When do you take your kids to the dentist?

Hey, I’m just wondering when other mama’s first brought their kiddos to the dentist? My baby will be 2 in July and has pretty much all her teeth. On another note, how do you get a 2 year old to brush their teeth? I try brushing them for her, but she screams and acts like it’s killing her! And will clench her jaw shut making it nearly impossible. I am big on brushing so this really gets to me!

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I showed my son how to do it on my own teeth then let him try. I haven’t taken him to a dentist yet, he’ll be 2 in August and has all his teeth. So interested when that first dentist appointment should be!

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My son is the same way, he wants to do.it by himself

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We took all ours at 1 year old. My 3 year old absolutely hates when I floss and brush his teeth but I still do it. Eventually the will get use to it. Dentist recommended helping to brush a childs teeth until around age 10 as they tend to miss many areas

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My little one had two teeth by 3 months. The pediatric dentist in my area said to see them within 6 months of their first tooth. He’s 14 months now and has been to the dentist twice and has all his teeth. They check his teeth for cavities and do a quick fluoride treatment. My son is obviously younger than your daughter but we let him play with his toothbrush to get used to it and he’s “trying” to brush his teeth on his own. We still brush them for him.

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I took my daughter when she turned 2

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Let her watch you brush your teeth. Then let her try. My son loves watching my brush mine with an electric toothbrush. Then I let him try. He basically bites down on the bristles and will slightly shake his head. He’ll let me brush them for a quick second but I think it tickles him.

Let them brush any way they can you stand there an brush yours they learn by example.

I put my daughter on her back and tickle her and when she starts laughing I brush her teeth. She loves it it makes it fun

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My Pediatric dentistry told me as soon as their first tooth. But any place that isn’t meant for kids told me a bunch of different things.

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My son will be 2 in July and I give him a toothbrush and I have a toothbrush and we take turns brushing his teeth. I’ve found it’s a good way for him to learn and be involved while I get to brush his teeth like they should be done. Hope this helps!!

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I have always taken my kids starting at 1. Get them use to the dentist early. As my kids go I let them do it but they follow me and their older siblings. And out of 7 kids only 1 has had 2 cavities thank God in their baby teeth so she had them gone now as she just turned 11

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I took mine as soon as they started growing teeth and they’re used to brushing since i have always clean their gums since birth.

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Cheyenne Nicole this is a good idea! I’m reading other posts and I’ve already tried those! She sees me brush my teeth but still won’t let me brush hers (she doesn’t like her face being touched, screams if I wipe her face or nose) I think I’ll give this a shot!

I started brushing mine when he was tiny becuase he spit up so much by the time he has his first teeth he was opening for me to brush his gums and tounge

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With my oldest, I got him a “cool” toothbrush. Whatever character your kid is into, try that. My son loves brushing his teeth with his Thomas toothbrush!

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I find it easier to brush my 2 year olds teeth when he is crying lmao sometimes he tries fighting it but the crying honestly makes it easier for me to get in his mouth

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Also brush your teeth next to her and give her a tooth brush. That way she can mimic you and make it easier on you.

There’s a ton of nursery rhymes on YouTube that show the kids how to brush and also do it with them. The videos make it fun and sometimes I’ll just sing it with my daughter as well she’s almost 16 months and understands brushing teeth. She mostly chews on the toothbrush but moves it around her mouth then after I let her try I try but she also closes her mouth so it’s hard for me to brush them. I figure between her and me trying that they’re getting clean. I’m also curious of about what age to go in.

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Yes my daughter is the same way! Huge touch me not! But she thinks it’s funny! And some kids fear it because they don’t understand it :grin:

I took my daughter at 1, she is two now, just to get her use to going. She absolutely loves brushing her teeth though, she obviously doesn’t do an amazing job so I’ll make it a little fun by taking her tooth brush and go ohhh ima get you sugar bug and clean where she missed, she thinks it’s funny.

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My daughter loves to brush her teeth. She’s 2.I was told to get her in but I had just made us all appointments and the lady who took them said if nothing is bothering her not to rush it. Where they go they take the kids by themselves and when they told me that I was just like yeah she can wait lol

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After experiance with my first child im taking my mothers advice on the youngest 2 and not taking them u til theyre cllse to losing their baby teeth.
Dentist where we went was only in it for how much money they could milk out the insurance of a young medically uneducated mother.

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My babies started going to the dentist at 1 year. I started brushing their teeth/gums as soon as they started teething. Teeth come through easier when the gums are clean.

