Brushing your child's teeth with a soft infant toothbrush

Following the eruption of incisors, you can start brushing your child's teeth with a soft infant toothbrush and drinking water. You can also use an infant toothbrush to get your child accustomed to toothbrushes, which will become essential when the molars come in.

When the first molar comes in, parents must brush their children's teeth twice a day in the morning and before bed at night.

For children under the age of 2, parents should pick a toothbrush with soft bristles and the length of the toothbrush head should not be longer than the diameter of a 10-cent coin. Make sure your child knows how to spit before using toothpaste for brushing.

To effectively clean your child's teeth, it is important to use a correct toothbrushing method. It is best to follow a sequence during brushing:

• start with the cheek side of the teeth
• repeat on the tongue side
• finally, brush the chewing surfaces of all molars
• When you brush your child's teeth, you can either let your child sit on your lap or lay your child on a bed, so that you can see the teeth of your child clearly.

Parents should allow their children to learn to brush the teeth on their own when they are 2 years old. Parents should get their children a new toothbrush, with the length of the head measuring the diameter of a 20-cent coin when their children are between 2 - 6 years old.

If your child knows how to spit, you can let your child brush his teeth with a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste in the morning and before bed at night. Since your child's fine motor skill is not yet well-developed, he might not be able to master the toothbrushing skill and you need to follow up by re-brushing his teeth thoroughly every night.

When you brush your child's teeth, you can stand behind him at the side and tilt his head slightly upwards by supporting his chin with one hand.

Reference information: http://www.toothclub.gov.hk/

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.