Brushing 8 month old's teeth

Ellsbells

Our little lad has 6 teeth and its so hard to brush them. How often do you brush your infants new teeth and how?

pwurple

We 'brushed' in the morning and after the bath in the evening, but really at 8 month don't worry too much about technique. Their diet is still mainly milk. My brother is a dentist, he tells me that was the main thing at that age. Just keep avoiding juices and sugary drinks of course.

It's just getting them used to having a brush in their hand and mouth at that age, and making it part of the routine.

Ellsbells

Ok well he is on solids and a sticky tonic so I suppose its a case of doing the best we can. Am not sure if those finger brushes are any good.

pwurple

We just used a small colgate brush from boots.
http://www.boots.com/en/Colgate-My-First-Toothbrush_934/

Ellsbells

Great thanks a million.

BostonB

Some medicines can be sugary if you don't have the sugar free version. Though sometimes they need the pick up of the sugar. But perhaps not at 2am. (Learnt that lesson).

cbyrd

There is a little silicone baby toothbrush you can get that slips over your finger.. most chemists have them or smyths or the like.. i found them better to get them used to the brush and i'd introduce the brush at about 12 to 14 months . .

this is it

http://www.gotoddler.com.au/Dreambaby_Silicone_Baby_Toothbrush_p/072_tz_db_f309.htm

shellygirll

My little one got teeth early (4 by the time she turned 6mths) I bought a really soft tooth brush from Tesco and toothpaste (we live in the country and have well water so no added fluoride - if you live in a town the council adds this to the water so don't use the toothpaste) ... anyway I use a tiny scraping of toothpaste and each time I go to brush her teeth (twice a day) I say the same words - "show me" and would gently rub the toothbrush on her lips which she would then open automatically and I could get to the teeth, since we've been doing for the last 2 mths she now opens up automatically without me saying anything and she gives me a certain amount of time to get the job done - some days she feels I should be a lot faster then I am and closes her mouth to what I've now called "the lock jaw position" I've also taken to cleaning my teeth when she can see me hoping she makes the connection as well.

Also if she wakes during the night for a bottle or if I give her medicine for teething - I don't brush her teeth again because this would wake her up more, I just give her a bottle of cool boiled water so she can take a few sips from which will hopefully wash away most of the milk or sugary residue until morning comes when I can brush them.

Princessa

cbyrd wrote: »

There is a little silicone baby toothbrush you can get that slips over your finger.. most chemists have them or smyths or the like.. i found them better to get them used to the brush and i'd introduce the brush at about 12 to 14 months . .

this is it

http://www.gotoddler.com.au/Dreambaby_Silicone_Baby_Toothbrush_p/072_tz_db_f309.htm

Dis exactly the same as Cbyrd and found it really worked. They dont mind it too much as its very soft and i think my little one used to think she was just chewing on my finger. Introduced the toothbrush after she was 1 then.