Baby's First Toothbrush - You Must Know That!

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Correct and timely dental care of the baby is very important.

On the one hand, regular cleaning of the teeth prevents the development of caries. On the other hand, the child can get used to the routine of brushing their teeth right from the start. This can result in a ritual that The cornerstone of good oral hygiene lays.

When choosing your first toothbrush, it is very important to make sure that it is designed for the appropriate age. The intended age is usually noted on the packaging. The toothbrush should have a very soft, small brush head so as not to damage the surrounding gums.

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When should you start brushing babies' teeth?

Dental care should begin with the first tooth erupting. This is usually one of the lower incisors and breaks around the sixth month of life around by.

The cleaning of the first teeth can be done with a special finger cot silicone or a small, soft toothbrush specially made for babies for about 10 to 20 seconds twice a day.

Learn more at: Brushing the baby's teeth

Furthermore, a baby-friendly Toothpaste with a suitable fluoride content can be used.

Often, dental care is neglected or started too late. Some of the babies already eat sugary foods at this stage of their lives. For this reason, good and regular cleaning is very important to prevent early tooth decay.

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Which toothbrush is the best?

There are many different suppliers of baby toothbrushes. Very important when choosing your first toothbrush is to be careful to choose the right age group. This is usually noted on the packaging.

It has to have a small brush head and very soft bristles to avoid this anyway due to the eruption of the teeth Do not strain irritated gums further.

Which toothbrush is best for your own use is up to you. Many parents often choose a toothbrush that has a handy handle to make brushing their teeth easier. It is also advisable to consult with the treating pediatrician or dentist. Any recommendations could be made based on experience reports.

Advantages / disadvantages of the electric toothbrush

The main advantage of electric toothbrushes is the better cleaning result compared to manual toothbrushes. By vigorously vibrating the brush head you get a high cleaning comfort, because you only have to guide the electric toothbrush along the tooth surfaces. You don't have to exert any pressure on the brush head due to the movements of the electric toothbrush.

For children, brushing with an electric toothbrush is more fun than with a manual toothbrush. One should have children however only have an electric toothbrush brushed at the age of 2-3 years, to encourage the child's manual dexterity.

The brushes also contain a timer that specifies the minimum cleaning time. This orientation serves to improve oral hygiene.

The disadvantage of electric toothbrushes is that they are usually expensive. Furthermore, the replacement brush heads are also very expensive. Another disadvantage is the possible irritation of the gums and tooth. Applying too much pressure can damage the gums and tooth structure.

For babies whose gums are very irritated during teething anyway, the use of an electric toothbrush is recommended Not.

You should use manual toothbrushes or finger cots here.

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Advantages / disadvantages of the manual toothbrush

The advantage of the manual toothbrush is its low purchase price. You are not dependent on the power supply or a charged battery and can take the toothbrush with you everywhere.

There is little risk of damaging the surrounding gums or tooth. Nevertheless, you should always pay attention to the appropriate hardness of the bristles.

The disadvantage of the manual toothbrush is the inferior cleaning result compared to the electric toothbrush. With the right brushing technique, a similar result can be achieved, but it is not comparable to that of the electric toothbrush.

Read on for the right toothbrushing technique here: Brush teeth

Cleaning with a manual toothbrush is particularly less fun for children.

For babies and toddlers this is Use of a manual toothbrush is more suitable. The surrounding gums are not damaged and the cleaning result by the parents is completely sufficient.

Toothbrush or finger cot?

The finger cot consists of soft silicone and is available in the pharmacy. The advantage of this is the very gentle cleaning of the newly erupting teeth. With the help of the finger cot you can continue to gently massage the surrounding gums, which are already very irritated by the eruption of the teeth, and so on the baby Reduce discomfort associated with teething.

Read more on this topic: Teething in babies

The toothbrush irritates the surrounding gums more than the finger cot. At the same time, however, the baby can get used to brushing teeth with a toothbrush right from the start. Furthermore, the tooth is cleaned very well by the toothbrush.

In general, choosing between a finger cot and a toothbrush is a personal decision. Based on the baby's reaction one can often tell which remedy the babies prefer.

How often do you have to change the baby toothbrush?

At the beginning of the tooth eruption, changing the baby toothbrush every 2-3 months is sufficient.

A sign that a toothbrush needs to be changed are the bristles protruding to the side. A little more toothbrushes are likely to be needed in the beginning as babies will chew on the brushes more often than having their teeth brushed.

If several teeth have erupted, the baby toothbrush can be changed a little less often, i.e. every 3 months.