The Best Toothbrushes for Kids

dental care brushing teeth

With so many brands and types of toothbrushes available on the market, it is quite difficult to decide which one is good for your child. Most likely, in the end, you will choose one that looks nice and is affordable at the same time, but this will not always be the best choice.

Here is what dentists say about what you should look for when buying a toothbrush for your child.

  • For children younger than 2 years, choose a toothbrush with a 15 mm head.
  • Most dentists agree that when it comes to children, a soft toothbrush is the best option for removing plaque. A medium or hard toothbrush can affect both gums and dental enamel.
  • The most appropriate toothbrush is the one that allows you access to the entire surface of the tooth and also reaches those hard-to-reach areas in the back of the mouth (the molars are more prone to caries precisely because dental brushing doesn`t reach them properly).
  • As for the handle type, there is no rule; you can choose what the child likes. Kids will use with more enthusiasm a toothbrush that they think it is cool.
  • Ideally, you should allow your dentist to recommend you the most appropriate toothbrush for your child and to show you the correct brushing technique: from the gums to the tip of the teeth, for 3-5 minutes, at least twice a day.

What to choose? Regular or electric toothbrush?

As long as you use the correct brushing technique, you reduce the bacterial plaque and keep your gums healthy, regardless the type of the toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes have become very popular, because they do not require any special technique or dexterity. If you notice that your kid is not very handy with using a regular toothbrush, the electric version can prove to be a real help.

Regardless what type of toothbrush you choose to buy for your child, orthodontist Loveland specialists say that what matters the most is using it regularly, at least twice a day. Keep in mind that dental brushing removes 65% of oral bacteria, which is significant. The remaining 35% should be removed using dental floss. Besides teeth brushing at home, you should schedule periodic appointments with your dentist, for professional teeth brushing. All these steps in your child`s oral hygiene are very important and will contribute to getting rid of tartar, bacterial plaque and keeping healthy gums.

Dentist’s recommendation: the toothbrush should be replaced regularly with a new one!

A toothbrush is a good environment for bacteria, including the dreaded Escherichia Coli, which causes diarrhea and staphylococci.

The oral cavity is not as clean as we tend to believe either, with over 700 species of bacteria that can be found in the mouth. However, as long as the whole body is healthy, it is defended by immune mechanisms. During periods when immunity is low and illnesses occur, a number of measures should be considered to avoid contamination of the toothbrush.

The toothbrush must be replaced every 3 months with a new one. Furthermore, it must be replaced when your child recovers from an infection in the throat or in the mouth, otherwise the microbes that remain on it may cause re-infection.