I have always struggled with remembering to brush my sons’ teeth.  Luckily my four-year-old can mostly manage on his own now, so I’ve sort of passed the task on to him and his dad at bedtime.  My toddler and his six or so teeth are an entirely different story.  Over the summer, I had the opportunity to test drive a unique oral hygiene product called Spiffies.  Spiffies are single-serving wipes used to wipe a child’s teeth and gums down.  The little towelettes are soaked in Xylitol, a natural ingredient that prevents cavities.  (You may be used to seeing that ingredient in gum.)

Why they’re cool:

• Flavors!  While most babies I know can’t really tell the difference between grape, mango and apple, I know they appreciate the sweetness.  Any little bit of help you can get when it comes to sticking things in your infant’s mouth can go a long way.  (For some reason most infants will put anything in their mouths, but go completely crazy when it’s your idea and not theirs.)
• Convenience.  These are handy for travel.  Just stick a few in your diaper bag or even in your personal makeup bag.
• Great for breastfed babies.  Just do a quick swipe before bed to help prevent tooth decay that may occur if babies nurse to sleep.

Some things to consider:

• Once your toddler gets bitey, the wipes can be a problem.  They’re awesome for infants and gummy babies and gentle toddlers, but I nearly lost a finger when my son reached 20 months and decided to bite back during the Spiffies wiping.  I suggest moving up to one of the other Spiffies products designed for older babies.  Or you can use a finger guard (basically a rubber glove thingy) to protect your fingers.
• Lots of packaging.  If you’re super eco-conscious, you might not be a fan of using something that comes individually wrapped for everyday use.  I’d love to see these eventually packaged in a tiny pop up wipes container, but it’s my understanding that when a pop up package is used, the main ingredients tend to sink to the bottom, rendering the dry wipes on top useless.  You kind of have to weigh the value against your personal packaging ideals.  Spiffies is definitely packaged that way for a reason.
• Teething.  Avoid wiping too hard when your baby is teething UNLESS your baby is a crazy baby like my first baby and enjoys having his swollen gums massaged.

Overall:

I’m a huge fan of these.  I also like the cute packaging.  They’d make a unique baby shower gift.   I keep theme in a little wicker basket in the bathroom and it helps me remember to wipe down my son’s gums, teeth, tongue and the inside of his mouth at bedtime.  Despite the Biting Incident, he already seems to be more open to dental hygiene.

Visit the Spiffies website to learn more about their take on oral hygiene.  When it down, it doesn’t hurt to ask your pediatrician or pediatric dentist about the benefits of Xylitol.