Brusha Brusha Brusha

[42butterflies]

We have two toothbrushes. One she holds, the other I hold. She chews on hers first then I sneak in. I can usually only get top or bottom, rarely both at one time. I just try to rotate which one I do so I get the whole mouth at least once a day.

We don't floss. She has enough space right now.

[ordinaryme]

I let her brush her teeth then I take over. I sing her the abc's while I brush them. She use to flip out, but all of the sudden she's fine with me bursting her teeth. I don't get it.

[ordinaryme]

Jan 20, 2015 21:17:05 GMT -5 classictwitch said:

workinit

I just read an article that said the ADA has changed its stance on fluoridated toothpaste for toddlers--that we should be using it as soon as they have teeth. What do you think? There is no way I'm getting floss into DD's mouth without losing my hand, so I'd like to go the toothpaste route. I expect it'd just be a dab of toothpaste anyway, right?

I'm too scared to give her the fluoride drops we have since she isn't supposed to swallow the toothpaste. Makes no sense to me.

We use training toothpaste fluoride free per her dentists ok. E's dentist told us to floss her teeth. I literally laughed. It hasn't happened yet and we go back to the dentist the beginning of February.

[workinit]

classictwitch yes! Go for the fluoride! But only use a tiny smear so that it won't upset her belly. I use the Toms of Maine strawberry with fluoride. D has been a pistol at times when I brush! I ALWAYS pretend we are having a good time and tell him good job when we are done no matter how bad it was. Sometimes he has no issue at all and sometimes you would think I was pulling his teeth not brushing them! I've been letting him stand on a stool by the sink when he is good do he can rinse the brush and have a turn too. He loves that. We brush in the bath at night and that is usually no problem. Just keep ignoring the negative behavior and reinforcing the positive and praise. Eventually it will click. As for flossing I just use those little floss holders on him and he does ok except he wants to keep the damn flosser when I'm done. I find those things all over my house!

[atangiblewish]

We've been lucky so far. She lets us brush her teeth. That being said it's very hard to get her bottoms because she starts sucking on the toothbrush quickly. We also keep "singing" , "brush, brush, brush". That helps a little. Also, when I need to I'll ask her to open her mouth and she does. 

[atangiblewish]

Jan 20, 2015 21:17:05 GMT -5 classictwitch said:

workinit

I just read an article that said the ADA has changed its stance on fluoridated toothpaste for toddlers--that we should be using it as soon as they have teeth. What do you think? There is no way I'm getting floss into DD's mouth without losing my hand, so I'd like to go the toothpaste route. I expect it'd just be a dab of toothpaste anyway, right?

I'm too scared to give her the fluoride drops we have since she isn't supposed to swallow the toothpaste. Makes no sense to me.

I refuse to give her fluoride. Once were done with this tube of training toothpaste I'm switching to "Toms kids". There is fluoride in our drinking water and I feel that's enough. 

[ordinaryme]

Ok I have a quick question. Not trying to hijack this post. There is fluoride in our water where we are living now, but we are moving to a place there is no fluoride in the water. Should I get her on a fluoride drop or something?

[musicalsilver]

Jan 20, 2015 21:26:47 GMT -5 workinit said:

classictwitch yes! Go for the fluoride! But only use a tiny smear so that it won't upset her belly. I use the Toms of Maine strawberry with fluoride. D has been a pistol at times when I brush! I ALWAYS pretend we are having a good time and tell him good job when we are done no matter how bad it was. Sometimes he has no issue at all and sometimes you would think I was pulling his teeth not brushing them! I've been letting him stand on a stool by the sink when he is good do he can rinse the brush and have a turn too. He loves that. We brush in the bath at night and that is usually no problem. Just keep ignoring the negative behavior and reinforcing the positive and praise. Eventually it will click. As for flossing I just use those little floss holders on him and he does ok except he wants to keep the damn flosser when I'm done. I find those things all over my house!

I mean, I know it's part of your job and all - but HOLY CRAP YOU FLOSS YOUR TODDLER!!

