Survey: Teeth Brushing

We certainly remember the day our local dentist walked into our kindergarten class and discussed toothbrushing. We sat contently listening as he explained the dangers of "bad bugs" in our mouths. His visit ended by his giving us some tiny purple tablets we were to chew up, swish around our mouth and spit out. The tablets would leave a nasty filmy residue on our teeth, showing us the places we missed in our early brushing experiences.

While it seems as though back then oral hygiene wasn't really introduced to children until preschool, today good tooth care is paramount for all ages. Our son is now at the point where he can brush his own teeth every morning and right before going to bed -- although sometimes, it's a bit of a struggle.

We're curious, what is your teef routine?

Comments (5)

Funny timing...I just returned from my three year old's first dentist appointment. Our dentist recommends parents "helping" their child brush until they are 8 years old! I have a nine year old, as well, and we didn't assist that long (he would never have stood for it!), but we did supervise for a long time and still use a timer. No cavities, so far!

posted by mayaluna on May 7th 2008 at 10:21am
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Our toddler fought having her teeth brushed until her pediatrician suggested letting her hold another toothbrush. Now she will cheerfully parrot "Teeth!" when I tell her it's time to brush, and she even "helps" with the other brush. (It's more chewing than brushing, but still...)

posted by webmacher on May 7th 2008 at 11:50am
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I have a non-brusher at home, and I still wipe with a wipey. My kid is just a toddler. He cannot tolerate anyone brushing his teeth, and when he tries to mimic me as I'm modeling for him, he ends up brushing his tongue or triggering his gag reflex. The dentist told me to force it now -- with a straightjacket if necessary. I'm going to increase our dentist visits to every three months. The last time she did a supergood fluoride treatment. :)

posted by stickyricemama on May 7th 2008 at 3:09pm
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My daughter (she'll be 3 on Friday) has had a toothbrush for a while and she mostly brushes on her own but lately she's been having rancid breath so I'm thinking we need to chunk the baby toothpaste and get down to business. We have our first dentist appointment next month so we'll see how we're doing!

posted by tgray99 on May 7th 2008 at 3:57pm
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The red tablets are not always easy to get, but they are still available:

http://www.just4teeth.com/Butler-Red-Cote-Dental-disclosing-tablets

posted by bluelittlegirl on May 14th 2008 at 12:07pm
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