When Should I Start Brushing My Child’s Teeth?

Before your child has their first tooth be sure to always be wiping the gums with a clean wet cloth. This can be done in the bath or simply after the child has fed. Some children enjoy the feeling of their gums being cleaned or wiped. This feeling will also help them get used to brushing their teeth!

Parents should be brushing their child’s teeth until they are more capable of doing this task on their own which is usually around the age of seven. Guidance is always encouraged when your child is starting to brush on their own. Make sure you are brushing with your child in the morning and at night prior to bed with no snacks after the final brush before bedtime. Water is encouraged throughout the day and is the only beverage recommended after the final brushing in the evening.

We recommend brushing with a children’s fluoridated toothpaste as soon as the first tooth erupts. While your child is just a toddler with only a couple of teeth, used a grain of rice sized amount of toothpaste. Once most of their teeth have erupted, approximately at two and a half years, the amount of toothpaste to use should be approximately the size of a pea. Flossing is strongly encouraged one time per day- we recommended adding this to your child’s routine prior to bedtime.

If you’re looking for some ways to make brushing your children’s teeth fun for yourself, or for your kids, then check out our blog post on how to help them out!