Dental questions?

My boys have two teeth each. When do you start to brush the teeth? When do they need to see the dentist?

I know silly questions,
Jenn

 

You're "supposed" to wipe their gums down at least a couple times a day, and especially once they get teeth. You don't even have to use a tooth brush, just a soft wet cloth works. I never did, I'd wipe them quick if I thought about it after they at their solids, or during a bath. I didn't actually start brushing teeth until after a year with my older kids, maybe even 18 months when we started getting regular with twice a day.

They also "recommend" seeing the dentist once their teeth start coming in. Again, personally I took my oldest son at age 5, and will take my dd at age 4-5 as well, which is when my dentist recommends they have their first visit. I don't have a ped dentist nearby though, and I think the ped dentist's are the ones that recommend starting earlier.

 

We started brushing as part of the bedtime routine at about 6 months. They will see at Dentist at age 3.

 

I think it was after a year with my DD that we started brushing teeth - maybe even a little later than that. When I asked the pediatrician about going to the dentist - he told me to go after she turned 3. Time got away from me and I didn't get her there until the following summer when she was 4. Looking back - I think that was perfect timing - she could sit still in the chair and understood what we were doing. I plan to do the same with the twins.

 

The AAP recommends going to the dentist at one-year. I couldn't get my DS in until he was around 20 months, and it was very silly. We waited forever (it was a pedi dentist) and then he just looked at his teeth and said they were great. I talked to my pedi afterwards and he said that they recommend going at 1-yr-old because some babies have teeth issues, but usually pedis can detect them, so he really doesn't need to start going for the teeth cleaning and full dental work-up until after he's 3.

Also, my DS started getting teeth at 3 months, so he had a mouthful at 12 mos.

We started brushing teeth (with that little cover over my finger) around 9 mos or so...probably should have started earlier.

 

I brush my girls teeth every night before bed and I started this routine once they got their first teeth.

I called the dentist that I plan on bringing them to and was told the dentist doesn't see kids until 2.5 at the earliest and only before then if there is a problem.

 

The dentists usually say to come in once they have their first tooth. However, since the pedi will check out their teeth it really isn't necessary to visit the dentist until they are about 3.

I wipe my babies' teeth when I think of it after solids, but I really need to start doing it more consistently.

 

We brushed with water from the first tooth (7 months-Ryan, 8 months-Jake) then at one year started using baby toothpaste. We just did it before bed to start the routine. They love it. We've been working on 2x's a day since 18 months. At their 2yr well visit the pedi said they need to see a dentist this year. Jake's teeth are pretty crooked and I'm afraid there may be a tooth growing under a tooth, so I'll be starting the search for a pedi dentist.

 

We didn't start brushing with a toothbrush until they were about 1. Until then, I just used a soft cloth & wiped them whenever I thought of it. Our dentist sees them for the first time at 3.