Brushing teeth with water?

Is it ok to brush my 12 month old teeth with just water and a toothbrush? its hard enough w/ just water to actually brush them. and she'll only let me for about 5 seconds.

Brushing teeth with water?
I would get the training toothpaste. It tastes good, and it can be safely swallowed. Put a dab on the brush and go from there.





Generally, "brushing my kids' teeth" consisted of them sucking the fruit-flavored toothpaste off, and I brushed the best I could in that amount of time.





I saw on tv that technically, it is not hugely important to use toothpaste, period, and that the brushing and flossing is much more important.





With my kids, seriously, I just did the best I could. For a while, at first, "brushing" was really "chewing": they would chew on the toothbrush.





Now, they're older (four and five). My five-year-old brushes his own teeth, with supervision. I brush my four-year-old's teeth, then load up the toothbrush again and let him have a go at it.





Yeah, he'll be fine.
Reply:Better than not brushing at all! She will get used to it - my 17 month old loves having a go himself now - we use the McLeans baby toothpaste. I'm quite sure he eats it really! BUT he does let me brush them quite well now.
Reply:thats what i do with my 14 month old otherwise he just eats the toothpaste.
Reply:I use the non fluoridated toothpaste and my son loves the taste. He gives me a few seconds to pass the toothbrush around his mouth and then he wants it. I let him walk around and "brush" his teeth. It seems to be working. I took him to the dentist at 16 months (his older brother had some issues when he was that age so it was preventative) and they said his teeth looked great and I was doing the right thing.
Reply:my son is 14 months and loves his toothbrush. i use Tom's flouride-free toothpaste. there's a raffi song that talks about brushing your teeth, and makes sounds like you are. i sing a line or two of it and he runs into the bathroom and wants his toothbrush. he mainly just sucks on it, then i quickly give them a good scrubbing. maybe if you make it fun like that, she will eventually get in the groove. good luck!
Reply:Absolutely! My pediatrician even suggested just letting a little one who is your child's age chew on a clean, wet washcloth to wash her own teeth. And, since they're teething, she will probably be eager to do it!
Reply:i use orajel training toothpaste.. it doesnt have any floride in it so that it is ok to swallow. She loves it! mostly she eats it.. lol.. but i do get the toothbrush in there long enough to at least brush her little teeth a little bit..
Reply:It should be fine, just make sure your using a baby brush or one with super soft bristles
Reply:My sons doctor told me not to use toothpaste until they can spit it out so using just water is fine.
Reply:I just bought toothpaste w/ no flouride...my son likes it just fine...But I feel the need to comment on what another answerer said....DO NOT let your child walk around w/ the toothbrush in his/her mouth...it is very unsafe b/c if they were to fall w/ it in their mouth it would jam it into their throat...at 12 months I always brushed my sons teeth after dinner while he was in his high chair...no he stands on his stool in the bathroom and i give him his own toothbrush and I have one I use....so he feels like he helps me....on his toothbrush though its just water, I only put the toothpaste on the toothbrush i use...if i were you i would just buy the non-flouride toothpaste, it will work better than water alone and its safe to swallow!
Reply:I use flouride free toddler tooth paste on my 16 month old son. He loves the flavor of it and actually wants me to brush his teeth. If i'm running around and forget at night, he will put his finger to his teeth like hes brushing them bc he wants me to brush his teeth. So try a flavored tooth paste like that. Kids seem to enjoy it.
Reply:With my daughter I let her brush my teeth and she lets me brush hers. Its not fun, but its the only way I can get her to open her mouth.
Reply:It is better than not brushing. My daughter lets me brush if I "explore" in her mouth. I tell her "OH! I got a piece of pickle out...wait! There is a hot dog crumb!" She thinks its funny and keeps her mouth open long enough for me to brush.
Reply:Actually, brushing with water and your own salive works far better than toothpaste. That was what two oral surgeons (more experience that dentists) both suggested to me for any age group. Toothpaste really just tastes better- and the flouride you need is very tiny amount- that you already find in tap water.



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