Teaching to spit......

[KylieM]

Hi there,
Just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to get my 16 mth old to SPIT the toothpaste rather than swallow it? Does it hurt them to swallow it?

Thanks,
Kylie

[xkwzit]

Hi Kylie
I have to admit I gave up on teaching my now 3.5 yo to spit. I remember swallowing toothpaste when I was still 6 or 7 (although the thought is totally repugnant now!) and it has done me no harm. As long as you are using a low fluoride toothpaste (which is what all those baby toothpastes are), they'll be fine. Those toothpastes are designed knowing that little kids DON'T spit toothpaste. I've just decided that we'll stick with the baby toothpastes until she starts spitting.

Oh and an interesting benefit if you live in Bris-vegas where the water's not fluorided, our dentist told us that we didn't have to give her fluoride tablets, as she would get enough from swallowing the toothpaste (even though its the reduced version).

Hope that makes you feel better - even though I haven't got any ideas about teaching spitting.

Cheers

[Chickadee]

Hi Kylie,
My 16 month old also swallows. She can blow air (raspberries and tells us to shh) but to be honest I never bothered to try to make her spit. I only use a tiny smear of the baby toothpaste, basically just touching the brush to the tube. I also let Chloe rinse the brush in running water and then suck the water out a couple times, as a rinse. I think I started that because she saw me rinse my toothbrush and had to copy.

I know Chloe will spit/spill water if she is drinking from a cup without a spout, she always takes too much and it comes back out. You might try that? Or make a game out of taking a mouthful of water and spitting it out (outside the house!) with them copying you? Really I have no clue, lol. Let us know if you manage to find the trick of it!
Martha

[KylieM]

Thanks for the hints guys. Glad he is not the only "non spitter" around I wil try your ideas and see how we go. Letting him drink the water and run out his mouth might be worth a try. Sounds like fun
Have a great day.

[LouLou]

Hi kylie,
Just wanted to let you know my son would not spit until he was about 2 yrs old. Now he is almost 4, and we are dealing with the issue that "spitting only occurs when brushing you teeth" NOT in the playground or at your friends or sister!!!!!, trust me you have a boy........ , there will come a day in the next 15 years, when you were wishing that he was not spitting... Anyway thought I'd drop a little humour into this subject, but as the others have said, the toothepaste will not harm them at all.
Best of luck
Louise