Question for 2nd+ time Mothers

PansyPants

Oral care for infants? Really?The DH and I were browsing around Babies R' Us today and saw the following linky

I feel like I've missed something my whole life. Am I supposed to use the little rubber thing to massage the babies gums after feeding? This has completely blindsided me and I would love some input.  

jonnygurl76

yes or you can use a wet wash cloth to wipe LO's gums.  and as soon as they get teeth in, you start to brush them. 

forensicmama

The idea is to clean their gums from early on with one of those rubber things or a wash rag to keep them used to having strange things in their mouths and to keep their gums clean. Once the little teeth start sprouting, you use one of these little finger-massage gum cleaners with a little bit of xylotol toothpaste (fluoride free) to keep their teeny teeth from rotting. The massaging helps with pain as well when they're teething. Once you feel like it, you use a little toothbrush with the xylotol stuff to clean their teeth. I think when they're two or three (depends on your dentist) you start using regular toothpaste (as long as they can spit it out so as to not swallow the fluoride). I think I started doing the gum massage thing at around five months, but I wish I had started a little earlier so she became used to the sensation of me sticking things in her mouth that wasn't boobie or binkie.

lovelyophelia

Toothbrush isn't necessary until they actually have teeth. I used a wet cloth to wipe DS's mouth and now he uses a toothbrush.

WhitePicketFence

jonnygurl76:

yes or you can use a wet wash cloth to wipe LO's gums.  and as soon as they get teeth in, you start to brush them. 

Yep, this.

BobbiJanay07

Ian never liked the finger brush. We tried the wash cloth but wasn't fan, but loves to have his teeth brushed. 

Rachey1082

forensicmama:

The idea is to clean their gums from early on with one of those rubber things or a wash rag to keep them used to having strange things in their mouths and to keep their gums clean. Once the little teeth start sprouting, you use one of these little finger-massage gum cleaners with a little bit of xylotol toothpaste (fluoride free) to keep their teeny teeth from rotting. The massaging helps with pain as well when they're teething. Once you feel like it, you use a little toothbrush with the xylotol stuff to clean their teeth. I think when they're two or three (depends on your dentist) you start using regular toothpaste (as long as they can spit it out so as to not swallow the fluoride). I think I started doing the gum massage thing at around five months, but I wish I had started a little earlier so she became used to the sensation of me sticking things in her mouth that wasn't boobie or binkie.

This - except DS had his first tooth come in right before 4 mos so we started brushing then. It is VERY important to brush their teeth. A friend of mine had to get her TWO YEAR OLD's teeth pulled because they were rotten. Don't take this lightly.

Cilley

I use a qtip to clean LO's gums and tongue. I brush his teeth about 2 - 3 times a wk. Should be better about it, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

MrsM1113

They say you're supposed to use a washcloth to wipe their gums after every feeding... I didn't.  I wiped DS' gums/teeth maybe once a day, if I remembered.  We started brushing his teeth around a year old.  He has healthy teeth, despite us not being by the book.

I think it's more important to not let them go to bed with bottles... I've seen quite a few kids with rotted teeth (literally, they had to be pulled) from baby bottle mouth.

mabma80

yeah, i had one of those thingys in my care/grooming kit for baby.  I never used it.  In fact, we never did anything to our boys' mouth until they started teething. We gave them teething rings and they were fine. Once they had enough teeth, like eight I think, we bought the toddler toothbrush just so they could get used to the idea of brushing their teeth.  We got the baby/toddler toothpaste w/o the flouride.

 

12bailey18

I never did. DS got his first tooth at 4 months but I didn't start "brushing" them until he was about 8 months. It didn't become part of our daily routine until he was 1.

Unknown

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