Ages 0-3
It’s very important to begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the teeth begin to appear. When the teeth are very small, it’s entirely acceptable to brush them with a washcloth or finger cot, but when you begin introducing a toothbrush, it’s imperative that you use an infant-sized toothbrush. The most important factor when picking out a toothbrush for your infant is the size of the toothbrush head. For infants, the toothbrush head will be very small, and it will have soft bristles. While there are several options available in both the baby section and toothbrush section of your local retailer, all you need to worry about is choosing one that matches the age of your child.
Ages 3+
This is the age range where brushing can begin to become more fun. You’ll notice that many of the toothbrushes in this age grouping have princesses, superheroes, and other fun children’s characters on them, and we think these are a great way to get your child excited about brushing their teeth. We know brushing can be an uphill battle with toddlers and young children, but letting your child pick out a toothbrush with their favorite character on it can help them look forward to brushing!
Ages 6+
The age 6+ grouping is where we see the biggest transformation in the toothbrush itself. You’ll notice that they look much more like adult toothbrushes, with larger heads and ergonomic handles. The larger brush head and handle allow your child to reach farther back in their mouth and get more of the hard-to-reach places as they begin to trade their baby teeth for their permanent teeth.
We want to note that it’s perfectly acceptable to reach down in toothbrush size, but we do not recommend reaching up. If you have a seven or eight-year-old who wants an age 3+ toothbrush because of the character on it, that’s great! But you don’t want to get an age 6+ brush for a child that is four years old.
Ages 10+
Once your child is ten years old, you can start getting them the same-sized toothbrushes you get for yourself. At this age, you won’t often find an age group listed on the toothbrush packaging, but know that they are standard for ages ten and up. At this age, your child will likely be capable of brushing on their own and will benefit from the larger brush head and more ergonomic handle.
Electric Toothbrushes
Electric toothbrushes can be safely used on children ages three and up, but we want to remind you that it is imperative you use a brush recommended for your child’s age range. Similar to manual toothbrushes, electric brushes have recommended age groups. If you don’t want to buy a new toothbrush for your child every three months, we think electric toothbrushes are a great alternative, as many only require you to swap the old brush head for a replacement every three months.
Find More Resources
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