This is What You Should Look for When Choosing a Toothbrush for You or Your Child

Do you know what to look for when you are choosing a toothbrush for your child? When you visit California Dental Group for family dentistry services, we will give your child a toothbrush that is right for them. However, there are a few things you should know when it comes to choosing a toothbrush for your own child.

Choose a Toothbrush Your Child Thinks is Cute

Is this the most important thing to think about when choosing a toothbrush? It might be! The truth is that the more your child likes their toothbrush, the more likely they will be to look forward to brushing time. Today there are toothbrushes with favorite cartoon characters and in every color and shape you can imagine. Remember this fun fact: the most popular toothbrush color is blue. That might or might not be the right choice for your child, but do focus on finding a color they love.

Soft Bristles Are Essentially

One of the most important factors is to choose a brush with soft bristles. There are a few reasons for this. First, soft bristles are very unlikely to hurt your child. Hard or even medium bristles often cause pain for kids, which makes them less likely to want to brush. Second, harder bristles can actually damage the gums and cause them to pull back from the teeth, which causes sensitivity to heat and cold.

Find the Right Size

You will need a toothbrush with a head size that allows it to fit into your child’s mouth easily. It should be able to brush one or two teeth at a time. For most kids, this will be a brush that is around 1 inch long and half an inch wide.

A Powered Toothbrush Might Be More Interesting to Your Child

While powered toothbrushes do not necessarily clean your child’s teeth any better than a manual brush does, it might motivate your child to brush more often. Some children love these, and some do not, so be sure to talk to your kid. One handy feature of many powered toothbrushes is that they play a two-minute song to encourage brushing for the full recommended two minutes.

Replace Their Toothbrush When It Needs It

Make sure that you replace your child’s toothbrush when it needs it, generally around every three months. If you notice that the bristles are worn or frayed, then it is past time for changing it out. Anytime your child is sick, throw out their toothbrush (or the toothbrush head, if they are using a powered toothbrush) and replace it with a new, clean one.

Do you have more questions about how to best care for your child’s teeth and gums? Then we encourage you to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to make an appointment or request a consultation. We are standing by to help you today.