You have *all* my respects for pulling that one off.

Is this something we should all be aspiring to do at this point?  I know I didn't start flossing until college ;-)

That being said OP, I know we should be using fluoridated stuff, so once we run out of the training stuff we'll be switching to fluoride-y toothpaste.

I generally have to pin LO down to finish up the brushing.  I can get a little bit done with him being okay with it (we start with him brushing, then it's my turn), but then it's a wrestling match.  DH has a bit of the magic touch, but I think he's suuuuper gentle about it, so maybe that helps. 

[workinit]

Jan 20, 2015 21:35:12 GMT -5 ordinaryme said:

Ok I have a quick question. Not trying to hijack this post. There is fluoride in our water where we are living now, but we are moving to a place there is no fluoride in the water. Should I get her on a fluoride drop or something?

Get the water tested! You can get a kit from your local health department or maybe even the pediatric dentist. Give the results to the dentist and they can write a fluoride rx based on the amount of natural occurring fluoride in the water.

[ordinaryme]

Ok it's well water so I didn't know how that worked. Thank you workinit

[workinit]

Jan 20, 2015 21:35:50 GMT -5 mcbush said:

Jan 20, 2015 21:26:47 GMT -5 workinit said:

classictwitch yes! Go for the fluoride! But only use a tiny smear so that it won't upset her belly. I use the Toms of Maine strawberry with fluoride. D has been a pistol at times when I brush! I ALWAYS pretend we are having a good time and tell him good job when we are done no matter how bad it was. Sometimes he has no issue at all and sometimes you would think I was pulling his teeth not brushing them! I've been letting him stand on a stool by the sink when he is good do he can rinse the brush and have a turn too. He loves that. We brush in the bath at night and that is usually no problem. Just keep ignoring the negative behavior and reinforcing the positive and praise. Eventually it will click. As for flossing I just use those little floss holders on him and he does ok except he wants to keep the damn flosser when I'm done. I find those things all over my house!

Can fluoride mess with your belly as an adult?

FFTC: I stopped brushing regularly last pregnancy because it made me sick. and I'm still not great about doing it regularly now (like every other day or so, gross I know), but I did this morning and felt sick ALL day All I could taste all day was toothpaste. 

I doubt it's the fluoride unless you ate a spoonful of toothpaste!

[workinit]

musicalsilver I only do it to get him used to it!!! It's easier to continue a habit than to create a new one later. And I probably have a screw loose!

[islandgirl14]

It's usually a crap shoot for us. Sometimes it goes "okay" at best, other times it's a huge fight. We let him watch Elmo's Brush Your Teeth Song (Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me), and that helps motivate him too. Sometimes it helps if we brush at the same time, other times not. We do use floride - just a small smear of toothpaste (I think cl8badb posted something about the toothpaste quantity once, yes?).

As for flossing... ain't no way I'm going in there with my hands! Chomp chomp! In all seriousness, I think he's not quite ready for that yet. Hopefully soon though, as I know it needs to get done.

[nursemommy13]

I started using a smear of my mint toothpaste and she just lets me do it! She gets a drink out of my little cup when we are done to "rinse." She's really good about it. I think she likes the mint.

[islandgirl14]

Oh by the way I was going to ask... Is anyone getting their LOs to spit after they brush? Of hasn't figured it out yet..he's swallowing which isn't good, but I can't get him to spit...

[lioness13]

It's gotten easier but generally its a battle every time. She does like to sing this stupid song I made up that's just goes "teeth teeth teeth, let's brush your teeth."

[cl8badb]

I skipped everything.
J loves Jake. His crest toothpaste has Jake on it. I used to make him hold the tube while i brushed. He brushes after i brush.
Now hes just used to it but i still have the tube with me just in case. Tonight he wanted to look at the tube.

[ciahanna]

I do it while she's laying down after I put her nighttime diaper on her and make various vrooming noises or sing songs depending on what's keeping her happy. She's mostly pretty good about it unless her teeth hurt.

