Dental care questions

[KBecks]

Does your toddler floss? Do you floss for them? Any tips for flossing the kiddos? At what age did you transition to regular toothpaste? Alek is learning to spit and pretty much has it down, but I'm not sure if we should change over yet.

[Moneypenny]

We don't floss Avery's teeth yet because they don't yet touch (she's 2.5). She just had her first dentist visit last week and he said as soon as they start to touch, get those little floss sticks and do it for her. As for toothpaste, we use toddler fluoride-free in the morning and Crest kids w/fluoride at night. She spits very well. I haven't read as much as I should about fluoride, but once I do some research on that maybe we'll switch to fluoride free. Or maybe not. I admit to knowing that some people think fluoride is bad, but I don't know why.

Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
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[SnuggleBuggles]

My dentist said not to worry about flossing for my ds because there is adequate space btw all the teeth. He said when his big teeth come in and the spaces get smaller that is when we will need to floss. I'd ask your dentist if they thought flossing was necessary at this age.

Ds is almost 5 and we still use kiddie toothpaste- with fluoride.

Beth

[nupe]

We see a pediatric dentist. DS has probably been there 3-4 times now. He has always said it is okay to use fluoride toothpaste, the size of a pea, even if the DC does not spit. We have been using the colgate bubble something flavor. DS used to love to brush, now it is something I have to do; really he is almost 3yo! On our last visit the dentist told us to floss for his back teeth since they are close together. Using one of those plastic things that holds floss is much easier than trying to get my hands in his mouth! So we floss in the evening.

On a side note, we have this toothbrush with suction cup on the bottom. DS can use this base of the brush to turn off the water on the turn tap when he is finished washing his hands, brushing his teeth, whatever. Can't do it with a regular brush.

[kijip]

>Does your toddler floss?

No. he is almost 4 and flossing on his own would be...pointless. There is no way he could really do it effectively.

>Do you floss for them?

Religiously. He is used to it, so he does not mind us doing it at all.

Any tips for
>flossing the kiddos?

Do it regularly, it gets easier as they get used to it. Don't worry about flossing teeth that don't touch.

At what age did you transition to regular
>toothpaste? Alek is learning to spit and pretty much has it
>down, but I'm not sure if we should change over yet.

I am not sure I know what you mean by regular toothpaste? We started using that infant gel stuff at first but now we used regular Tom's of Maine kids paste (with fluoride). I don't intend to switch him over to minty-schminty adult paste until he really wants it. Honestly, I had to start using kids toothpaste every time I got pregnant because the mint adult stuff made me want to retch. Silly Strawberry is much easier to handle! ;)

[momofmany]

We are "reformed flossers" at our house. My older two dc have nver had a cavity ........my younger ones, well not so good. We were always really sporadic flossers, until the youngest one visited the pediatric dentist and had 10 cavities. We now floss the youngest (ages 4 & 6) every day with floss picks. It works best for them to lie down on the bed on a pillow and I floss all their teeth. i really wish I would have started this when they were much younger. We brush their teeth three times/day - with a fluoride paste. We also do the anti-cavity rinse. this all seems to help - at our last dental visit - no cavities.

good luck - flossing is a great lifetime habit to make now.

[anamika]

>Does your toddler floss?
Yes - her lower teeth are already crowded (we know she'll need braces later on)
Do you floss for them? Any tips for
>flossing the kiddos?
Yes, I floss her teeth (even the ones that don't touch, for practice). It started by example. She saw me and DH flossing our teeth and wanted to play with my flosser and then started imitating me and sticking it in her mouth. From there it was an easy transition. We all use the Reach handled flosser. Best product ever - it makes it so easy to floss.
At what age did you transition to regular
>toothpaste? Alek is learning to spit and pretty much has it
>down, but I'm not sure if we should change over yet.
We all use Tom of Maine,s (sans flouride, with xylitol) toothpaste. Dd can spit but doesn't do the best job.
HTH,