Toddler-Dental Care

Hi there. I used regular toothpaste on DS earlier (a very small amount) but DH was concerned about him swallowing flouride and so we use flouride-free toothpaste now. We try to brush twice a day but forget at times and do it only once. Sometimes we forget altogether! DS recently learnt how to gargle and spit after brushing but does swallow some paste before that.

I think it is important to make them rinse their mouth and spit/swallow each time after they have eaten/drunk something. Else the food particles will stay between the teeth for hours before brushing. Also we were told by ped.dentist that for kids, it is more important to brush their teeth at night (than morning) cos if left like that, the particles will stay in the mouth all night long and increase the risk of decaying.

 

brahan,months back i had replied in this thread mentioning that my DD doesnt spit the toothpaste rather swallows it...but nowadays majority of the times she spits after brushing..infact many times while brushings...

now if not spitting alone is your problem...i ll tell you what i did::

i used to brush with my daughter(sometimes she ll brush with me or atleast she ll watch me brushing)...i made sure i do this max times a week..like atleast 5-6 days per week even if that means late brushing :hide,i did it to make her understand...i did keep telling her to spit but dint shout...i just used to say thats not good to swallow..while brushing,i never used to see her(i mean directly) but keep a watch whether she is looking at me..sometimes that involved making noise with brush or mouth while i brush...slowly she understood that spitting is a part of brushing and slowly started to spit...sometimes i showed how my family members brush...
so she started getting that habit...

Now its like,even if i dont spit for a long time,she ll say "amma,tuppu,kezha tuppu..paste tuppu"...(amma spit spit down,spit the past)..haha

Hope it helps!!!!!!

but sorry i dont have an answer for flouride free tooth paste

 

thanks a lot sudhamanimaran for liking my replies

 

We are using brush for my 2.1 yr old from 18 months. She had 6 tooth then.. so i started using brush and no tooth paste.Her Paed said no to toothpaste until 2 yrs.
During her 2nd yr vaccination appt. I asked the doc and he said he recommends toothpaste only if the child knew to spit else in India there is no kid toothpaste( the one without fluoride) and its harmful for kids to swallow.
So he suggested to use salt while brushing(age old method) and encourage her to spit. and it works

Now shes spitting and i plan to use salt for another 4 months and go for toothpaste only when she turns 2 1/2 yrs.

 

Good Discussion happening on the Toddler dental care ...I have a toddler who is 21 months old...

I started brushing her teeth with fingers when she was a 1.2 yr old .....three months back i have bought a soft brush which we can put on the forefinger and brush the teeth....now a days she wants it to do it by herself ...so i do give it to her once i brush her teeth ....

I dont use any toothpaste as she does not know to spit ....

 

thanks a good tip brahan...but then how about the bitterness :-(