Tooth Brushing...

[CulinaryMom]

It's so important to get your little one used to the idea of brushing at a young age... even if they aren't ready for toothpaste yet.

I think it's a good idea to introduce a toothbrush (with just water) when they first get some teeth in and then around 2 years is a good time to start brushing with a pea sized amount of toothpaste...

At what age did you introduce toothpaste... what kinds have you tried?
Share your tips, reviews and experiences :)

Anyone try Sensodyne's new ProNamel for Children?

[WorkingAtHome]

I have never tried Sensodyne's new ProNamel for Children. I use the toothpaste manufactured by the company that I represent - Melaleuca. They use xylitol which is a natural sweetener compared to saccharin which is an artificial sweetener. It helps in the reduction of tooth decay. I have not researched store bought options - but I am sure you can check out labels next time you are at your favorite store.
Good luck!

[Ravish30]

Our daughter was taught to brush her teeth at an early age...around 2 or so and we used store bought toothpaste that was made for children along with a childsize tooth brush that was changed every other month (per dentist, he recommends new toothbrushes every 2 months).

[CulinaryMom]

Our daughter was taught to brush her teeth at an early age...around 2 or so and we used store bought toothpaste that was made for children along with a childsize tooth brush that was changed every other month (per dentist, he recommends new toothbrushes every 2 months).

That's great... was it a struggle or is it something that easily became a daily routine?

Has your pedi dentist mentioned anything about acid erosion? It's more and more common in kids because some times we don't realize that even some of the 'healthy' stuff we encourage them to have like fresh fruits, apple sauce and juices are highly acidic and can weaken their enamel.

Just a few tips on that...

You should never brush their teeth immediately after eating bc that's when their enamel is weakest and you can do more damage... I good rule is to wait at least an hour before brushing.

Also for drinks like fruit juices, lemonade etc try to encourage drinking through a straw so the juice isn't in contact with their teeth for a prolonged time.

And you may also want to ask your dentist about ProNamel for Children if they have weak enamel bc it's actually been proven to help re-strengthen tooth enamel to prevent erosion.

Hope this is helpful... anyone have additional tips?

[Ravish30]

Tooth brushing was never a struggle for our daughter and she grew up having NO cavities.

[Lori]

It's funny - our son (17) who I have always had to hound to brush has never had a cavity... on the other hand, my meticulous little brusher ( eight years) has had several cavities!

:dunno:

[CulinaryMom]

It's funny - our son (17) who I have always had to hound to brush has never had a cavity... on the other hand, my meticulous little brusher ( eight years) has had several cavities!
:dunno:

Yeah I can definitely understand your frustration... some kids just have softer enamel than others... Have you asked her pediatric dentist about recommendations as far as toothpastes that may help strengthen her teeth?

I would look into the new kid's toothpaste from Sensodyne bc it was actually developed with dentists to help prevent further erosion and cavities by re-strengthening tooth enamel.
You can go to their website for more info and they also have a $1 off coupon you can print... it's www.pronamelforchildren.com.

Good luck!

[Lori]

Thanks for the advice CulinaryMom! No - our dentist never mentioned any toothpaste for strengthening the enamel - I'll look into this :)

[Vega]

My 3 year old daughter loves to brush her teeth. I will say that if your kid isn't good at spitting the toothpaste out, then you may want to go with fluoride-free toothpaste. Fluoride can be dangerous if swallowed in large amounts. It's also a good idea to use a little pea-size amount of regular toothpaste each time they brush even if they are good at spitting just to be safe.