15 Month Old - When Should I Be Really Brushing Her Teeth

Hi L.,
Toothpaste: you definitely wan the infant kind, as she is not really old enough yet to grasp the concept of spitting it all out.
Toothbrush: One with a very small head, geared for a child - fun characters.

You'll likely get a lot of different advice as to visiting the dentist. We have an excellent family dental group in Gainesville that specializes in pediatric dentistry. I called them when my son was 2 1/2 and they said that as long as we were brushing and there are no obvious problems that he didn't need to be seen until he was closer to 4 (sometime between the 3rd and 4th birthday is when the usually do the initial visit).

L.

The link below is to the Dept of Health on baby dental health. I know I was told no Flouride before the age of 2.
hope this helps
C.
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/ToothDecay/AHe...

We adopted our daughter at 17 months. I started brushing her teeth immeditely using NON-fluoride toothpaste. Since they don't spit out the toothpaste, it's important not to use toothpaste that has fluoride in it. You can get this toothpaste in just about any store. We use Orajel Toddler Training Toothpaste. It comes in a couple flovors.

Hi L., good question. Im a pediatric dental assistant so this question is right up my alley in way of advice to you. It is never too early to introduce the toothbrush. Massaging their gums before tooth eruption is keeping the gums as bacteria free as possible. At this stage no toothpaste is needed just warm water or you can buy the baby orajel toothpaste. When they finally do erupt switch to a childrens toothpaste WITH FLOURIDE. Use a very small amount and brush normally. Be sure to wipe any excess off with a towel or washcloth. My qustion to you is this: has your lil one been to the dentist yet? If not its time for that first visit as soon as the first tooth pops out.
What to expect? They will basically just try to establish a relationship with you and your child. Try to brush her teeth (she will more than likely scream but thats a good thing b/c we can see into her mouth : )You will also be given information. If shes not off the bottle at nighttime yet, make sure she gets nothing but water to go down with. Good luck,hope this helps.

Hi, I have a almost 11 month old, and for about a month or two now, I have been taking one of those "brushes" that fit on your finger, and brushing his (five) teeth with Grins and Giggles Infant Gum and teeth toothpaste. It has no flouride and is safe to swallow. If you need a bigger toothbrush, maybe get one of the character one's and let her pick it out. Hope this helps.

S.

Go to the baby aisle of the store and you'll find baby tooth paste there. Oral Gel or Gerber. I'd start now and put a very small amount on her brush. Try to get her to copy you and daddy brushing. She will suck the paste off but that's why you'll need to get the baby paste. I have done this with my son and now at 2 1/2yr he likes to look in a mirror and make bubbles on his teeth.
I still haven't taken him to see a dentist yet. Check out Colagtes article about that.
http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Information/Oral...
I do hope to take him soon. Money is just a problem right now. But I have found a Pediartic Dentist in my area. I think they said they recommend starting around the age of 2 or 3.

At 15 months your child needs to visit a pediatric dentist as someone else had mentioned.

Hi, I was told by a pediatric dentist friend of mine to start to wipe/brush the gums prior to the first teeth even coming in. This due to the fact that the teeth that are coming in need a "clean" surface to come into. He has seen infant teeth come in with minor cavity problems due to the gums not being cleaned regularly. Then as soon as the teeth come in contiue to brush them as well. Minimally twice a day, but definitely after meals and before bed. Bad idea to let her go to sleep with milky gum/teeth. Orajel has great flavored toddler tootpaste that my son just loves to use. He is 18 months and we have been brushing his teeth since the first little one came in.

We use a toddler toothpaste and my son likes the taste just fine. We first saw our pediatric dentist (Dr. Fara Bender) at about 18 months, just to rule out any dental problems that wouldn't be obvious to a parent's eyes.
My son's hygienist suggested this method for brushing. Each night, when we brush teeth, I (or my husband) sit on the floor and he lays his head in my lap (just like at the dentist). Then I can really get into the nooks and crannies of his teeth. I also use the kid sized flossers (there's a Crayola kind, but I use a generic that are just as good). I feel like this is really paying off on the days when he has eaten raisins or fruit leather (which I was told arecas bad for teeth as fruit snacks and chewy candy). It's a part of our routine and he knows he has to let us brush if he wants to hear his stories.

Our dentist told us to use the baby tooth paste until our daughter learned to spit it out because you dont want them swallowing the flouride.We started taking our kids to the dentist at 2 yrs so if your insurance provides dental I recommed the earlier the better!

