close to double protection against early decay**, Colgate® Maximum Cavity Protection is the first and only toothpaste to contain Sugar Acid Neutraliser™ technology, that goes beyond the protection of fluoride, neutralising sugar acids in plaque – the #1 cause of cavities.

“Colgate’s Head of Scientific Affairs, Foti Panagakos comments:
“More and more we’re aware of the increasing levels of sugar in our diets and the negative impact this has on our health. The need for a toothpaste with built in Sugar Acid Neutraliser™ technology has never been so urgent. Colgate® Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutraliser™ will have a tremendous impact on the oral health of the nation.””

*UK Adult Dental Health Survey 2009, The Health and Social Care Information Centre
** Toothpaste with fluoride alone reduced by 32%
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Below are a few points to get you started, but feel free to add any other comments you have:

• What are your top tips for getting your DCs to clean their teeth properly?
• What kind of excuses do your DCs give you about why they don't need to clean their teeth?
• How do you teach your DCs about good dental hygiene?
• Do you worry about your DCs teeth? What do you do to help them keep their teeth healthy?
• Do you actively try to reduce the sugar intake of your DCs? If so, how?

Fears, tips, whatever it is, we’d love to hear it!

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky Mumsnetter will win a £250 voucher of a supermarket of their choice*.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

*except Aldi and Lidl

I think the best thing is to get them used to it when they are very young, so it is just part of their morning and night-time routines. I helped them to clean their teeth until they were old enough to do it themselves, but I still supervised for a long time.

Mine have never had any problems thankfully. DS3 now wears braces, so his dental hygiene is extra important. He is very responsible about this, as he is determined to have lovely teeth.

What are your top tips for getting your DCs to clean their teeth properly?

I used to sing a song for ds while I was brushing his teeth! (Just a song about cleaning teeth that I made up!)

-What kind of excuses do your DCs give you about why they don't need to clean their teeth?

They don't. Yet.

-How do you teach your DCs about good dental hygiene?

For the older children, we regularly use the disclosing tablets on their teeth and then show them which bits they've missed. Then we make them clean their teeth again, being especially careful about where they missed the first time. (We do this every few months- I sometimes floss their teeth at this point, if needed)

-Do you worry about your DCs teeth? What do you do to help them keep their teeth healthy?

Yes, it is important to look after their teeth. MIL has particularly bad and brown, discoloured teeth after smoking for all of her life and we have told the children that if they don't clean their teeth properly, they will end up with teeth like Nanna.

-Do you actively try to reduce the sugar intake of your DCs? If so, how?

They usually only have one glass of fruit juice a day and have water or very diluted squash to go with the rest of the day's meals.

My grandchildren are very good at cleaning their teeth since they were old enough to see what happened to poor Grandaddy's teeth when he was little because he never cleaned his. Since the age of 15 he has had to wear partial dentures. 'Ugh! gross Grandaddy' Funny thing is I used the same tactic with their Mum who has always taken good care of her teeth and at the age of 42 has never needed a filling.

-What are your top tips for getting your DCs to clean their teeth properly? - we let DD watch a specific programme (Melody) when she brushes her teeth. At first, she didn't like it & it didn't make any difference. Now, if she hears the theme music, she immediately asks for her toothbrush & paste. Even if it's the middle of the day! We rarely have to pin her down to brush them these days. Not sure what we'll do when she uses more & needs to spit it out - suppose we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
-What kind of excuses do your DCs give you about why they don't need to clean their teeth? - No daddy/mummy don't like brushing! (She's 3...)
-How do you teach your DCs about good dental hygiene? At present we just try to emphasise the importance of keeping her teeth nice and white. I also bring her upstairs with me, when I brush my teeth, and she has a go with her toothbrush in the bathroom.
-Do you worry about your DCs teeth? What do you do to help them keep their teeth healthy? - yes, I worry. A family member had to have all his teeth removed while in his 50s, due to gingivitis. I dread that happening to her. We just try to encourage & praise her a lot for brushing.
-Do you actively try to reduce the sugar intake of your DCs? If so, how? - we don't give DD lots of refined sugar in food. However she does eat a fair bit of fruit. So, we don't let her drink juice late in the afternoon, or eat fruit shortly before teeth brushing. If she does eat something high in fruit acids, I give her a little bit of cheese (which she loves) as this apparently neutralises the acids which weaken the enamel. I also do this myself. She mostly drinks water, or milk, and only water at night.

I need to read this thread. My dental hygiene is awful . Though I have never had a cavity or filling, I do have dreadful gums, and hate flossing (teeth so close together). DD loathes having her teeth brushed (also hated being spoon fed) and it's always been a pin her down and get it done job.

I will be teaching her about flossing and getting into the habit early. NO dentist ever told me to, despite biannual visits my whole life (conscientious parents). I would like advice on when I can start to floss with my child.

Other than that, we drink no sugary drinks as a matter of preference as well as health - I'm sure that is a huge help. DD is only 2 but when she gets older I will be limiting snacks too.

(when I say my dental hygiene is awful. I mean I don't floss and get scolded by my hygienist. I do brush twice a day! lest any MNers be put off in future by the thought of rotting teeth - they are not! )

When my children were young enough to stand by sink everyday when l cleaned my teeth l would give them a toothbrush to clean theres at the same time they loved it as we could do it together and when it was there bed times on the way up its off to the bathroom we go so its more of a routine everyday and when they were old enough to go unsupervised they still loved it my rachels now 25 and still has not had a filling.
also never gave them hot tea or coffee only milk or juice

I have us all brush at the same time, as it is good for my children to see how Mummy does it. I also have them drink water after snacks and meals to help reduce the food residue that is left on their teeth.

