J's First Trip to the Dentist

I took J on his first trip to the dentist this week. He was great 90% of the time. He was flirting with the ladies and playing peek-a-boo with the male dental hygienist. When it was time for the dentist to clean his teeth....that's when it got rough. She told me to put him on his back and hold him while she cleaned his teeth. I tried to explain to the lady that he HATES being on his back and it would be easier if he was sitting, but she didn't listen. J had blood drawn a week or so ago, and he was incredible. Since they had to fill up 4 tubes and his veins are small, they had to leave the needle in his arm for 5 minutes. He didn't cry or fuss or anything. Just sat there are looked at the needle in his arm. However, because he was on his back when he had his teeth cleaned, he cried and thrashed around the whole time, even though she was very gentle with him and didn't hurt him at all. He got a toy and a balloon afterwards, so he calmed down.

His dentist seemed like she was wondering why I brought in a baby to have a check up. I just figured since he was 1 and has 6 teeth, that he should probably have them looked at. I guess she's the kind of dentist who prefers to see kids starting at age 3. But she was cool about it and gave me a lot of pointers. Some of this I knew, some I didn't. I'll share it all with you if you're wondering about caring for your baby's teeth:

-Brush at least twice a day.

-Brush before they ingest anything in the morning so they don't swallow the bacteria in their mouth.

-Pay attention to where the teeth meet the gums. If you notice plaque build-up, brush extra in that area.

-Use a fluoride-free toothpaste until they learn to spit out the toothpaste. Take care to read the label because there is children's toothpaste with fluoride. Get the one that says 4-24 months and/or fluoride free.

-Wipe out the mouth with a wet cloth after brushing, and try to get the gums and tongue.

-Use a children's toothbrush- they have small heads and soft bristles.

-If your baby's teeth touch, you should floss them. (I asked her how in the hell you floss a baby's teeth. She said to put him on the floor and straddle him. That seems really cruel to me, so...we'll try sitting up.)

-Pay attention to their fluoride intake. It is in tap water, bottled water, food, drinks, toothpaste, and supplements. Too much fluoride will stain the permanent teeth that have not erupted yet. (Don't worry too much about this, just see if you can research how much fluoride is in the water your baby drinks. If the pediatrician prescribes a supplement with fluoride, tell him/her how much water your child is drinking to make sure it's not too much fluoride.)

Already an expert! 

(Not really, he's just sucking down the toothpaste because he loves the taste.)