Set aside the teething toys and get out that toothbrush!

As a new mother, every stage in my son’s development brings something new to the table.  I would love to be one of those moms that knows how to handle anything thrown my way, but I’m not.  I’m just a mom who reads parenting magazines, Google’s “what should my baby be doing at nine months” and signs up for newsletters on the latest and greatest tips for moms.  I’m hoping there are more moms out there like me.

My nine month old is now sporting two shiny teeth and will put anything and everything in his mouth.  Naturally, when he started teething I looked up the best way to help ease the pain, and went out and purchased a slew of teething toys for him.

Meet my son, the teether:

creed9months-4
Learning through teething the right way to care for teeth.

While I was focused on treating the teething aspect of this stage, I was overlooking how to actually care for these cute tiny new teeth.

I had gone for a dental cleaning myself a few months ago, and in my dental care “to-go bag” they put in a toothbrush for my son.  I should have asked them when to start brushing his teeth, but instead, I came home and stored that cute tiny toothbrush for a later day.  Thankfully, my cousin Leta, dentist and mother of triplets, shared an article from The New York Times on her Facebook page.  I wish I would have thought to ask about this sooner, but had no clue I even needed to start thinking about brushing his teeth.  So a big thanks to mothers and professionals out there who shared this information with me!

After reading the article, I realized I should have purchased an infant toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.  The new recommendation from the American Dental Association is that parents start brushing those teeth once they poke through, and with fluoride!  Now, I wouldn’t go crazy on this.  Baby’s teeth should be brushed twice a day, using only a smear of fluoride on the toothbrush.  Use a very thin layer of toothpaste that covers less than half of the bristles on the child-size toothbrush.

Here are some quick tips on infant oral healthcare:

  • Brush babies teeth as soon as they break through with a small soft toothbrush and fluoride
  • Try laying baby down with water instead of formula or milk
  • Water is the best go-to drink
  • If you introduce 100% fruit juice to your infant, offer it only from a cup and limit the amount to 4 to 6 ounces per day.  It should be given with a meal, and not sipped throughout the day or given at bedtime.
  • Make that first dental appointment for your baby at one year of age
  • Supervise tooth brushing until the approximate age of five to six years old

Alright mama’s, what other advice can you shell out?  How do you get your children to brush their teeth?

I know there are some clever songs and dances you do, and tips on getting your kids to eat and drink healthy!

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Aubrey Proctor
I’m Aubrey! A wife who makes her husband watch chick flicks, owner of the largest lap dog named Handy, and mother of an adorable roly-poly baby boy Emerson Creed. I live just out of reach from Target and Starbucks in the small town of Ada, OK. I’m a professional photographer and former Marketing Director. A New Mexican at heart, I put green chili in just about everything I cook. In my not so spare time, I love trying to be crafty, drinking generous amounts of coffee, stashing candy, dancing & singing around my house like I’m in a musical, and sporting yoga pants whenever and wherever I can. I truly love being a mother and have come to the realization that I will probably embarrass my son at some point (or points) in the future.

1 COMMENT

  1. Hi Aubrey,

    This was a great article. I just wanted to say AMEN and basically agree with your research.

    The earlier the better when it comes to seeing a dentist. Now in full disclosure I work for a pediatric dentist and we see kids as early as a year or sometimes younger. But It often depends on the life experiences and insight of the parents. But let’s be honest, more specifically the mom in the family is the person who needs to gleam the details of research such as yours. Moms on average make a majority of the decisions when it comes to the healthcare choices in their family. With this being the case it is imperative that moms have an opportunity to share their experience and knowledge with each other as it relates to kid’s dental care. So kudos to you for doing your research and sharing it with your readers. You may have just relieved the burden of several moms navigating the same journey.

    There are lots of great resources out there for parents as they navigate this new arena in their parenting experience. One I might offer would be the parent friendly website from the AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentists) http://www.mychildrensteeth.org/

    We believe at Smile Galaxy Pediatric Dentistry that a “dental home” for a child should be established at one year of age, or within six months of their first tooth coming in. This might be with your own personal dentist or if you’d like you might want to seek out a specialist who is trained and who’s office is modeled to just work with kids.

    Your readers are welcome to check out our “first visit” page from the Smile Galaxy website, it may offer some good info as well some insight as to what to expect and how to prepare your child for their first visit to the dentist.

    First Visits – http://www.smilegalaxykids.com/#!first-visit/c1otf

    If your readers have any questions they are more than welcome to give our office a call at (405) 692-1222

    Thank you again for taking the time to post the details of your research and sharing it with your readers.

    Brent Greene

    Smile Galaxy Pediatric Dentistry in Oklahoma City
    http://www.SmileGalaxyKids.com

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