The best children’s toothbrushes can seem few and far between sometimes. But, being intentional to make sure that your kids are getting their teeth as clean as possible is of utmost importance. Nobody likes hearing the bad news that they haven’t been taking good enough care of their teeth in-between dental visits.
To help you keep your kids’ teeth healthy, we’ve put together this list of the best children’s toothbrushes. We love kids, and we love having them into our dental office. It’s even better when they come in with well taken care of teeth.
Good Toothbrushing Practices for Kids
Before getting into the tools that kids should be using to keep their mouth clean, let’s look at some of the excellent toothbrushing practices that kids should be using.
When to Start Brushing Kids Teeth
You might be surprised that it’s recommended to start oral care on your children as early as when they start to eat baby foods. A good way to clean your young children’s mouths is with a warm washcloth. You can gently rub it along their gums to ensure that it stays clean and free of any build-up.
As soon as your child does have a tooth, brushing it every day with a gentle toothbrush and a small pea-size amount of non-fluoride toothpaste will ensure that they start out with great oral hygiene.
Brushing Twice a Day
One of the best habits to establish in kids while they’re young is the habit of brushing twice daily. There are many reasons that brushing twice a day is important. For kids, it’s because it helps to build a strong habit that they can carry with them throughout their life.
Flossing
Every dentist will tell you that you should be flossing more regularly, and that’s just the same for kids. A good general rule is to start flossing when your children’s teeth begin to touch. This often happens sometime between the ages of two and four. Kids at that age won’t be able to floss on their own, so it’ll be important that you help them.
Using the Right Toothbrush
A children’s toothbrush is much different from an adult toothbrush. It’s often much smaller, and of course, it has to have some fun colors and graphics. The most significant difference is that it should have soft bristles, especially for young children. It will take quite a few years for your child to develop healthy and strong gums that can handle brushing them with any bristles other than soft or extra soft.
To help you choose the right toothbrush for your kids, here are our top picks!
Our Top Toothbrush Recommendations
Philips Sonicare HX6321/02 Sonicare for Kids Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush – This Philips Sonicare electric kids toothbrush will start our list off. Using an electric toothbrush for kids is a great way to get them excited about oral care. Better yet, an electric toothbrush will often make brushing or getting your kids to brush much easier. Note that it’s recommended that your child be at least three to use this toothbrush.
Baby Banana – Yellow Banana Toothbrush – When your baby starts teething, they’ll be reaching everywhere for something to chew on. Sometimes it can be hard to find them something that isn’t dangerous or bad to have in their mouth. The Yellow Banana Toothbrush bu Baby Banana has been on best sellers’ lists from the time that it came on the market. Using this toothbrush is a great way to start creating brushing habits with your young children. Better yet, it gives them a safe way to navigate teething.
RADIUS Kids Toothbrush Totz Brush – The Radius Totz Brush is an excellent manual toothbrush for kids ages three-plus. This product is made in the USA, is certified by the USDA, is entirely organic, vegan, BPA free, and DYE free. You won’t have to worry about exposing your children to any harmful chemicals or toxins that are often found in plastic products. The Totz Brush is a safe, colorful, and fun way for kids to brush their teeth. Because of that, its one of our favorite kids’ toothbrushes.
Oral-B Pro-Health Jr. – Another electric toothbrush model, this one from Oral-B is the pro-health jr., a battery-powered toothbrush that can fully surround a child’s tooth and quickly clean it with the motored heads. The handle on this toothbrush is ergonomically designed to fit well within a small child’s hand. Like the other electric toothbrush, this one is intended for children over the age of three.
No matter the toothbrush you choose, ensuring that they are designed with your kid’s safety in mind. You don’t want to be using a product that doesn’t suit them or that contains harmful chemicals. Take on the task of finding a safe toothbrush with caution and care. We’re only given one set of teeth, and it’s essential to protect them as best we can.
Regular Dental Visits
Regular dental visits not only help to prevent any tooth decay, but they also help your kids learn more about the importance of oral health. This is especially true when your children are first developing their oral habits. Children won’t have to go to the dentist all too often, but a once a year checkup is a great way to keep their mouths healthy. Seeing the dentist regularly will also help the Orthodontist know if any measures should be taken to help keep their teeth straight.
If you’ve been looking for a family dental office, then we would be honored if you came to see us. At Wayzata Dental, we love serving kids and providing them with pain-free dental care. You can learn more about our dental care for kids on our website. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or schedule an appointment here.
We look forward to seeing you and your kids!