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You should brush as soon as they get a tooth. And one for dental appointments

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1 1/2 for “happy visits.” The dentist just brushes, but it gets them acclimated to going to the dentist.

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I used to say can you brush mommy’s teeth and while they was preoccupied doing mine I would also do theirs. Then it just becomes routine. Also singing a song so they do full time of brushing , " this is the way we brush our teeth brush our teeth brush our teeth, this is the way we brush our teeth so they are sparkly clean :grin:"

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I brought mine at the age of 1

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Let her pick her own brush and toothpaste out. My 9 year old is really fussy when it comes to brushing but my 3 year old would brush them all day if he could.

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They have these cool Jack and Jill tooth brushes for 2-5year olds kind of like a mold with small bristles on both sides and flavored flouride free tooth paste. My 3 year old loves his toothbrush and strawberry toothpaste.

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Ivy TaLeighea Rutherford oh this looks interesting! Might have to give it a shot! Anything at this point! lol

Maybe try letting your 2 year old brush first and then you brush after ?

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Thanks everyone for answering! This has been very helpful to me!

Rosemary Capriola tried it. Idk she just HATES her face being touched (wiping, suctioning, anything)

As soon as lo gets teeth. Ive always gave them toothbrushes in our night routine they’d see me brushing so theud mimic, once old enough id get the right age toothpaste and they just always did it. When gave tbe toothpaste I got the kids act mouthwash they use first and it make spots where tartar is so they could scrub off the spots. Helped them scrub long enough. When real young id do a mouth check if i knew they didnt do long enough and id tell them nope scrub that spot longer I see spots still even if wasnt any that way they’d get a good scrub.

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You’re supposed to take them in at 6 months and then again at 1 year

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I just took my son who turned two in December to the dentist for the first time last month. They said his teeth were fine and gave him a toothbrush and a toy.

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2 years old for both my boys…i’ve never had an issue with getting them to brush, they always came to the bathroom with me and would see me brushing mine and would ask for me to brush theirs. So maybe if you nake it like a ‘family activity’, sing a song, see who can brush the longest, get a character toothbrush…Just make it seem fun!

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There’s a song on one of the Danil tigers episode that my 2yr old brushes to then she calls me in and says mommy and she lets me brush her teeth

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My oldest is 5 and she’s going for the first time next month. She’s always been excited to brush her teeth so never really had to convince her

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Make it fun for her. There are YouTube videos with with songs you can play while she brushes. Just type in brush your teeth song. You make it exciting/ fun to her and she will brush. Then it will become routine for her to brush. She might even start asking you when she can brush her teeth.

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Dentist here wont see them till 2…kids are usually terrified of dentist…lol
I had to bring carseat in the house and strap him in it to brush his teeth…
He didnt do so hot with cleanings either but got used to it

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Trying this! Mine just insists on doing it by herself and will only “try” for a few seconds and says she’s done…but then she rarely lets me in there to finish the job.

Where is live the dentist told me to bring them in at 6 months old then every 6 months after that. Also the dentist told me to have them lay with there head between your thighs on the ground and brush them like that. After a few times my daughter lets me do it while shes in the tub. She even make the ahhhh sound lol its flossing thats hard to do she hates that

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My baby is 18 months and I’ve just recently taken him to the dentist just to look around in there. He also hates letting me brush, he tries to do it himself but obviously doesn’t do the best. I brush with him and that helps occasionally and I still just take a rag and clean the inside of his mouth(teeth, gums, roof of mouth and tongue) he doesn’t necessarily like it but I want his mouth to be clean.

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i waited to take them because one has autism n the other gets anxious. I just made sure we brushed their teeth daily. Their first appt for my youngest was at 3yrs old. Till this day no cavities yet for either one n the oldest is 8. Im surprised they dont have cavities. Also i made sure the dentist was a pediatric dentist only. I wanted to make sure the dentist had experienced with kids only vs adults too since they tend to have better skills with kids. I would highly suggest a pediatric dentist to start.

My doctors have always told me that as long as they are letting you help brush their teeth then there’s no need to take them until their first year of school which normally requires it and then yearly after that

I started brushing teeth as soon as they started coming through and now my 2 year old loves to brush her teeth it’s just something that is worked with. I don’t think any kiddo likes it at first :joy: my father in law is a dentist so my daughters been seeing the dentist since all her teeth came in

We didn’t take ours until she was 4 :woman_shrugging:t2: we practiced good brushing habits since she was born, i would brush her gums and tongue 2-3 times a day as an infant and once she got all her teeth she was already a pro at brushing and flossing. She’s almost 7 yrs now and still no cavities and really healthy teeth. I’d say if dental issues run in the family or if you notice anything take her early but i didn’t see the point in going so early if i didn’t have any concerns and we brushed on a consistent basis. She also loves the dentist so waiting didn’t cause any excessive fears or anything

I was bad my first and last child didn’t see the dentist until they were 5 but my youngest first went to the dentist at 6 months cuz she already had two teeth.

