Hygiene for Kids: They're Just Baby Teeth

My daughter is going to end up with green teeth. Or no teeth at all. Either way, it's going to be my fault.

I'm terrible about taking care of her teeth. I brush my teeth twice a day, so why can't I remember to spend one minute a day scrubbing hers?

This whole no-brushing thing started before she had any teeth at all. Way back when she was 3 or 4 months old, my pediatrician told me that it would be best if I got rid of the night feedings before she had teeth. That way, the milk sugar wouldn't stagnate in her mouth all night long creating a perfect tooth-rotting environment.

That was simply NOT going to happen. Back in the day (you know, 13 months ago or so), we didn't have handy info like Sleep Training Boot Camps, so I had no idea how to get rid of those night feedings. But as that first tooth broke through, I swore I'd cut the night feedings after the second tooth. After the second tooth, it was the third. And after the third ... well, you see the pattern here.

Since the night feedings didn't seem to be budging, I figured there was no reason to start a tooth-brushing routine if she was just going to have milk sugar stagnation within hours anyway. Wasted effort, right? So, I put off buying a toothbrush until I weaned her from the night feedings.

Fast-forward eight (er, 11) months and I still hadn't weaned her from the night feedings. So, I still hadn't bought her a toothbrush. Lazy parenting skills at their finest.

I did eventually buy a toothbrush, but by that point, a foreign object scrubbing around her mouth was about as appealing as night weaning. Wasn't gonna happen.

So, now she's 20 months old and pitches a fit every time a toothbrush comes near her mouth. Which means ... a toothbrush rarely comes near her mouth. Ick.

This has to change. I mean, I have to take her to the dentist soon and I don't want to be the one explaining why her teeth are rotting out of her mouth! I'm going to start brushing like a madwoman. Tomorrow, at the latest.