Young children can’t spit so they will swallow the toothpaste. Make sure you’re using children’s toothpaste with 500ppm or non-fluoridated toothpaste and use only a pea sized amount. Mash the paste into the brush before putting it into your child’s mouth - this helps to minimise how much they swallow.
Swallowing a little bit of toothpaste is not harmful but be mindful of fluoride content of the toothpaste. Excess fluoride can cause fluorosis - which starts off as white spots on the teeth. In severe cases, the teeth become brownish and mottled.
There are some excellent babies and children’s toothpastes that don’t use fluoride but still offer protection against tooth decay. “First Teeth” make a good baby toothpaste which has milk enzymes as an active. Kodomo also make non-fluoridated toothpaste with xylitol. Xylitol has been shown to be anti-cariogenic - it can reverse the process of early tooth decay.
You really do have to start young to get them used to it. Even if your child hates it - at the very least try to get the brush in and make a few swipes. Alternatively, hand the brush over to your child and let him/her chew on it. For babies, you can use a wash cloth to wipe the teeth - no toothpaste required.
Brushing is so important. Even if your child does not like it, it should not be avoided. I work as a pediatric dental assistant and I just spend my Friday afternoon in an operating room with children ranging from 18months to 5 years old, whos parents let them decided that they didn’t want their teeth brushed. We had to crown and extract teeth on all of them. One poor baby was left with 4 of her 20 teeth because all the others were abcessed Its heartbreaking
I tell all the parent that come into our office when they say their child doesn;t let them brush there teeth
Me:“Would you allow them not to have their bums wiped at diaper changing time”
Parent: “Of course not”
Me:"Well teeth care is just as important, if you don’t wipe there bums they will get infection, if you don’t brush their teeth they will get cavities or tooth infections. Same thing
Also fluoride tooth paste should NOT be used until the child can completely spit out.
Best of luck
now a days it is very difficult to brush my son’s theeth.When he was little younger it was very easy. He loved to brush, sometimes he cries to brush his teeth.
I tried to brush my sons teeth llittle earlier. at that time it was very easy. these days i feel difficult to brush his teeth. bt i used to brush his teeth every night before going to bed and sumtimes in da moening tooooo.
We have tooth wipes, which is non flouride based and is apple flavoured (SWEET without sugars) and my baby LOVEs it! It’s soothing for her gums when I rub my finger over her gums, AND she likes the taste! She was one tooth (and another little one just starting to peep out). My husband is a dental technologist, and we see the HORRORS of not brishing teeth and looking after teeth properly, so we are obsessed with dental hygiene.
The tooth wipes are great when they are very small, or to keep in your diaper bag for when you’re going on a trip and can’t brush in the car or on the road, and non flouride toothpaste with a small, soft toothbrush are the best.
We also bought my daughter a rubber toothbrush, with rubber bristles as a starter brush. This is gentle on her, AND has the added advantage of massaging her little gums.
Its heartbreaking