teeth brushing routine

Posted by Sashimi Girl (87 days ago)

i feel that my baby's bedtime bottle is the thing that relaxes him the most and gets him into sleepy mode. i rock him and read books to him but the bottle is always the last thing before sleep. now... what about teeth brushing??!! are we going to have to reverse the routine so it's bottle, brushing teeth, then rocking and reading? i would hate to interrupt the sleepy relaxed feeling he gets after drinking a bottle by having to brush his teeth. (although of course this is going to have to happen). even us adults feel a little more awake after we brush our teeth and wash up for bed, right?!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by axptguy38 (87 days ago)

Eventually you'll have to brush teeth after the bottle. But there's no hurry. We didn't do that with our older daughter until she was well over two. Sure, it may not be the absolutely best thing for the teeth to drink after brushing but as long as we brush them 2-3 times a day there's not a big problem.

As she got older, the "sleepy feeling" became less important. Kids have to learn to fall asleep by themselves anyway or you'll quite literally never hear the end of it.

"even us adults feel a little more awake after we brush our teeth and wash up for bed, right?!"

I can only speak for myself but I can brush my teeth "in my sleep". ;)

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Amanda Le (87 days ago)

it is never to early to start good dental hygiene. You should really try to brush his teeth. Dental caries happens very easily to milk teeth. I have seen too many young children with beautiful smiles with black dots on their teeth bacause of this milk before bedtime. Which will cause dental problems as adults (teeth sensitivity to hot, cold or very sweet foods and toothache and mey lead to nerve damage). If he is awake, the extra time after drinking milk, gives more time so that saliva can neutralise acids in the mouth and help to prevent decay. However if he is asleep, then this cannot happen.


Give him milk then brush teeth. As he will be become more alert, so it is a perfect time to change his nappy, spend some time reading and just cuddling. Just being with you in a darken room will settle him and then you put in his bed/cot.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by ldsllvn (86 days ago)

we have the same dillemma - we brush teeth in the bath and then bottle - so we started giving our girls a few sips of water, just to rinse the milk out a bit, just before putting them to bed - not ideal for dental hygiene but better than nothing...

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by the goddess kali (86 days ago)

how about teethbrushing when baby is teething and doesnt want anybody touching his gums? is it ok to give it a rest for a few days or should one insist?

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by axptguy38 (86 days ago)

Tough one kali. I would say perhaps brush very lightly to emphasize that it is a routine that must be adhered to.

When teething my kids have wanted nothing more than having their gums rubbed.

(I am based in Hong Kong)