Mia Ashleigh Koep my son n daughters school requires it before first grade

When my son stopped letting me brush his teeth I got him a power tooth brush. It’s not perfectly done but better than giving him a manual brush

We start at age 1 to get them used to going.

we took our 3 yr old and 18 month old together for their first appointments

6 months they called me up and said my son was due for his first dentist check and they do them six monthly :blush:

Our dentist says 4 unless there is a problem.

Ours at least around 1 if have teeth. I go to a kids dentist

My daughter went 1 week after she turned 1. She started teething at 3 months and had her 2 year molars by 1 1/2. At night as part of our bedtime routine my husband will have my daughter on his lap as he begins reading her a bedtime story. I sit on a footstool facing them with a lil container of water and the toothbrush…I brush the 2 sides (upper and lower) and then the front (upper and lower) and count to 20 I’m my head for each location…sometimes she will want to try afterwards and I give her the toothbrush to use, she tries but I would never rely on her doing it herself and the dentist has always said we are doing a good job. She does have them brushed twice a day but my mother takes care of the morning routine because my husband and I are at work. You can always start with a warm facecloth around your fingers (if she won’t bite you).

I brought my daughter a few months after her 2nd birthday. She also had all her teeth by then. Sometimes she won’t let me brush… I’ll try to hold her down and if she’s crying it usually makes it easier since her mouth is open :rofl: but she will bite on the brush or not let me in sometimes and it’s frustrating. Just have to brush them as best you can!

Mine went when she was 2 because she was having problems with her teeth. She’s good about brushing though. She loves it. She’s always asking to brush her teeth. We saw a pediatric dentist and he was great. He told us at that age. Even if the chew on the toothbrush it at least it’s brushing some, it’s better that not brushing at all. Have you tried watching little cartoons with them to get them interested. I don’t remember the name of the one my daughter watched but that’s what really got her into it.

Let them brush there own even if they don’t do a good job yet the tooth paste will help my great grand kids do there own and don’t mind it a bet they even ask to do it 6 2 1and a hafe

I began when mine r 2

Brushing an infants mouth that often is extremely excessive

In the state of Texas they have to start going to the dentist at 6 months even if they don’t have teeth and they go every 6 months after that. My little girl is 2 and she has been 4 times.

Check with the dentists in you area. Our family dentist will not accept children under the age of 4 unless their pediatrician has sent in a referral. My oldest (5) has gone twice and has had no problem. My youngest just had her two year well check and the pediatrician said everything was fine. Both of my kids have had the brush on varnish done at the DRs office on their birthdays since they were 1. We brush as a family in the morning and before bed. With our youngest we let her “play” brush her teeth and at the end I normally go in and brush again to be safe. I also let her brush my teeth.

This is so funny cuz we were JUST at the dentist this morning :joy: I took my first when she was 18 months old. My second was only 6 months at the time and had no teeth yet but they said they can see her as soon as she had some or I could wait until #1’s 6 month cleaning to bring her. I had the appt scheduled but we had some insurance issues so it had to be delayed. So they both went today at 18m and 2.5y. If you find a Pediatric dentist they can usually take them pretty early, though I have heard some people say that their dentist won’t take kids under 3. My dentist just brushes their teeth and then brushes some floride foam on them after and then they check to see how their teeth are growing in. It’s mostly just to get them used to going to the dentist so that when they are bigger and they do a real cleaning with the other tools it won’t be as scary for them. I got lucky and get to take my girls to the same dentist I went to as a kid. They did my braces there too so a bunch of the same dental assistants are still there and said hi today :joy: it was really fun for everyone. The girls got a balloon and actually let the dentist look in their mouths (I was surprised because they don’t even let me look in their mouths​:joy:)

6 months or when they start getting teeth but right now as soon as possible, just to make sure everything thing is good.

Oh for the brushing maybe get a app, my son used to hate getting his teeth brushed but now he’s excited about it.

