The Best Toothbrush for Your Child

Getting your child started with good oral hygiene habits while he’s young is important, and developing good habits now can help ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth. Of course, you need to make sure your child has the right tools to take care of their teeth. When you go shopping, you’ll see an endless selection of toothbrushes, so how do you make the right choice? Here are a few tips to choose as you choose your child’s next toothbrush.

Remember That Size Matters

You can’t get away with grabbing an adult sized toothbrush. You need to have a brush that easily fits in your child’s mouth. Usually it’s recommended that you go with a brush that’s about half an inch to 1 inch long for your child. It’s also a good idea to choose a child’s toothbrush that has a thicker handle so kids can more easily grip the toothbrush.

Go with Soft Bristles

Your dentist probably recommended that you go with a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damaging your enamel, and your child needs a toothbrush with soft bristles too. Look on the label to make sure your child’s toothbrush has soft or even extra soft bristles. Even medium bristles have the ability to strip away enamel and damage gum tissue.

Go with Battery Powered

Since your child most likely does not take the proper amount of time brushing in the recommended circles, it is a good idea to invest in a battery-powered toothbrush with a built-in 2-minute timer. Even though your child will eventually learn to brush in circles around every tooth, you can rest assured knowing that this toothbrush will be doing “circle-assisted brushing” in the meantime. These toothbrushes have timers that can teach children to brush for the full 2 minutes while beeping every 30 seconds, notifying your child to switch quadrants of the mouth. While there are many different technologies, we recommend a $20-30 brush that is both fun to look at and has replaceable heads.

Look for ADA Approval

Look for toothbrushes approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). This means the brush has to pass tests for effectiveness and safety. You can look on the package to see if the toothbrush has been approved by the ADA. Choosing an ADA approved brush will let you know you’re choosing a quality product.

Get Your Child’s Opinion

It’s often difficult to get kids to brush their teeth, so get your child’s opinion when choosing a toothbrush. You can even let your child help in the selection process. When kids have a toothbrush they really love, they’re more likely to get excited about brushing. If you’ve been struggling to get them to brush, try letting them pick out a cartoon or superhero themed toothbrush that will make oral hygiene fun.