Cleaning/Brushing Infant's Gums/Teeth?

I Started at about 6 months because that's when we switched to formula and that's when my son started getting teeth. I brushed his teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. In the morning i brushed them after he had his morning bottle and had rice cereal for breakfast. Then at night after he had his last bottle before bed. I used to and still use a non fluoride baby tooth paste. And i used to use a rubber finger tooth brush but now i use a toddler brush because he has Alot of teeth and will bite me. My son is now 16 months and has 16 beautiful white teeth in his mouth!=] I also personally think its not necessary to use anything but water to clean a babys gums before they get any teeth. Just wiping their gums, cheeks and tongue with a clean wet wash cloth is all that's needed. Some other tips: Never put your baby down to bed or a nap with a bottle or sippy cup of anything besids water. Don't brush your babys teeth directly after they eat or drink anything acidic; oranges, orange juice, strawberries etc. Make teeth brushing time fun! Be patient and once their old enough let them help a little, it makes it easier for you if they aren't fighting back. Good luck! =]

Oh and before i get any bad comments i would just like to add that it was not my choice to stop breastfeeding. My supply was getting low and i was drying up. I tried everything to keep going, pumped like crazy, seen a lactation consultant and everything. It just happened that my body was done with it. If i had It my way i would of breastfed for Atleast another 6 months.

The earlier you start, the better, even if there are no teeth yet, as stimulating the gums is great for them

Here is a link to what I use with my twinns:

http://www.amazon.com/NUK-Gerber-Giggles-Infant-Cl...

I love it because the twins love it, and the other kinds are REALLY too wide for little mouths.

I started when they were about a week old.

I use the toothpaste because they like the way it tastes, and I want them to associate brushing with a good thing, and they LOVE it.

My son does have teeth and he hasn't bitten me so far, but I guess he would if he didn't like his teeth brushed.

I do it every night and after any solid foods

You can buy infant tooth brush. It's really a finger brush and comes with safe to swallow tooth paste. It is good to start fairly soon so that the infant can get use to having his/her gums cleaned. A wet cloth is fine once a day for the first few months if you want but then you should get the option I listed above. Never give a tooth paste that has fluoride. Even when they can spit. It is so bad.

Take care and good luck!

http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-is-Fluoride-Bad-for-Yo...

As a newborn I would only do it during his bath, 3 times a week.

I started using the finger soft gum cleaner available at any wall mart. No paste necessary.

Do not use the finger type after he/she gets teeth in, you could get bit. =) Encouraging your baby to do it himself is easy, you brush and show him/her.

By 8 months old with about 6 teeth, I switched to a baby toothbrush with a baby safe to swallow paste. He is soon to be 2year old and I recently got him a sponge bob tooth brush and tooth paste that he loves and every night after dinner he goes to the bathroom and wants to brush!

Great habit to start as soon as you can!

I started when she began eating solid foods, so around 4-6 months. I used the finger brush most refer to, then a toothbrush. She loved brushing her teeth for the first couple weeks; then it became a chore, lol.

When he got teeth (5 months) we started wiping them with a wet washcloth at bedtime. Now that he is eating solids, we do a quick brush with one of those soft plastic brushes that fits on your finger after each meal. Just really quick - he doesn't tolerate a longer brushing.

When he had 2 teeth on top I started to brush them.Just a quick brush,takes a few seconds and gets them use to the idea early which is good for anything.They make training toothpaste that just tastes like fruit punch so they like it,but I don't use that every time since he is use to it now.His doctor actually told me to start doing it when she saw his teeth.

every night from birth with a wet wash cloth.