Teaching your children the art of toothbrushing is an investment for life. Teeth need to be kept thoroughly clean from the very first tooth. That's why it's a great idea to get your child into good toothbrushing habits early in life. Leaving the dentist with zero cavities is the most fun for both children and adults - that's why we've put together our top tips and guides for brushing children's teeth.
When should children start brushing their teeth?
The answer is simple; as soon as the first tooth appears. It's important that you as a parent take care of toothbrushing until your child is 10 years old. Even if your child wants to brush their own teeth, they unfortunately don't have the motor skills required to master the delicate hand movements. It will therefore be problematic for them to get around to all the teeth.
If your child wants to brush on their own, it's a good idea to agree that they'll brush on their own at first and then you'll take over or vice versa. The most important thing, however, is that you give your teeth an extra toothbrushing session.
When it's time to leave toothbrushing entirely to your child, it's a good idea to first test brushing with colored tablets. Then you can assess whether the time is right.
How do I brush my child's teeth?
Parents should start brushing their child's teeth as soon as the very first tooth begins to erupt. This usually happens when the child is around 4-6 months old. However, this can vary, so remember to check your child's tooth eruption.
It's important to be systematic when brushing your teeth so you don't miss any teeth. Teeth should be brushed morning and evening.
The technique is easy: brush in small circles (with rubbing movements). The smaller the circles the better and concentrate on one tooth at a time. Brush 6-10 circles and then move on to the next tooth. Remember to brush so that the gums at the neck of the tooth are also included.
How to get all the way around:
- Start by brushing the chewing surfaces of the upper and lower mouth so that the fluoride from the toothpaste is distributed throughout the mouth. Don't make rubbing movements here, but brush back and forth.
- When brushing the outside of the teeth, you can use your finger to hold out your cheek and ask your child to close their mouth slightly, otherwise it can be difficult to get the toothbrush far enough back.
- When brushing the inside of the teeth, the child has to yawn high up to get better access.
- At the front teeth in the upper mouth, the lip is lifted up so you can see better. In the same way in the lower mouth.
- Not everywhere the toothbrush can reach. That's why it's necessary to floss. With a gentle sawing motion, floss is guided up through the contact surface of the teeth and down each side of the gums.
Emerging teeth that are not yet level with the other teeth can be brushed by rotating the toothbrush and brushing across the row of teeth. Read more about teething in babies and young children here.
When can children brush their own teeth?
Children can't be responsible for brushing their own teeth until they are 10-12 years old. Before that age, a child doesn't master the fine hand movements required to brush their teeth properly and also struggles to systematically get around to all teeth.
Until then, it's fine to let your child try brushing on their own, especially if they show interest in it. However, we recommend that you always brush afterwards. This will minimize the risk of your child developing tooth decay.
It's important that your child continually tries to brush their teeth on their own and learns the motor skills for the correct movement. As they get older, you can arrange with your child that they brush in the morning and you do it in the evening.
Once you feel the technique is mastered, it's a good idea to control the toothbrushing with colored tablets before leaving the toothbrushing to the child alone.
Can children get too much toothpaste?
The short answer is yes - kids can have too much toothpaste.
If children consume too much toothpaste, they are at risk of developing dental fluorosis, a condition that disrupts the enamel mineralization of permanent teeth.
The result can be whitish changes on the tooth surface and in cases of severe dental fluorosis, it can result in brown spots and a pitted tooth surface.
However, fluoride is a well-documented tooth decay fighter, so daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste should not be avoided. You just need to be mindful of the amount of toothpaste you use while your teeth are still forming.
