"She caught on pretty quick after that...mostly."
Haha, sounds familiar. My son went through a similar phase—he'd squeeze out half the tube if I wasn't watching closely. I found that explaining it gently, like you did, really helped him understand. Also, picking out a toothpaste flavor he liked (but didn't love too much!) made him less tempted to overdo it. Kids and toothpaste...always an adventure, right? Glad your daughter mostly got the hang of it!
Haha, toothpaste adventures indeed...reminds me of teaching my grandkids.
One trick I found helpful was marking the brush with a little line—"toothpaste stops here." Worked like a charm, mostly. Glad you're making progress!"Kids and toothpaste...always an adventure, right?"
That's a clever trick with the line on the toothbrush—wish I'd thought of that earlier. I remember trying to teach my niece about toothpaste amounts, and she'd squeeze half the tube before I could blink. As for fluoride, I used to worry a bit, especially with kids swallowing it, but after chatting with our dentist, I felt reassured. Moderation seems key, like with most things. Glad to hear things are getting easier for you...small victories count!
I've heard similar reassurance from my dentist too, but honestly, I still feel a bit mixed about fluoride. I agree moderation helps, but kids can be unpredictable—I mean, one minute they're carefully brushing, and the next they're trying to taste-test the strawberry-flavored toothpaste. My youngest went through a phase where she thought toothpaste was dessert...not exactly comforting!
What I've found helpful is looking into fluoride-free toothpaste options, at least for the very young ones who haven't mastered spitting yet. A friend suggested it after her toddler kept swallowing toothpaste despite constant reminders. It eased my mind during that tricky stage. Then we transitioned gradually to fluoride toothpaste once she got the hang of rinsing and spitting properly.
Of course, every kid is different, and I'm definitely not dismissing the dentist's advice. Just thought I'd share another perspective since it worked well for us. It's one of those parenting areas where there's no perfect solution—just figuring out what feels right for your family.
And yes, totally agree about small victories...like when they finally squeeze just the right amount of toothpaste without flooding the sink!
I get the caution, especially with little ones treating toothpaste like candy—but honestly, fluoride-free toothpaste doesn't really offer the same cavity protection. I remember my dentist explaining that even tiny amounts of fluoride can significantly strengthen enamel, especially in young teeth. Maybe just using a super tiny smear instead of a pea-sized blob could ease your worries? Worked well for my grandkids when they were toddlers...just another angle to consider.
