Should you choose an electric toothbrush for your child? - Children's Dentist (2024)

FAQs

Should you choose an electric toothbrush for your child? - Children's Dentist? ›

Dental Professional Recommendations

Some children (and even adults) don't clean their teeth efficiently using a manual toothbrush, even with guidance from their dentist. An electric toothbrush can make this easier by performing the brushing action for you and is usually recommended by dentists for children whose teeth show signs of poor brushing.

Studies show that electric toothbrushes can remove 20 to 50 percent more plaque than a manual toothbrush.” However, at the end of the day, the most important factor is to use the kind of toothbrush that keeps your child brushing their teeth for the full two minutes every day.

10 Years and Older: Adult Toothbrush or Electric Toothbrush

Every child is different, but around the age of 10 years old, your child's mouth should be large enough for an adult toothbrush to fit comfortably.

According to the CDA, children under the age of 3 should have their teeth brushed by an adult, using a manual toothbrush with soft bristles. Once children are over the age of 3, they can then “graduate” to an electric brush. However, they should be brushing under the guidance of an adult until the age of 6.

Dental Professional Recommendations

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends using an electric toothbrush – or a manual one that has the ADA Seal of Approval – for all children as soon as their first tooth erupts.

Children can start using an electric toothbrush around 3-years-old with parental supervision. They should use a child-sized toothbrush head to ensure it can comfortably reach all their teeth. Toddlers should use a toothbrush head with soft bristles since they are gentler on the gums while new teeth are growing in.

First, as with manual toothbrushes, you should make sure the electric toothbrush is sized appropriately for your child's age and that it has soft bristles. Second, keep in mind that not all electric toothbrushes are created equal in terms of their ability to remove plaque.

Kid-size brush heads: Our experts told us that the only thing a kids electric toothbrush really needs to be effective is a brush head that fits in a kid's mouth. Kids have less space between their back molars and jaws than adults, and a standard-size brush head may not be able to reach the crevices.

For children 3+, you can begin a superior oral care regimen for your child with an electric toothbrush.

What electric toothbrush should a 9 year old use? ›

If you're looking for a great electric toothbrush for kids at a reasonable price, the Philips Sonicare for Kids was by far our favorite. Our child testers much preferred its feel and handling — especially the brush head — and we liked extra features such as multiple modes and a dedicated on/off button.

Yes. Philips Sonicare For Kids features an innovative KidTimer function that helps pediatric patients reach the recommended two-minute brushing time by progressively increasing the brushing duration over the course of 90 days.

At the end of three months, the group using an electric toothbrush showed 20 percent better plaque removal and 11 percent less gingivitis than the group using the manual toothbrush. In studies that ran six months and longer, the benefits of the electric toothbrush were even more pronounced.

While research does not show a significant difference in the amount of plaque removed, we recommend an electric toothbrush if it will get the kids excited about brushing and assure that they will do so twice a day. Manual toothbrushes, on the other hand, can be just as effective as their high-tech counterparts.

How Often Should You Replace an Electric Toothbrush? As stated above, you should replace your electric toothbrush every three to five years, depending on your use. However, the brush comes with removable parts, for instance, the electric toothbrush head. Brushes generally last 3-6 months, but some can go longer.

Around the age of five, your child will be ready for an upgrade. Kids toothbrushes for this age group have small handles and slightly larger heads than toddler toothbrushes. They are designed for children who have baby teeth but are starting to develop adult teeth as well.

When can your child use an adult toothbrush? Generally, their mouths are big enough around 9 or 10 years of age. The brush should fit comfortably in their mouths and should be able to reach their back teeth without gagging. The same general rule of brushing teeth twice a day for two minutes each still applies.

The Philips Sonicare brush has a much longer, heavier brush handle than the Quip brush (it's effectively adult-size) and larger brush heads (though you can buy compact-size replacement heads), so it may be too big for younger kids.

A toothbrush is a toothbrush adult or child will work the same for an adult. A kids toothbrush is made simply with a smaller head and with a cute handle. The only reason to choose a toothbrush is because of the abrasiveness of the bristles. Only use a soft bristle brush whether adult or child.

Kids can begin to use adult toothpaste when they've learned to brush their teeth like an adult (for the most part). Once they can spit properly, brush without swallowing, and they can tolerate a stronger mint flavor, they are ready for adult toothpaste.