Today is National Brush Day! What better way to celebrate than a blog about choosing the right toothbrush for your child?!

Parents commonly ask us whether their child should be using an electric toothbrush. Recent studies seem to suggest that an electric toothbrush is more effective at removing plaque than a manual one. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to run right out to buy one.
The most important thing to remember is that your child brush their teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. Be sure to angle the toothbrush so it tucks under the gums (at a 45-degree angle) and to brush all of the surfaces, using a small circular technique. We recommend parents closely supervise or brush for their child until they have the manual dexterity to brush well for themselves, usually around age 8 or 9.
Here are some advantages of electric toothbrushes…
• They make those small circles for you and are very effective at removing plaque. That helps overcome any lack of manual dexterity. You still need to angle the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle so the bristles tuck right under the gums.
• Many come with a 2-minute timer. This is one of our favorite features as it ensures that your child is spending adequate time brushing. Several models will even pulse at 30 second intervals to let your child know when to change quadrants (areas of the mouth).
• Many come with a pressure sensor which will stop the brush from spinning when too much pressure is applied. It is important to be with gentle with the teeth and gums and not brush too hard.
• Some are associated with an interactive app which can be fun for children.
As always, our top priority is that your child maintains great oral hygiene which will reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease. How that is accomplished is up to you…whether you choose a manual or electric toothbrush!