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View Full Version : When did your DC stop using the trainer toothpaste?



HIU8
07-15-2009, 12:48 PM
DS is 4.5. He will be 5 in November. He either doesn't understand or is just willful and will not spit out the toothpaste when he brushes his teeth. The dentist said he cannot use regular toothpaste until he learns to do this. We are trying buy DS is just not getting it. The dentist told us it's really just the brushing that does the trick--not what is on the toothbrush. However, I want to get away from the trainer toothpaste that tastes like candy (they all do IMO) and help DS learn to spit when he brushes.

Anyone BTDT? Any advice?

mommylamb
07-15-2009, 12:54 PM
Good question. My DS is only 2, and when we went in for his 2-year well check, the pediatrician told us we should start giving him regular toothpaste (just a tiny dot) instead of the toddler paste. I should have asked more questions about this at the time because I thought that kids shouldn't have regular floride toothpaste until they can spit it out.

Wife_and_mommy
07-15-2009, 01:12 PM
We still don't at over five and 3.5. I'm more concerned with giving too much flouride than not enough.

citymama
07-15-2009, 01:19 PM
Good question. My DS is only 2, and when we went in for his 2-year well check, the pediatrician told us we should start giving him regular toothpaste (just a tiny dot) instead of the toddler paste. I should have asked more questions about this at the time because I thought that kids shouldn't have regular floride toothpaste until they can spit it out.

This is correct. Don't use fluoride toothpaste unless they can spit it out. We just switched last week t fluoride - DD is 3.5 - after her pediatric dentist said she was ready. She can spit it out really well and loves to, in fact. Here's what we do: use a tiny dab of kids fluoride toothpaste on her toothbrush. She has a little cup filled with water in her hands. Brush a little, she sips the water and then spits it out. She asks us to say "spit like a camel" or "spit like a llama" (this is my animal-obsessed kid). Brush more, sip, spit. It takes longer, but I actually think it's better for her teeth all in all, because gargling helps with the cleaning. One thing we do is use a bib for brushing, because the front of her clothes tends to get wet with all the spitting!

I agree with the PP that if your DC can't spit out well, just stick to the non-fluoride kind - it's not such a big deal, esp. if your kid is drinking tap water and going to the dentist's regularly.

lil_acorn
07-15-2009, 02:20 PM
my ds was 4.5 when we switched to regular toothpaste

ladysoapmaker
07-15-2009, 02:32 PM
Ladybug was around 3. We ran out of the "baby toothpaste" and I was too tired, lazy and cheap to go to the store to replace it. She had been spitting it out so I wasn't too worried. We did have a fight over using regular toothpaste. I think we happened to have a small tube of the Crest Kids so we transitioned to that then to "adult" toothpaste.

I would recommend not using more then a small smear on the toothbrush bristles, like you've wiped the bristles through the hint of toothpaste you've squeezed out. That why he gets use to it and if he doesn't spit it out, he's barely swallowing any.

Good Luck,
Jen

Nooknookmom
07-15-2009, 03:04 PM
I stopped both kids around 2, but they can spit out most of the leftover gunk. DD2 does not like the taste of the trainer paste, she says it's yuky.

maestramommy
07-15-2009, 03:32 PM
We never used trainer toothpaste because our dentist and moms here said it wasn't necessary. We just started using regular toothpaste with Dora. Dh has been working with her, repeatedly telling her not to swallow, giving her numerous ops to spit, etc. She still does occasionally swallow. But our neighbor, who is a dental hygenist, said it won't harm her, esp. if we use the rec. amount, which is half a pea's worth.