Just Wondering...

[monkeygirl38]

Hey All! Remember me?? Megan told me about C's newest addition and I just had to come check him out!

Well, now that I am here....got a question....

About how old is a child when they begin to learn the concept of brushing teeth and SPITTING not swallowing the tooth paste? How do you teach them to not swallow and spit it out?

We are still using Infant/toddler paste on B (3y3m) b/c I can't get him to understand the concept of it...he wants to swallow, THEN lean over and spit...

[RedBedHead]

I'll let you know when my 3 1/2 and 9 year old stop doing it, lol. No, seriously, I think it's somewhere around four or five but as long as it's not too much I wouldn't worry about it. I would just model it for him and eventually he'll start spitting.

[jessica]

Hey there! We've missed you!

I think in my daughter's case that is the best part of brushing so she glady spits, not sure how she got so into that part.

[Deana]

hi Dana, great to 'see' you!!!

Once we started making a game out of it, N started spitting out the toothpaste after rinsing. I think the rinsing part is what got her to spit. But she still sometimes just swallows the toothpaste.

[Csara]

first thing jax does is suck all the toothpaste off

[shan]

Originally Posted by Csara

first thing jax does is suck all the toothpaste off

That is exactly what K does.

[mcmommy]

Gavin is finally starting to spit. I tell him he has to spit the "sugar bugs" down the drain, and then spit the water down to flush them all the way down the drain. He thinks that's so funny!

[monkeygirl38]

At what point to you stop doing the brusing and let them do the brushing?

I have two brushes -- one for B to use and then one for me to follow up behind him -- all I can get hime to do is chew on it...not real brushing motion...?

[Deana]

N is 4 1/2, and I still do a quick follow up.

[Csara]

J brushes his own teeth pretty well, but I always do a follow up, even if it's just a quick one. He also does spit, but it's not very effective....especially when he's already sucked and swallowed all of the toothpaste from the brush.