Tooth Care

By the time your baby reaches six months old, you can begin to clean his gums with a wet washcloth or a piece of gauze. By the time his back molars have come in (around 18 months), you can switch to a soft bristle infant or toddler toothbrush. Because tots like to walk around and brush, it’s a good idea to start out with the triangle safety brush. As soon as you begin to brush your child’s teeth you’ll notice his desire to try to brush them himself.  Dentists advise that parents should continue to thoroughly brush their children’s teeth until they are six years old.  Brush your teeth while he’s doing his, and then “check” each other’s teeth to see if they’re clean.

If he resists your help, tell him he’s done a good job but he “missed a spot” and finish the job for him.  That way you’ll have done a complete cleaning. Both my boys fussed when it was time to brush —  it is surely a challenge but the job has to get done to avoid tooth decay. If you have a resistant brusher, it may help to buy him a toothbrush with a special cartoon character on it. You can also let your child have several brushes in different colors so that he can choose the one he wants when it’s time to brush.