[cl8badb]

Jan 20, 2015 22:27:31 GMT -5 islandgirl14 said:

Oh by the way I was going to ask... Is anyone getting their LOs to spit after they brush? Of hasn't figured it out yet..he's swallowing which isn't good, but I can't get him to spit...

If you arent using flouride then swallowing isnt an issue right now.
If you are using flouride you should only be using a tiny smear which has been deemed safe to swallow.

Theres no way im giving J a reason to spit right now!!

[cl8badb]

Jan 20, 2015 23:38:39 GMT -5 cl8badb said:

Jan 20, 2015 22:27:31 GMT -5 islandgirl14 said:

Oh by the way I was going to ask... Is anyone getting their LOs to spit after they brush? Of hasn't figured it out yet..he's swallowing which isn't good, but I can't get him to spit...

If you arent using flouride then swallowing isnt an issue right now.
If you are using flouride you should only be using a tiny smear which has been deemed safe to swallow.

Theres no way im giving J a reason to spit right now!!

ETA i just saw your post about the floride and the smear that i posted a while back.

Ughhhh i hit quote instead of edit in my above post. Doh!

[cl8badb]

mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2014/02/12/dental-group-advises-fluoride-toothpaste-before-age-2/

Heres the link about the ADA and flouride ^^^

[catalinapink]

I let him brush his teeth(Chew on the toothbrush) while I brush mine. Then I try to brush his teeth afterwards. I will attempt to start flossing, even if it's just for a second. Holy cow, I didn't know I should be doing that already.

[melohdy]

W actually use an electric toothbrush with soft bristles. It's interesting enough that it usually buys us some time to get her good and clean. Light smear of fluoridated tooth paste.

[daffy2k]

Tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (we have a strawberry flavoured Colgate kids one) I ask her to let mom brush first then she can. So I do my best to scrub all her teeth before she clenches. Sometimes I have to remind her once or twice to let me finish and when I'm done she gets to brush her own teeth (ie. Chew on the toothbrush). mcbush M asks for more and more toothpaste, but I've just been telling her no. She's actually handled it better than I expected, but I do let her rinse her toothbrush and re-brush as many times as she likes while I'm getting ready. The water seems to be just as good as more toothpaste.  Oh, and since she can only reach the cold tap on the tub that's where she brushes and rinses her toothbrush, standing beside the tub.  She has fun with it, sometimes spills too much water on the floor, but I just put a towel down and it buys me enough time to get myself ready to go out in the am.  At night we just do it in the tub, and that seems to be just as fun.

[nachellebeck]

We also brush in the tub. We hand him the toothbrush & he sticks it in his mouth & makes the motions. He usually has it in upside down (trying to brush his bottom teeth with the back of the brush).
Then we take the brush & give it a try. We sing the Brusha Brusha song from the Sprout channel. It usually gets him jazzed enough to let us finish.

Ill be getting him some toothpaste soon, & Ill probably go with the one workinit recommended.

[wheresmyspatula]

FFWC- Will loves the toothbrush and carries it around with him biting on it. Eventually he comes and sits with me and I'll brush his teeth and then he'll brush mine (or try to). We don't have a set brushing routine but it does get done daily.

And add me to the no flossing bench. I like having 10 fingers.

[huckleberry08]

Brushing is still rough but lately he has been a little more tolerant of me at least quickly getting the tops and bottoms. I do it with him and he loves to imitate the spitting. We maybe get 20 seconds of real brushing if we are lucky. I have not been brave enough to try the dentist yet.

[islandgirl14]

Thanks for the article cl8badb! That's what I remember!!

[dmlk413]

I don't have any tips. She's perfect for DH when he brushes her teeth but turns into a maniac when I try to do it.

[subliminalrabbit]

I tell E I'm going to "tickle your teeth" and it totally works to get him to open up and let me do my thing in there. He loves brushing his own teeth and tends to focus on his molars, so I really just need to make sure I get the back and front of his front teeth for him.