https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 02:46:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-902848 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 07:57:05 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 902848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Glad I could help - hope your boy's gums feel better soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-902468 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 21:22:14 +0000 Raindrop 902468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Again to be honest we have no idea what the dentist did to make LO more comfortable with teeth brushing. All I can say it was magic. </p> <p>I think maybe if your dentist friend doesn't mind, they could do a quick/informal exam to see it that helps... maybe that's too much to ask... just a thought. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-902452 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 21:06:24 +0000 irene 902452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: No, we didn't plan to go to the dentist until he's two.... A dentist friend and our pediatrician said it is not necessary to go before two. My own dentist (who has 3 kids) even said they don't need to go until they are 3, so I didn't even have LO in our dental insurance plan this year.... oh my! Only if I knew that could have been the turning point of our teeth brushing journey.... </p> <p>I will read your story and rethink about it... I'll find out how much it is for LO to go without dental insurance....</p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: Thanks for that information!!! I feel much much better now. Our toothbrush(es) is Oral B Stage 1 toothbrush, it says 4-24 months:</p> <p><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Health-Beauty/Oral-B-Stages-Stage-1-Toothbrush-Pack-of-3/7673608/product.html?cid=202290&#038;kid=9553000357392&#038;track=pspla&#038;ef_id=41dO6iRCVisAAAGb:20130703020343:s" rel="nofollow">http://www.overstock.com/Health-Beauty/Oral-B-Stages-Stage-1-Toothbrush-Pack-of-3/7673608/product.html?cid=202290&#038;kid=9553000357392&#038;track=pspla&#038;ef_id=41dO6iRCVisAAAGb:20130703020343:s</a></p> <p>I have the banana toothbrush but I thought those were for infants so I haven't used them anymore. Besides I've read other posts on this forum saying babies get cavities as young as 2 if we don't brush (!) so I just took it very seriously and literally. What you said made me feel a lot better..... At least one thing I know for sure is he drools a river, and he bites on his burp cloth / blankie when he goes to sleep at night...</p> <p>ETA: I talked to my dentist friend and she reassured me that babies/toddlers do NOT get periodontal disease, which was my fear when I saw his gums bleeding (I thought I didn't brush well enough and plague built up which caused gum diseases). Phew. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-901668 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:44:52 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 901668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What kind of toothbrush are you using? If the bristles are too long, then they can easily irritate the gums, causing them to be sore and bleed. The finger ones or the banana ones are the best to use right now. </p> <p>My mom has been a dental hygienist for 25 years and my aunt is a dental assistant. Both have told me that you don't have to force it - if they just chew on the brush (w/ small bristles and maybe a little bit of the non-floride toothpaste), then that's probably good enough for now because they have so much saliva. So, even them just chewing on the toothbrush will give them the care they need right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-901643 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:34:26 +0000 Raindrop 901643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you brought him to the Dentist yet?</p> <p>I had the exact same problem with you... yes my LO's gum bleed too when I tried brushing his teeth. Nothing worked not even showing him videos! ... He just wouldn't let me near his mouth! I forced the issue but I felt like such a bad mom either way... not brushing or forcing him to brush with bleeding gums... lose/lose!</p> <p>I read somewhere... (sorry forgot where) that some people have success after going to the dentist.</p> <p>I thought sure why not?</p> <p>I wrote about my story here</p> <p><a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-1st-dental-appointment" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-1st-dental-appointment</a></p> <p>Now a week after the dentist it is so easy to brush his teeth. He opens his mouth so willing and now thinks it's fun for us to brush his teeth. </p> <p>Even DH is amazed because we were both at the appointment and it seriously felt like the dentist didn't do anything! But now when we try to brush his teeth he is so easy. It worked for us! Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/gums-bleeding#post-900320 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 07:31:02 +0000 irene 900320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am starting to worry a little about this: Teeth brushing. </p> <p>LO is 17 months and he hates anything one messes with his mouth with a passion. He doesn't allow teeth brushing or wiping without putting on a fight. I still force him to do it though, although I hate to do that as I am afraid he will really hate brushing for life because of this. However I have no choice.</p> <p>Lately I was being a bad parent, I even show him a short youtube video (elmo and kids were brushing teeth and they sang a song), and gave him a toothbrush. He is all excited and tries to mimick (yay) but he really only bites the brush. I tried to brush his teeth afterwards but again not much luck.</p> <p>So this morning I attempted to brush his teeth but I realized his gums were bleeding. Not too bad, just at one location I see blood. Sigh! This actually happened at another time also last week. </p> <p>What would you do if you were me? Is it a serious thing when it happens to a toddler? Would you go back to forcing him to brush (pushing him down and wipe his teeth amidst of his crying and screaming), or do you think it is just an incident, and I should not worry about it too much?</p> <p>What was your experience with your toddler and teeth brushing? Any success stories with brushing for a difficult toddler? </p>