Our kids started at about a year. When they first had teeth trying to come through, we used a washcloth and rubbed their gums. Since their initial appt, they have been seen every six months. My kids are now 10.5, 9, 7, and 5 years old. We haven’t experienced issues with them fighting to brush their teeth. They do like to brush their own teeth (if course when they are young, I actually brush them well after they “brush.”

I was told by my dentist that they would see her at 3 but if my daughters teeth started to get spots or look really yellow that they would see her sooner

Get her a fun toothbrush and make it fun! My son loves using his paw patrol or Elmo toothbrush, and I brush my teeth st the same time!

Our first appointment was when he was 2 1/2 or 3? I was dreading it as he can be really uncooperative about that stuff so I took reinforcements (my mom) to help me hold him down. We went to children’s and they were total pros about holding down a toddler and it went great. He wasn’t happy but it doesn’t last long. At that age it’s just an exam and teeth brushing followed by a fluoride treatment. He’s 4 now and scheduled for his first visit in the big kid chair next month.

Where im at their suppose to go at 6months but i didnt take my son until he was 10months just had to deal with medicaid blowing up my phone telling me to take him that they start getting seen at 6months

Plus the earlier you start they will be more comfortable if they ever have to have anything done later on and you can catch any problems before its too late

Mine went right after he turned one. He had all his teeth.

6 months. At first they are called “happy visits”. It’s just to get the child use to the environment.

Doctor told me 2 1/2 to 3 years old unless there was something wrong with them.

My oldest was 31/2 my youngest will be going when he is 21/2

My son has a dentist appt next month and he’ll be 11 months

I made it fun from the beginning. My son LOVES it. He’s very serious about brushing and even flossing. :joy:

My son was a little difficult to get all his teeth so I got him an electric one and now he loves it.

Ahh the fun of teaching brushing your teeth! So id say I assisted but mostly brush both kids teeth till they were around four. Most kids seem liket they like it but my kids both made it hard. I started them both at 2 going to the dentist. Once they go to the dentist and someone else is gelping you teach them the importance of it it make it a little easier. I’ll say “remember we saw the dentist and we need to brush our teeth so he finds no cavities” ya know cause cavities are boo boos for our teeth. Lots of communication with the little ones. They might not grasp it all ut I think they sometimes will be more reseptive to uncomfortable situations if they feel like your there and listening. Giving confirmation that you brush and we all have to do it helps as well. Just lots of patients.

3 times a day? how is 3 times a day excessive lol ever heard of thrush?
Her dentist would disagree with you also! But hey, what would she know, with all those studies on oral hygiene and what not. But thanks for your irrelevant input you genius you!

Yeah brushing teeth should start when they get teeth…
There’s lots of books and tv shows (peppa, sesame st) that do episodes on brushing

Get special timer for them

Mine told me when they get their first tooth.

My pediatric dentist told me you start taking them to the dentist at a year old

My daughter just turned 2 in march and I take her in the bathroom with me while I brush my teeth. Of course she wants to do it too. So I give her her toothbrush and let her try. Then I’ll quickly brush hers and give it back to her and let her do her best while I brush mine. :blush:

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Use a soft brush and toddler toothpaste because regular toothpaste can be too harsh on their tissues and feel like it’s burning. Let her pick out her own toothbrush and one to play with and brush her dolls teeth etc… Let her watch you and take a turn helping you if she is interested but for sure let her try to brush her own teeth. They don’t truly understand the life ramifications of doing a great job every day to avoid issues when they are older. I brushed my kids teeth till they were 8 - 10 yrs old (I took a turn) Used to be a dental assistant for periodontists and teaching and reteaching oral hygiene was a big part of my job. Make a big deal about how fresh her breath is and shiny her teeth are after brushing and praise her for helping her dolls etc… We have to clean out the “germy cavity causers” on you teeth so they will be happy and healthy. Good luck!

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https://youtu.be/Pd4WnsXwdqw https://youtu.be/wCio_xVlgQ0 Try something like one of these videos to help her want to. Use positive reinforcement and really praise her for the effort. Try whispering while you brush her teeth or singing fun songs while you brush her teeth will make for great memories. Joe Scruggs has fun songs like A is for apple and the Baby busy box band <3

Let them chew on the toothbrush with just water on it, it removes some of it. Then just build up from there.

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i took my son when he was one and they both will be going soon my daughter being a little over 1…i let me son chew on the tooth brush then went to letting him watch me brush mine then up from there now he askes to brush his at alittle over 3

Training toothpaste. Let her help you brush your teeth. Make silly noises so it’s more like a game.