I actually would suggest that you talk to your DENTIST, not the pediatrician. We go every 6 months ourselves, so I just asked him what he suggested we do (or not do). He was the first one to advise me to get rid of the bottle (at age 1) and then the hard tipped sippers (as soon as you can manage without them..).
But, until you can talk to a pro:
Even if she had no teeth at all, you would want to use a piece of gauze to run over her gums each day (or night- preferably just before bed) to help remove bacteria that grow on any leftover food particles or sugars from milk/formula/juice, etc.
But, I'm assuming she has a few teeth (mine had 8 already at that age). With our kids, we just required brushing at bedtime (so they didn't go to sleep and let their teeth bathe in all the sugars in their mouths all night long). When they get older you can begin having them do it in the mornings too - this is almost just a breath freshener... and you will know when they need this! LOL
Be sure the brush is sized for her (if it is too big it can be difficult to use properly without hurting her lips/gums) and is soft. That was the biggest problem I found with the kiddie electric ones... the bristles stick out too far (b/c of how it's all put together) to use very well on the outsides of the teeth.
You can use infant toothpaste if you want, but it's not really necessary, especially if you have city water that is flouridated. She might like it b/c she sees you put something on YOUR toothbrush. The most important thing is just gently brushing the teeth and rinsing with water. (That was my kids' favorite part.. swish with water and SPIT in the sink!!) If you want to use your regular toothpaste, be aware that swallowing it can be harmful and that the taste is usually stronger than little ones care for. And beware, spitting is a skill that has to be learned and she is probably not ready for spitting just yet, so if you DO use paste, don't use much at all!
I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.. just maybe include it in her bedtime routine. If she isn't fighting it, it shouldn't be an issue. Our daughter always loved doing it.. our son-fought it like his life depended on it and it was a major ordeal for me nightly. (sigh)
Just try to find a toothbrush she can manage on her on. It will be awhile before she can actually DO the brushing and have it actually accomplish anything, but as long as she is playing at it, that is great. Let her have her brush in the tub if you want. Get one with a big fat gushy handle in her favorite color, or with her fav. character on it, or one that lights up. They actually have one that blinks for 1 minute (or whatever the recommended time for brushing is).
Just try to enjoy it... you basically have to do it for her until she is at least 2 1/2, and then I'd let her have a go at it, then you follow up after her until she is close to 4 or so. Your dentist can advise you. She should see a dentist around age 3, I think it is.

oh, one other thing.. do not to let her walk around with the brush on her own! It might look cute, but it can be dangerous. You don't want her falling with a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth!

P.S.
We do not use a "pediatric" dentist. Our family dentist is not one of the "medical-clinical- no personality" types. He is very "fun" to be around, just a bubbly personality, and has kids of his own, so he is GREAT with the kids! If that is the kind of dentist you have, then I wouldn't look any further. My 7 yr old was excited to go to the dentist, she enjoyed being the center of attention!

Why don't you schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist for a checkup and consultation? My boys are all grown now, so I can't recommend any in the area, but I am sure that a specialist would have lots of techniques to recommend.

Not sure the correct answer. I started when my child had a good few teeth grown in. I used and am still using Orajel toothpaste that they can swallow and has a good taste to it. I asked my pediatrician the other day when I should take my son to the dentist. She said 3. Haven't started the regular toothpaste as yet like we adults us. Perhaps I need to start.

Hi L.,

You should start brushing teeth as soon as they appear. The caution to wait is because of the fluoride. Fluoride is deadly if ingested. It should not be in our water supply and we don't need it on our teeth. Fluoride is the most volatile chemical on the periodic table and it does eat bacteria...but if there is no bacteria it begins to eat away the teeth. The process is called fluorosis. (My girls stopped having cavities when we started using a toothpaste without fluoride.)Use a training gel and a very soft toothbrush and watch her have fun!

God bless!

M.

When my babies were little they would chew on the toothbrush in the bathtub. We started that as soon as the 1st little tooth erupted. I would do their teeth every night good with their toothbrush (they were well into elementary school when I stopped) and in the morning let them try. There are many pediatric toothpaste flavors and mine thought it was fun to spit (maybe a little too much fun). We were told by our pediatric dentist to start the cleanings as soon as they had teeth and they have gone every 6 months since they were about a year.

Hi, L.. You're definately on the right track. Baby toothpaste -- just a little bit, no larger than the size of a pea -- would be excellent. That way, the brush doesn't irritate her gums and her teeth will get cleaner. Also, Tom's brand has toothpaste without fluoride, which means it won't hurt the little one if she accidentally swallows it, which almost all kids her age will do until they get really good at spitting it out.

The pediatrician will not have enough info about the health of the teeth, but don't skip the appointment. Take your daughter to a pediatric dentist so she or he can check the health of baby's teeth and gums.

Peace,
Syl

I began brushing my childrens teeth as soon as they came in. It is a great massage for their gums too when they are getting those teeth to come through. There is a great toothpaste that is made for the little ones. You can find it at Walmart, for sure & I am sure other places have it. It is baby orajel. I brushed my kids teeth until I knew they could do it on their own. My daughter, sooner than my son. They are now 7 & 9 & my son has 1 cavity & my daughter, 9 has none. They do a good job on their own, but I brushed them for many years, at least one time a day, really good & of course let them do it on their own also. They feel so grown up when they get to do things themselves. http://www.orajel.com/products/baby/tooth_gums/cleanser.h... far as visiting the dentist, my children both began about a yr to 1 1/2. Most of the time, this early it is just to get them introduced & looking, not a lot of cleaning. It is good for them to get comfortable before they start getting the real thing, especially when they are so little & sometimes scared. Make sure you take them to a pediatric dentist ONLY. Some of them work on children but are not just pedeatric. My pediatric dentist, when we moved out of the area, told me that when looking for a dentist make sure their specialty is children only. Good luck!!

I started using a finger brush on my son at 3 months of age as part of his bath routine just to get him used to me brushing--once he was able to bite my finger I moved onto a toothbrush. He's 3 and likes to try and brush them himself, but he can't do a reasonably good job at it so Mommy finishes when he is done. I took him to the dentist at 3 and they told me to introduce flossing, which we also do now (again I do it,but he tries)
So definitely start now--get a fun toothbrush and non-fluoride toothpaste. Don't expect to do a perfect job right away but get her to emulate you and then take over and finish yourself.
Just remain consistent and try to make it fun so you both get in the habit.
Here's a good article about brushing toddlers' teeth:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_tooth-care-for-toddlers_11282.bc