Should my 18-month-old use spoons and cups?

Yes: Your child should use a spoon and drink from an open-rimmed cup.

To promote dental: health & appetite, the AAP recommends at 1 year to have the 1st dental check-up, wean from bottles to open-mouth cups given with meals & snacks, limit milk & milk products to 16-21 oz./day; juice, to 0-4 oz./day, water between meals. Brush teeth with a grain-of -rice - sized amt. of flouride toothpaste 2x/day & before bed. Self feeding with a spoon begun at 15 mos. is nearly perfected by 20 mos.