Every morning as I stand in the bathroom, bent over the sink applying my makeup, Luke patiently sits on the counter next to me. It's all part of our routine. I get ready first and then Luke and Wes. I've learned this the hard way from getting them ready before me, only to come out to markers/chocolate/some kind of mess all over. Once I am finished, Luke gets to "brush teef" and comb his hair. We are now approaching the independent, "I do it!' stage, so Luke is very insistent on brushing his teeth himself.
This wasn't always the case. We battled to brush his teeth when he started getting his premolars, because I am sure it hurt like heck! I wouldn't want to brush my teeth, either. Remember how terrible the pain was with braces? I'm positive growing teeth is worse. Anyway, we overcame the terror of brushing by singing songs about our teeth, making silly faces and learning how our teeth work and what happens if we don't take care of them (yikes). I didn't know this, but compared to your tooth enamel, your baby's is 50% thinner. That's why they need expert protection. Brushing morning and night is something we are firm about teaching our kids, and as with anything, I believe the earlier they are taught to keep good habits, the more successful they will be in practicing them when they are older.
I remember standing in front of the shelf at the store the first time I bought a toothbrush and toothpaste for Luke and I was totally overwhelmed. So many choices! Is this the right size? Is this toothpaste safe? Is the brush too hard? Too soft? If you aren't sure about which products to get for your little ones' oral care, I highly recommend Aquafresh. We just got new Aquafresh toothbrushes and training tooth paste, which is intended for ages 3-24 months, meaning it is fluoride-free and safe to swallow — a necessity for little ones that think toothpaste is a treat (like Luke). He now marches around the house asking where his "teefbrush" is at least five times per day. The little stink even tries to sneak into the bathroom and just lick the toothpaste tube!
Wes is about to break some teeth so we let him gnaw on the training toothbrush with a tiny dab of the toothpaste, which I am sure feels glorious on those inflamed gums. The toothbrushes are so little and cute, perfect for getting in and cleaning the teeth, and they have soft bristles so it doesn't hurt. Aquafresh even has an app with games, educational tools and their own songs about brushing, which Luke also requests to watch on the daily now.
Good luck in your brushing adventures with your little ones!
This post was sponsored by Aquafresh through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Aquafresh, all opinions are my own. Please use product as directed on label. “Aquafresh, The little mouth experts ™” (Thanks for supporting our sponsors!)