When and how to start oral care
It can sometimes seem like there is so much to keep up with and be aware of when you have little ones. The baby milestones that you have been waiting for them to reach, start to come thick and fast and suddenly you’re aware that your tiny baby is growing up. It’s only natural to want to encourage and advance these developmental stages. Like that cute moment when they start to become aware of their own hands for the first time. As they explore their little wriggling fingers in front of their face like some sort of alien life form. I couldn’t resist dangling rattles and toys in front of them to grab at and bat away. And watch them grasp at objects as they realised that their tiny fists could clench.
At 3 months in, I pretty much felt like I had all the essentials nailed. Feeding was going well. Napping, although short-lived, had a bit of a rhythm to it. And teething seemed a little way off yet. But I hadn’t given any thought to oral care at this stage. The scarily rising levels of infant tooth decay are something you hear about lots in the media, but she hadn’t even got any teeth yet. Surely that was something that came much further down the line? That’s until I came across the MAM Oral Care Rabbit. At first I thought it was just a cute little finger puppet toy. And it really is. But it is also a really smart way to remove bacteria from baby’s gums. (I know. Who would have thought?) As well as getting them used to a regular tooth brushing routine from early on. Anything that encourages an easy routine later on is a winner in my book.
As their little hands became more dexterous and the horror of teething became imminent we soon moved on to the MAM Massaging Brush. A brilliantly soft, double ended brush that they could chew on to ease sore gums, whilst gently cleaning at the same time. The extra long handle meant I could guide her whilst allowing her to feel the independence of doing it for herself, which she loved.
And it seems to have worked… My girls are now aged 3yrs and 18mths and they lead me to the bathroom when it is time to brush their teeth. My youngest uses the MAM Training Brush, with its extended handle so we can brush together. It also has a handy removable safety guard which stops it from pushing too far back in her mouth. My eldest also uses the MAM First Brush too. As well as being ergonomic for little hands, the brushes look great and they love the bright colours.
