When did you stop brushing your kids teeth for them?

[hrh_disney_queen]

I know that DS4 and DS6 are old enough to brush their own teeth, but I am a brushing fanatic, so I still do it for them. I know they wouldn't do a good enough job, and since I have a mouthful of crowns and fillings, the last thing I want them to end up with is cavities. My friends 5 year old already has several.

My boys both have sealants on their baby teeth. I may be nuts, but I am really trying to stop the cycle here. (my mom had all her top teeth pulled when she was around 40.)

I do let them start sometimes, and then I do the "good job".

 

[ScarlettO]

I'm guessing as soon as they are able...2 or 3.

 

[snoopy]

Drew is 5 and he is just now doing it himself. I have the urge to do it for him too, but he has to learn sometime. We just came from the dentist last week, and he didn't have any cavities and the doc said his teeth looked good, so I guess he is doing something right.

My older son was a little younger when he learned to do it by himself, he was and still is a very independent child though.

 

[Spinning]

My kids are 6 and 8 I still help. Usually I brush my teeth with them so they brush as long as I do and follow how I brush. Occassionally I will brush there teeth if it seems like they aren't getting them clean enough.
both sides of our family have horrible teeth. Poor DD inherited those teeth! Dentist says we are doing a very good job but she has had many filled and a few caps! UGH! But luckily her perm. teeth are coming in fine and with the righ enamel. DS baby teeth are perfect...but his perm teeth shows signs of weakend enamel..so go figure!
We also use the children's floride rinse and use those cute flossing stick things. They a bright colors and look like dinosaurs!

 

[onecoolmama]

It depends on the toothpaste they are using. The safe to swallow one my baby does by herself. The my older one uses floride so I have to help him.

 

[mrsv98]

DD's pediatric dentist said she wants me to help until DD is 7 yo. Generally, I let DD (4yo) brush on her own in the morning and I just remind to get the back ones, etc. At night, I brush first and then she finishes. My teeth are fairly soft and I had to take antibiotics when I was pg (strep, thank you 2nd graders ) so I worry about the effect on her teeth.

Hey, thanks for this thread, it reminded me it is time to call for her cleaning!

 

[Beth76]

My 3yo does it himself. I watch and make sure he's getting everything. I don't even think he'd let me help now.

 

[LurkerLisa]

You stop? Sometimes my 13 DS's teeth look like they are wearing sweaters and I just gotta do it. How lame is that?

Lisa

 

[Lewski709]

I still help my 5yr old. Just read you should brush them once and let them brush them once for a total of twice a day until age 7. They normally don't do a really good job until age 7 on their own. My 5yr old does his while I am right there and most of the time prefers I do them, I am faster. He does pretty good, but can only stop after I inspect. We brush together.

 

[Disney Ella]

I always helped brush after they brushed their teeth themselves, up until age 6. The dentist said they weren't doing a good enough job and to help as long as they would let me.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Originally posted by LurkerLisa
You stop? Sometimes my 13 DS's teeth look like they are wearing sweaters and I just gotta do it. How lame is that?

Lisa

That is not lame at all but called being a good parent! * NOTE - I'm NOT calling parents that don't do this bad parents!* I'm a dental hygienist and it just breaks my heart to see all the kids come in our office with cavities and crowns because their parents don't brush their teeth. My oldest son is 10 yrs old. I brush his teeth EVERY night and I let him brush through out the day.

 

[sk!mom]

Originally posted by Lewski709
Just read you should brush them once and let them brush them once for a total of twice a day until age 7.

EEEK! DD just turned 8 and I haven't brushed her teeth for her in years. She goes for regular checkups and no one ever told me that. She just went in June and has no cavities. She has never had a cavity in her baby or perm. teeth, so I guess she does a good job. The hygenist always comments on how clean her teeth are.

My DS19 was a different story. I had to help, remind, nag him about his teeth until he was out of braces. He's had a couple of small cavities.

Based on my two, I would say that girls just seem to have better hygene in general.

 

[KristiKelly]

Our dental hygenist told me to help them, let them brush first then I go back behind them, until at least age 7 & even longer if they'll let me.

Morning: I brush
afternoon: they brush
night: they brush & then I brush

 

[Otto's Doll]

My kids are 11 and 9 and they brush, but I check them every night and then rebrush if needed (at least a few times a week). My folks never taught us about brushing, so all 4 of us kids have horrible teeth, and I don't want my kids to go through that. Must be doing it okay, they have had no cavities.

 

[aprincessmom]

When she was about 2 and a half.

 

[Bob Slydell]

It varies, day to day, but about 1/2 the time, DS brushes himself and the other 1/2 of the time, we brush for him, either because he's not getting some of the back teeth or because he wants us to brush his teeth.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Originally posted by tiggersmom2
That is not lame at all but called being a good parent! * NOTE - I'm NOT calling parents that don't do this bad parents!* I'm a dental hygienist and it just breaks my heart to see all the kids come in our office with cavities and crowns because their parents don't brush their teeth. My oldest son is 10 yrs old. I brush his teeth EVERY night and I let him brush through out the day.

I am so grateful to all of you for posting here. Since I do most of the brushing for my sons, I felt like I was babying them too much. But seriously, when I let them do it themselves, they just chew on the toothbrush. The advice about letting them do it themselves during the day, then doing it for them at night is a great one...after all, they are not learning to do it with me doing most of it for them...It's just so important to me with my own very soft, filling filled teeth that it get done well...even if it means that I do it for them until they are grown up..

You all have made me feel better, thanks especially for the expert opinion, tiggersmom2!!

 

[HusbandAlwaysWorking]

My pediadontist told me to brush my kids teeth until they're 12! My veterinarian told me to brush my dogs teeth daily, too. I'm lucky I have time to brush my own teeth!

 

[ZachnElli]

I read until age 6 and I will still brush my 9 year olds (he does a terrible job). Teeth are pretty darn important, imo.