ORAL-HYGIENE

When Should I Start Brushing Baby’s Teeth with Toothpaste?

You can start brushing baby teeth with fluoride-free toothpaste as soon as the first baby tooth erupts. Once your little one is 3 years old, introduce a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste to their daily oral care routine to better prevent tooth decay.

Approved and reviewed by Dr. Lee, a dental professional of over 35 years. LEARN MORE

Brushing your baby’s teeth is important to their dental health and can help establish good oral care habits early on. Find out when to start brushing baby teeth and at what stage you should introduce toothpaste to their routine.

When Should I Start Brushing Baby Teeth?

You should start brushing your baby’s teeth once the first baby tooth starts to cut through the gums. This usually occurs when your little one is between 4 or 7 months old. While water and a soft-bristled toothbrush works at this stage, a fluoride-free baby training toothpaste is even better as it gets your little one used to the sensation of toothpaste.

The Oral-B and Crest Baby Training Toothpaste and Toothbrush Kit features a manual toothbrush with extra-soft bristles and a non-fluoride toothpaste that’s free of artificial flavors, sodium lauryl sulfate, sweeteners, and dyes for a gentle clean on baby’s teeth and gums.

How to Brush Baby Teeth

When you first start brushing baby teeth with toothpaste, there may be a bit of a learning curve as your little one gets used to the sensation. But it’s important to keep up the habit.

To make brushing time a little easier, try giving these a try:

Try singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or another song they love for 2 minutes.
Brush with the Disney Magic Timer App, it features up to 23 of their favorite characters to make brushing more fun.
Reward them with stickers or extra playtime after they’ve properly brushed for the dentist-recommended 2 minutes.

When Should I Start Brushing Baby Teeth with Fluoride Toothpaste?

Fluoride is the key ingredient in toothpaste that helps fight cavities and prevent tooth decay. As soon as your little one is 3 years old and most of their primary teeth have come through, it’s time to add a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste to their daily routine.

Be sure to brush your child’s teeth for them until the age of 6 so they can learn how to properly brush their teeth.

Best Kids Toothpaste with Fluoride

Before diving into the different toothpaste options for kids the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends you look for 2 key features in kids’ toothpaste:

The American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.
A toothpaste formulated with fluoride.

From there you can choose a kids’ fluoride toothpaste that’s most appealing to your child based on flavor, characters, and exciting features.

Find a mild flavored toothpaste that your kids will love to help encourage good brushing habits. Kids’ Crest Cavity Protection Sparkle Fun Toothpaste is ADA approved and the fun sparkles make brushing more enjoyable.

For a toothpaste that keeps them brushing the dentist recommended 2 minutes, try Crest Kids Advanced Color Changing Toothpaste. Kids brush up to 2X longer with the color-changing formula!

Maintaining good oral care habits early on can lead to a lifetime of healthy smiles. So, remember to start brushing baby teeth as early as possible and keep encouraging good habits as their smiles continue to develop.