How to Brush your Little One's Teeth

First thing's first: Always explain to your little one why you do things!

Why is it important to brush teeth?

Well, it helps keep them clean. Just like when we wash our hands. It gets the dirt off.

Consistency is key. This means brushing teeth every night and every morning starting at 6 months old. Being consistent allows them to know what to expect. Also, it doesn’t matter if they don’t have teeth yet. If you include this as part of their daily routine, they become accustomed to it. 
 
You always want to make sure to get them their own toothbrush in addition to the one you use for them. It helps to have them hold something while you are brushing their teeth. 
 
Modeling is so important. Mommy gets a turn, then baby gets a turn. Start with brushing your teeth in front of them after you gave the explanation of why we brush. Then give them a turn to brush your teeth. Say, “first we brush the teeth on top and then the ones on the bottom.” 
 
Then it’s baby’s turn to brush his/her teeth. Make sure to let them know that Baby gets a turn and then Mommy gets a turn. 
 
One last thing, I choose a song that we play every time we brush teeth that is a fun, upbeat song. However, I will only play this song while brushing teeth so it doesn’t lose its novelty. 
 
This is the toothbrush I like (once they have teeth) as it vibrates and ensures a better job and gets them used to an electric toothbrush later on. Plus the light helps you see inside their mouth and they tend to like the vibration. Before they have teeth, you can use the toothbrush that you put on their finger. 
 
And this is the toothpaste I like. It is fluoride-free and does not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. 
 
Once they are old enough to properly spit toothpaste out, this is the best one with fluoride. This one also has no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.