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128 Birch Street
Boston, MA, 02131
United States

(617) 390-4076

Invent Boston designs and develops original products to add science + whimsy to  every day tasks at home.   Our first product is a Two Minute timer, Two Minute Turtle, a visual timer. The Two Minute Turtle helps children and adults focus on two minute tasks such as brushing teeth, physical therapy, taking a shower and speaking (practicing a presentation or learning a language).

Lesson #2: The Truth Behind Caring for Your Child's Teeth

Invent Boston™, Home of the Two Minute Turtle Timer™

Invent Boston™ blog offers tips and stories by parents, for parents of children ages 4-12 to make toothbrushing and other healthy habits at home, more fun. We write about simple tactics to help kids do what they like to do-touch, seeing, play games and strive for independence. We recommend products to help stay healthy while being kids. We share stories to transform daily healthy habits from something kids resist (for example, toothbrushing, handwashing, toilet training, organizing, taking time-out or pausing, yoga, and taking turns) into something children are motivated to do independently, without parents’ reminders. The original physical product Invent Boston has designed for families is the new light-up Two Minute Turtle Timer, an analog, interval toothbrush timer to make brushing teeth fun for kids. Kids like to press the button, follow the flippers and brush until all the lights blink—the Victory Lap signals to brush the tongue.

Lesson #2: The Truth Behind Caring for Your Child's Teeth

Virginia Berman

Lesson #2:  Care for a Toddler’s Teeth as Soon as They Emerge

Once you can start to see your child’s teeth they are susceptible to decay. Children with tooth decay are prone to infection and tooth aches.

A warm cloth to rub/massage the gums after feedings or the finger toothbrush should do a good job of that along with disrupting bacteria. One dental hygienist I know would clean her baby’s mouth right after nursing, to get the babe comfortable with this idea. Then, once your child’s teeth emerge, brush their teeth each morning and night with a soft bristle brush with just a small smear of age-appropriate toothpaste. The child won’t spit it out, nor can you rinse for the first year or so. It’s possible to give too much fluoride so just the smear, no more than the size of a grain of rice. How to brush teeth of a toddler? A brief video.  

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You already know this but it’s worth repeating. Keep sugary foods and drink to a minimum. We have temptations all around us. Serve your child water or milk to drink, not juice. Don’t have sugary foods like dried fruits including ones we may think of as healthy like raisins and dried mango, which my daughters loved.  If you do serve a sweet food--dessert--have it with a meal rather than as a snack. 

If you eat sweets, serve them with a meal.

He loves to brush his teeth with the 2 minute timer, turtle timer

Sidebar note on Candy :

How does a cavity form? If we eat sugar (including milk, the natural sugars in milk), naturally occuring bacteria in our mouth digest the sugars. This natural bacteria eat the sugar, digest and produce lactic acid. Lactic acid erodes the enamel of the tooth and for 45 minutes afterwards, reduces the PH in the mouth. A low PH in the mouth makes it easier for the enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth, to come a step closer toward having a cavity.  

brushing teeth with the two minute timer means i worry less about my kids’ teeth.

Avoid candy. If (or, for most of us in America anyway, WHEN) you eat sweets, eat them right after a meal. You’ll be brushing your teeth soon so the sugar doesn’t have as much time to do damage. Enjoy and remember to brush the teeth twice a day!

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categories two minute turtle timer, two minute turtle, two minute timer, toothbrushing timer, visual timers
tags two minute timer, two minute toothbrush timer, kids toothbrush timer, two minute turtle, kids bedtime routine