Brushing Teeth - Your Opinion

[Former Teacher]

I just read online now that MA is requiring all centers to now brush the children's teeth or risk having their license revoked. What is your opinion on this?

Do you brush the kid's teeth? Many centers here do. However my former center didn't because the director felt it was to much of a hassle and we already cater enough to the parents haha

Your thoughts?

[AmandasFCC]

Ummm well it's in my policy book that I need a toothbrush for the kids and they will be supervised brushing their teeth after meals & snacks ... Not one parent has brought a toothbrush and I can't imagine actually DOING it. I remember when I was young I was in a Montessori preschool for about a month and they did tooth-brushing but no other daycare I was in did that I can recall.

[gbcc]

I have it in my policy as well that children need to bring toothbrushes and toothpaste for after breakfast. Only 2 families actually bring them. I think it's stupid all the stuff we have to do to begin with. I don't think it's our place to make a parent have their child brush their teeth. In NY it's already our responsibility to make sure every child as yearly checkups and immunizations when needed.

[originalkat]

I worked in one center that all the kids had to brush their teeth after lunch. It is State regs. But for Registered homes it is not a requirement. I am sooo glad because I think twice a day should be enough...and it should be done at home.

[momma2girls]

I worked in one center that all the kids had to brush their teeth after lunch. It is State regs. But for Registered homes it is not a requirement. I am sooo glad because I think twice a day should be enough...and it should be done at home.

I agree!! THis should be done at home by parents!! Plus just think, where to store everyone's toothbrushes and toothpaste!!

[gbcc]

I guess I figure that it doesn't make sence to brush your teeth at home and then eat at daycare. Assuming they brush them before bed. I bought these really cute catty's. They hold 6 toothbrush's, 2 tubes of toothpast and have suction cuts that go on the mirror or tile. They were only $5!!

[GretasLittleFriends]

I have one dcg that gets here at 3:45AM, eats breakfast here, preps for school here and part of that is brushing her teeth and combing her hair. I have several dc kids that are here past thier bedtime, and each of them has their own toothbrush. Only one child's toothbrush is actually kept here. The rest come with toothpaste in their bags and return to their bags (in ziplocks) when they are done brushing. The oldest is 6 and she does a pretty good job on her own, the other ones are under 5 and I assist in brushing each of their teeth. We kind of do an assembly line bedtime routine.

[MarinaVanessa]

I agree shouldn't be necessary

I don't think it should be our responsibility to make sure that our DC kids brush their teeth. What are parent's for then? I, however, also have a clause that says that if a toothbrush is provided and toothpaste then I will SUPERVISE teeth brushing. Everyone here in CA is sue happy so I have a waiver that authorizes their child to use the toothpaste. God forbid that their child eats a tube of bubble gum toothpaste with princess sparkles and gets sick and I get sued. HOWEVER I've never had to use one because NONE of my parent's have ever supplied a toothbrush .

[gkids09]

I'm in Tennessee but...

I have a child who comes in every morning with AWFUL breath, and it stays that way all day. When I ask him if he brushed his teeth, he says, "Only with water." I got toothbrushes donated to me by the health department, and I keep ziploc bags with the kids names on them with a toothbrush in them. I don't brush them EVERY DAY, but you never know when someone may come in and say they were running late and didn't get to. The funny thing is, the kid who only brushes with water at home is the one who brushes with toothpaste here without complaining at all...hmm...

[mac60]

I agree, I don't think it should be our job either, and I don't do it. Brushing your teeth at home and going to dc is no different than an adult brushing their teeth and going to work. This is a self help skill that needs to be learned at home.

[Crystal]

I do teeth brushing. It's actually alot less work than one would think. I have a commercial toothbrush holder mades specifically for childcare hanging in the bathroom, it's an enclosed plastic box with ventilation holes and a space for each toothbrush. Each child has a labeled toothbrush, which I supply and I have dixie cups on top of the case.

While I don't neccessarily think it is our "job" to do it and do agree that parents should be doing it as well, it is our "job" to teach children appropriate behaviors and self-care skills, and this is one of them. Just because it's a parents job to do it doesn't mean it gets done....not fair that the child should grow up not knowing how to properly care for their teeth....not fair to me or the other kids to smell bad breath all day either! ::