When to start using toothpaste?

Graham

Graham

Registered User
Just wondering when to start using toothpaste for brushing our son's teeth?

He's now 16 months old and has about 16 to 18 teeth already.

At the moment we use a rubber-headed baby toothbrush to brush his teeth but just use water only no toothpaste.

Our normal routine is that I let him brush his teeth for a while and then I take over and help him to brush them, as often he'll just chew the toothbrush or throw it away. After finishing with the toothbrush, I also use a wet hanky wrapped around my little finger to clean his teeth and inside his mouth.

However, we have noticed that sometimes recently his mouth is a bit smelly, which is why I'm wondering about toothpaste.

Graham
 
Toothpaste is generally not considered necessary until the age of 3. But my son wanted toothpaste on his brush way before that because he wanted to do things just like mommy and daddy. As long as he was breastfeeding (2yrs10mths) I never found his breath smelly. But once he stopped it did. Your son is quite young and will swallow toothpaste so find one without flouride. I've seen one long back in Wing On. Don't know where else they keep flouride free toothpaste. Also use only a small amount (pea size) on the brush if you intend to start using toothpaste.
 
My daughter is 10 mths now and we started using toothpaste as soon as she got her first 2 teeth. ie: 8 mths. She now has abt 4 teeth and we brush everyday with a dab of toothpaste. Bumps to babes sells this toothpaste called 'MILKTEETH' and it says its from 0-6 and not so much flouride in it so its ok if they swallow a little. However I just also feel its cleaner and their breath smells alot nicer esp if they hv thrown up. I know alot of ppl say they dont need toothpaste but i look at it this way....they have teeth,they r eating solids which is like us adults....so why should they not brush their teeth?

hope this helps
K.
 
I didn't say kids should not brush their teeth. When teeth appear in the mouth they NEED brushing. Toothpaste is not necessary but brushing is. Swallowing flouride is not good for kids. You can't be sure how much they've swallowed. So try to get a flouride free toothpaste.
 
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I was told by the dentist in Canada that fluoride is not good for babies especially because it is harmful to developing teeth (so much that even when I was pregnant they didn't give me a flouride treatment). I got fluoride free toothpaste for infants in Canada, so that is the best option if they have it here in Hong Kong and your child wants toothpaste. Otherwise, it's probably best to contact a dentist directly for advice about when to start with regular toothpaste. I think it's best to wait until three years as mentioned in the other reply.
I think it's great that you are brushing your childs teeth regularly though. The dental hygiene in Hong Kong seems to leave a lot to be desired. I used to teach in a local school and many of the children had rotting teeth. Very sad.
Hope this helps.
 
Toothpaste

Ive been a Dental Nurse for the past 22 years. Worked both in the UK and Australia. We always recommended using toothpaste with fluoride from the start. Fluoride helps to keep teeth strong and helps prevent decay. Fluoride is only harmfull in massive doses. Ive used the milk teeth by macleans and baby 1st toothpaste 0-6 by colgate for my child since her 1st little teeth came through. Using the mint flavour also gets them used to toothpaste for later on. :gl:
 
Toothpaste also gets them to enjoy teeth brushing if they like the taste. Can create a positive mental association. If you only put a tiny amount on (we have been brushing twice a day for nearly a year and are still on our first tube!) then there can't be too much harm in swallowing it.
 
When to start using toothpaste

I was asked by Rani to have a professional input in the title question. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should use toothpaste with Fluoride. However, young children, especially pre-school aged children, may swallow much of the toothpaste. Therefore, careful supervision and only a small pea-sized amount on the brush are recommended. Also, do not leave toothpaste tubes where young children can reach them. The flavors that help encourage them to brush may also encourage them to eat toothpaste.

Fluoride has been proven to decrease the rate of tooth decay. Therefore, detailed analysis and calculation of the amount of Fluoride required may be needed for developing children, especially when bottled water is the main source of daily consumption. In some cases, Fluoride supplements may actually be needed.

Hope the info is helpful.

Dr. Raymond Lee
Pacific Dental Care
 
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Toothpaste

We did bring a supply over with us. Only been here since August. Does'nt Watson's or manning's stock it then?? Oh dear I will have to look into it or ask a Dentist. May be the Pasific Dental Care can tell us??
The only other thing is if they dont stock children's toothpaste (with lower fluoride content) in HK, is use adults but only a very tiny smear.
 
Hi Kimmi,
You can get the Macleans Milk Teeth in Bumps to Babes, that's the only place I've found it. Have never found the Colgate one, which actually my prefered brand from the UK.

Jools
 
Kimmi/Jools,

The Colgate toothpaste is available at B2B. I was there last week to buy the Milkteeth but it was out of stock and they had the Colgate. So I just bought it since we needed toothpaste! Great to know its a good choice!

Hope this helps!
K.
 
i let my baby play with the toothbrush.. without anything..
from my sources fluor is not so good (and the main thing I may have learnt being a parent is not to believe anything a doctor says ...:)
otherwise I bought some with natural ingredients one from the uk..
 
Toothpaste

well you can start washing your sonns teeth when he is a year and a half old
get a specialised baby brush for your son like johnson and johnson
the brushes have very soft bristles that wont hust your sosns gums
 
clock21 said:
well you can start washing your sonns teeth when he is a year and a half old
get a specialised baby brush for your son like johnson and johnson
the brushes have very soft bristles that wont hust your sosns gums
Click to expand...

A babies first teeth usually erupt around the age of 6-10 months old. You should really start brushing their teeth then with or without toothpaste especially if they are eating solids. A good website to look at is: www.toothclub.gov.hk
 
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