I checked the dental archives, but got lost looking for advice so I thought I'd just try a new post...Sorry if this is an old and worn subject!
I know I'm supposed to be brushing DDs new teeth and wiping her toothless gums, but she HATES having her mouth messed with. I started wiping her gums at least once a day with a washcloth starting when she was just a couple of months old, but, except for days when her gums are sore from submerged teeth, she really doesn't like me to put a finger or washcloth or baby toothbrush in her mouth.
I suppose I could wrestle her to the ground with DH's help and force her mouth open, but the thought of what that will do to the rest of our relationship has me a bit reluctant. I don't have a problem with strict toothbrushing rules, but at this point she's too young for verbal reasoning...
I really do worry about her teeth, though. My dentist found 10 caries that needed filling on my first visit to him (when I was around 5 or 6 yrs old). I'm thinking there's a good chance DD has inherited my teeth, and I know she has my bacteria, so I want to do everything possible to keep her teeth healthy.
Any advice, as specific as possible
, would be greatly appreciated - Thanks!
I know I'm supposed to be brushing DDs new teeth and wiping her toothless gums, but she HATES having her mouth messed with. I started wiping her gums at least once a day with a washcloth starting when she was just a couple of months old, but, except for days when her gums are sore from submerged teeth, she really doesn't like me to put a finger or washcloth or baby toothbrush in her mouth.
I suppose I could wrestle her to the ground with DH's help and force her mouth open, but the thought of what that will do to the rest of our relationship has me a bit reluctant. I don't have a problem with strict toothbrushing rules, but at this point she's too young for verbal reasoning...
I really do worry about her teeth, though. My dentist found 10 caries that needed filling on my first visit to him (when I was around 5 or 6 yrs old). I'm thinking there's a good chance DD has inherited my teeth, and I know she has my bacteria, so I want to do everything possible to keep her teeth healthy.
Any advice, as specific as possible
