How To Pick The Right Toothbrush For Your Child

Manual, electric, all singing and dancing toothbrushes - there are so many to choose from! Then there’s choosing the right one for your child.

We all understand the importance of oral hygiene, but getting your little one on board and excited about brushing their teeth can be challenging. However, if we arm our children with the right equipment and tools for the job, we can help them find the fun!

With toothbrush heads, bristles, toothpaste, dental wipes and so much more to consider, knowing which toothbrush to go for is a job in itself.

To make it easier, here are our top tips for choosing the right toothbrush:

Brush size

Face to face with all the varieties of toothbrushes for children can be overwhelming. You will notice though that all brushes have an age-guideline printed on the box. Anything from 0-12 months to 6+years, it’s all there.

Whichever toothbrush you go for, make sure that the head will fit comfortably in your child’s mouth. At the same time, it needs to be small enough to get to the hard to reach spots. With that in mind, the toothbrush also needs to fit comfortably between your child’s cheek and back molars.

Take your child with you to choose their brush. The more involvement they have in the choosing process, the more likely they are going to get excited about using their new toothbrush! Plus, you will be able to get a better idea if you are selecting the right sized brush.

Bristles

Soft, medium, hard - bristles come in all shapes and firmness. For little teeth and mouths, dentists recommend soft, rounded bristles. They offer effective cleaning without damaging sensitive gums!

Harder bristles can cut your gums without cleaning your teeth. So choosing rounded soft bristle toothbrushes will be gentler on sensitive teeth and gums. The sharper the shape, the more likely your child’s brush is to bristle and cause damage.

At some point, you will need to replace your little one’s brush, especially when you take into account chewing. There’s nothing worse than an ineffective brush when it comes to cleaning your child’s teeth! Try and replace all toothbrushes or replace their heads every 2-3 months.

When to consider an electric toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes essentially do all the work for you. Removing all the unwanted nasties - bacteria, food debris and sugars - all while carefully massaging your child’s gums.

They can reach into the trickier spots all while removing more plaque than your standard manual brush. What’s more, the chances of tooth decay are significantly reduced as a result.

Printed with bright colours, your little one’s favourite characters and with flashing lights, baby electric toothbrushes are exciting. Suitable for when your child has grown their full set of baby/milk teeth, an electric toothbrush can transform your daily routine.

Until your child is at least 6 years old, you should help them to brush their teeth and show them how to get a good technique.

With any brush, choosing one with an easy to grip handle will allow your child to have better control of their brushing.

How to brush

First off, you need to be involved! Whether you are the one doing all the cleaning or brushing your teeth alongside your child, you need to be together for the process.

All your child will need is a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with no more than 1500 ppm of fluoride. Brushing twice a day, morning and bedtime will give your little one the best protection for their teeth.

Each tooth needs to be cleaned individually. So, get your child to place their brush at a 45-degree angle from their gumline while moving the brush gently in a circular motion. You can do it too, so they can see how it’s done!

Make sure your little one cleans the outer and inner tooth surfaces all while tilting their brush to get to the insides of their smaller teeth.

Don’t forget to encourage your child to spit out any excess toothpaste from their mouth when finished.

Charlie and the amazing toothbrush!

Picking the right toothbrush for your child is one thing; getting them to enjoy the experience is another. Finding a brush that gets your little one excited and involved with brushing their teeth is worth its weight in gold.

You know your child more than anyone - what makes them tick, what makes them smile and what sparks their interest. Use it! Adopting good oral hygiene practices with your little one will set them up for life. Healthy teeth = happy child!

Still not sure which toothbrush to go for? Check out Brush Baby's help and advice page where you’ll find the answer for either babies, kids, and  Brushing your little one’s teeth has never been simpler - get involved, you’re in it together!