Brushing Teeth

[SilverSabre25]

Do you have your DCK's brush their teeth while they're at your house, like after lunch or after anything at all they eat? I'm curious because I was asked this recently and it never occurred to me at all to do it. If you do have them brush...how do the logistics of this work? Where do you keep the brushes, do they all have different toothpaste, etc

[Crystal]

We brush teeth here after breakfast every morning. I have an enclosed toothbrush holder, designed for group programs, hanging in my bathroom. The older children brush by themselves and I make sure their brushes are rinsed and put away, then I brush the younger children's teeth.

It seems like it would be a hassle, but I do it with 12 children every morning an it is much easier than it would seem....especially once it becomes a regualr routine.

[DanceMom]

Nope, parents can do this at home when the child wakes up and goes to bed...brushing teeth is not a part of my program.

[Lilbutterflie]

No, I don't do it either. I agree that parents can brush in the morning and at night. I could possibly see having to do this for an older SA who has braces, but not with toddlers and preschoolers! However, one of my dcm's brought brand new toothbrushes for her kids on a random day and didn't say anything. Just handed them to me. I took them, and said "Oh. Ok..." but here they remain in their personalized bins still in the package!

[kendallina]

When I worked as a preschool teacher (in an all-day program) we had them brush after lunch and I agree with the previous poster that it wasn't nearly as much of a pain than I thought it would be. I actually got to really liking that time and felt that it was a good opportunity for discussion about keeping our teeth healthy. I don't do it now ( but I run just a 3-hr/day program).

ETA: I think that this is a great thing to do especially if you think your parents may not be teaching their children this skill. Yeh, maybe it should be considered the parent's job, as other posters have mentioned, but I would rather the child learn it from me than not at all.

[MARSTELAC]

I am a tooth-brusing freak! I have in my contract that parents can provide a toothbrush and cover and I will provide age-appropriate toothpaste. We try to remember to brush after breakfast for sure and snacks/lunch if I am not crazy! The kids all line up and if they need help I will (I always put the paste on) do so. I have a sanitizer that I toss them in weekly and after 3 or 4 months I ask for them to be replaced. About 75% of my families like the kids to brush here and have provided the brush/cover.

[Jewels]

I brush all of my kids teeth after breakfast, And I love making sure they have clean teeth, and as long as they let me, I let them brush a little first, and then I do it myself, I like to make sure every tooth gets cleaned, And then for those 3 years or older, or if they are very good at spitting, I also have them use a flouride rinse, I use individual tooth brush holders, like travel ones, the parents must supply the toothbrushes, usually I ask them to supply 1 tube of toothpaste also, And after that I supply, I also ask that the toothbrushes be replaced every 4 months. When I had my child in daycare, and I worked, I never got his teeth brushed at 6:30am, And whats the point to brish and then eat breakfast right after, I just wish he would have gotten them brushed. I do 7 kids every morning, And its routine, takes about 15 minutes out of the morning. But I'm sure my parents greatly appreciate it.

[misol]

We don't brush teeth here either. However, if a parent were to request it and supply toothbrush and paste, I would do it.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

we dont here,..I dont think I would offer it. I just dont see where I could fit it in.

[MarinaVanessa]

I offer it if the parents want me to but only if they provide a toothbrush with their childs name on it, a toothbrush cover (can be bought in the dollar section at Target) and they don't use toothpaste. I remember being in Kindergarten and having my teacher make us brush our teeth after lunch. If the parents want me to and they provide everything why not?

[Lianne]

The children brush their teeth after lunch here but they do so without toothpaste. A dentist told me that toothpaste wasn't necessary for lunch time brushing. The bristles of the toothbrush across the teeth is most important and toothpaste is a bonus. I found it messy and a pain so now we just brush at the lunch table then swish and swallow with a small cup of water. I used to require my parents to bring a toothbrush but the health unit gives them out for free so now that's where I get them from.

[momma2girls]

Nope, parents can do this at home when the child wakes up and goes to bed...brushing teeth is not a part of my program.

I agree with this 100%!!

[tenderhearts]

Nope I don't either. I have only had one parent in my 12 yrs ask for her son to brush after his lunch, he was able to do it on his own.

[QualiTcare]

i never did it and the daycare my kids went to didn't do it either - but it would be nice if you think you could handle it. i really don't think it would be that hard. if you have kids that are too young to do it without making a total mess then just don't let them do it. you could even let the older ones (like 4 and up) go in and do it on their own one at a time while you're reading a story or something. my 4 year old brushes his by himself - and then i go brush them again, but he does a really good job and it's more about learning how to do it, putting the toothpaste on, etc. than how well he brushes. of course, i go rebrush because he's mine. you wouldn't have to do that with the daycare kids. anyway, it's not something that's expected or required obviously, so i think parents would see that as a big advantage.

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

My school age daycare girls brush their teeth here..I keep the brushes in a small bin on the counter. They come at 5:30a.m. and go back to sleep so I make sure they brush before school. They are independent so I just remind them. The only part I don't like is they leave a mess in the sink, but they come so early I don't expect them to do it at home so early.

I don't brush the toddlers teeth..the moms never brought a brush or pushed the issue and they don't come too early (the one boy comes at 12:15 so burshing should be done at home) so I figure it's the mom's responsibility.