I let my kiddies choose their own toothbrushes. Which is quite a lot as I change them every few weeks.

I am eagerly reading all the toddler tooth cleaning tips! My little one hates it & puts his hands over his mouth when I mention the tooth cleaning task every morning & night! The only thing that has worked (& this was only for a few days mind) was him watching himself clean his teeth in the mirror, however the novelty of that has now worn off! We have tried electric toothbrushes, reward charts, 'dinosaurs brush their teeth, etc, etc. I continue to push it daily & will do until he gets in the habit of it, perseverance is key even if nothing else works! He may scream like a banshee for 2 minutes morning & night, but rather that that the pain & discomfort of cavities & tooth decay in the future.

I brush my boys teeth first then let them do it afterwards..(always whilst in the bath!!!???!!!)

They have brushes that flash for the amount of time they need to be brushing their teeth. This novelty seems to work well and they have lovely white teeth.

My kids actually enjoy it and request to do it themselves

Routine - When they are younger and you're puting them to bed and getting them up make sure teeth cleaning is part of the routine. That way it continues once they are doing these things for themselves.
We never get excuses for not doing it but when we're away or the routine is broken then they may need reminding.
We've taught them enough about dental hygene so that they care about their teeth. Enough that they volentarily use mouth wash ... though I suspect the fact that they like it make play a large part in that.
We don't worry about their teeth too much though, we both have good teeth and I suppose we hope it's hereditory.
We are a very healthy family so sugar levels never got high enough to need reducing.

We let ds1 brush his own teeth while in the bath (he actually asks for toothbrush) and then I have a go once he is out. I use his bath towel to swaddle his arms out the way and sit on toilet seat. He's not keen at the minute as molars coming through but if they are clean a dentist friend said the inflammation pain won't be as bad.

I'll start by saying that my son sadly fell down some steps when he was much younger, this knocked the front to teeth in half - to say I was devastated woul be an understatement, unfortunately they wouldn't cap them (which I wanted them to) as they were milk teeth, although of course I was thankful they were just his milk teeth. Now they are really rotten due to being unprotected from the enamel he's lost.

-What are your top tips for getting your DCs to clean their teeth properly?

I tell my son that I just need to tickle his teeth for a few minutes and get him to try and laugh whilst I brush. He's four, I don't trust him to do his teeth well enough by himself yet. He does brushing throughout the day (about twice) and I do morning and night brushing.

-What kind of excuses do your DCs give you about why they don't need to clean their teeth?

My little one doesn't give excuses, although he does get mouth ulcers sometimes which makes him a bit wary about me doing his teeth.

-How do you teach your DCs about good dental hygiene?

I explain about the sugar content in food, I've shown him really rotten disgusting teeth pictures online and explained that it's down to not looking after teeth properly and eating too much acidic and sugary foods without brushing.

-Do you worry about your DCs teeth? What do you do to help them keep their teeth healthy?

I do worry, I worry a great deal. His dad has really awful teeth and I'd hate for my sons teeth to be all black like that. I have nightmares about my teeth falling out frequently which makes me so concerned when it comes to losing teeth. I also wish I'd had braces when I was younger and so I'm determined that he will get the best dental care possible, that includes the best dental care I can give him. I try to keep them healthy with regular dental appointments and regular brushing - I did get him some mouthwash but the dentist said it's just a marketing ploy and that childrens mouthwash may even be bad for his teeth!

-Do you actively try to reduce the sugar intake of your DCs? If so, how?

There isn't much I don't allow him to have when it comes to food and drink, however I do make sure it's in moderation. The dentist said that the best time for him to have something sweet is after his dinner and to brush afterwards. Where I was going wrong I think is allowing him to have so many snacks during the day, this meant his teeth were almost under constant attack! It never dawned on me that would be the case.

Top tip: insist on brushing teeth twice a day from early age. Teach to brush properly - at least ten vertical (rather than horizontal) brush strokes at each "surface". My husband can easily skip tooth brushing for a day or two because his parents did not pay attention when he was a child to develop the habit and the NEED - it's disgusting! I don't like behaving like a control freak by asking a grown-up man if he brushed his teeth or not. Think of your future in-laws: don't make them think ...well... not too highly of you in this respect. :)

I use an app on my DC's ipad - works a treat!

We use a plaque staining tablet every few weeks to make sure our 8 and 10 year old dcs have been doing a good job.

The turning point for us as a family was when I went through our monthly food bill and calculated how much of it was sugary items. It was shocking. We now put that money towards non-food treats for the kids (outings)

I let DD brush then finish off for her, she is 3. Pretending I can see food from the day, then brushing it off helps, learned that one n here! Also referring her to the episode of Doc McStuffins with Bronty'a stinky breath!

I bought them both timers and told them my mum gave me too many sweets hence the fillings. They clean their teeth well

I was despairing of my daughter's total refusal to brush her teeth. I had dreams of her teeth being black by the time she was 5. That was until I bought an all singing all dancing One Direction toothbrush; she loves it and it's one of the best purchases as a mum I've ever made. In fact my daughter continues to brush after the 2 minutes. Would recommend it to everyone I know.

One good tip is, like a shop, say you brush you teeth 10 times you get X. That way you are rewarding the YP but not every time.

Brushing together makes it fun :)

I have always been diligent with both childrens teeth and they are rarely allowed juice - definatley never in a sippy cup or bottle!

Sweets are a treat but many sugars are in natural foods anyway. I always brushed my childrens teeth morning and night until they were old enough to do them alone - and even then I still double check that they have done so.

Whilst both of them see it as a chore they were both over the moon to be told that 'it's very rare to see children your age with no cavities or decay - you have lovely teeth' by the Dentist this month