How can I choose the right toothbrush for my kids?

Most parents at the dental surgery struggle choosing the right toothbrush. It is indeed a difficult decision! There are too many options & brands, it is somewhat like deciding on a new sofa for the house or which family cereal to get. 

When should I start brushing my child’s teeth?

This is a cornerstone point: Before your baby’s first tooth pushes its way out, you should be keeping your baby’s gums healthy.  How do I do that? First, avoid sharing your adult germs on your baby’s mouth, this could potentially spread cavities! You can do this by:

• not sharing spoons
• not testing food before feeding it to  your baby
• cleaning off a dummy with water instead of in your mouth 
• and through other activities where saliva is shared. 

Second, as your baby learns to chew, you will need to clean their gums after feedings to fight bacteria. This can be best accomplished by using a more delicate, damp cloth or a soft rubber silicone finger brush.

Baby’s options

Gentle washcloth: Wipe your baby’s mouth with a clean, damp cloth after feeding.

Gum toothbrush: Use it at night-time to create an evening routine. As your baby grows, routines will make the bedtime transition easier. How do I choose the right one? It must be able to fit on the tip of your finger and designed for infants over the age of two months. Once your child’s first tooth erupts, a visit to the dentist is warranted! Normally this happens when your baby is around 6 months old.

Infants and toddlers

A kids’ manual toothbrush with a smaller bristle head and soft bristles is preferable. Children between the ages of 3 and 12 will do well with toothbrushes with a medium-sized bristle area and soft bristles.

5 common questions in surgery, lets answer them in a split second!

1. How can I choose an appropriate brush size?

This should allow you or your kid to brush their teeth entirely and efficiently using a circular motion without missing any crevices or spots. 

While toddlers require a smaller head and softer bristles, they will eventually lose their baby teeth. As children grow and their adult teeth come in, they can advance to a larger brush size and even one with stiffer bristles to accommodate their growing mouth.

2. Soft, medium, or hard toothbrush?

It seems kids are always in a rush, right? – especially teens. And rushing through an oral care routine usually means your child will end up brushing too fast, and therefore too hard. Since over-aggressive brushing can lead to sensitive teeth, I recommend using a “medium” or “soft” brush to dampen the side-effects of this bad habit. Adults should follow the same advice!

3. Powered or manual?

Manual is the winner. Kids do not know how to articulate an electric toothbrush properly! Also, motivation is particularly important in this stage; we adults have a massive part in this. We can buy the most expensive toothbrush that does magic in front of us. However, if there is no motivation, their bristles will fall asleep at the bathroom corner and probably end up cleaning the toilet! In these crazy times of so much hurry to get to the next task, using a manual toothbrush is like doing the dishes. A great source to develop self-awareness, motor skills, and living in the present moment: a beautiful gift for our western society.

4. What brands are the best?

Since the human plastic pollution has poisoned our oceans, their wildlife, and our coastal communities: I would personally advise an ECO-FRIENDLY & CRUELTY-FREE toothbrush. The word of mouth is contagious, and a conscious community as well. Let’s make the new generation a better one, let’s go GREEN brushing!

I am aware finding a bamboo toothbrush may be a bit more difficult than a plastic one, so here I’d like to bring some help with some brands I personally have used and recommend to our patients. 

5. How often do I have to change the toothbrush?

Over time, the bristles can become frayed and less efficient at keeping your teeth clean. It’s essential to change your toothbrush every three to four months.

Stay tuned. Next post coming very soon!👍