Get the brush and toothpaste ready
Choose a soft toothbrush with a head that fits comfortably in your child’s mouth. An adult should put the toothpaste on: a rice-grain-sized smear for children under 3, and a pea-sized amount for ages 3–6. Keep the tube out of reach between uses and ask your dentist about the right amount for an older child.
Find a position where you can see the teeth and your child feels supported. Ask your dentist to demonstrate a position if reaching the back teeth is difficult. Prepare the brush, cup if needed, and timer first so you do not need to leave your child mid-routine.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics: toothbrushing tips for young children.
Work around the mouth in a consistent order
For a manual toothbrush, the ADA describes a gentle 45-degree angle toward the gumline with short strokes. Work around the outside, inside, and chewing surfaces. Tilt the brush upright to reach behind the front teeth. If you use a powered brush, follow its instructions and ask your dentist to show you how to position it.
Pick an order you can remember, such as upper teeth followed by lower teeth, covering every surface in each group. Use light pressure; faster or harder scrubbing is not the goal. Look closely at the back teeth and the inner surfaces, where it is easy to lose your place.
Watch: the ADA’s brushing technique demonstration
This American Dental Association video demonstrates general brushing technique on an adult mouth. Watch it yourself first, then use the movements as a starting point for the technique your child’s dentist recommends. It is a technique demonstration, not a child’s two-minute brush-along timer.
After watching, practice explaining one direction at a time: “outside,” “inside,” or “chewing tops.” A young child does not need to remember the entire video. Your job is to guide the brush and check coverage while they learn the sequence.
Watch the technique
How to Brush Your Teeth — American Dental Association
Loads an embedded player from YouTube.Finish with spitting and the rest of their care
Encourage your child to spit out extra toothpaste when able; do not have them rinse straight afterward. Keep supervising so they do not eat toothpaste. If spitting is difficult, ask your dentist for advice that fits your child’s development.
Brushing does not clean between touching teeth. Include the between-teeth cleaning your dentist recommends. Keep regular dental visits and bring questions about tight contacts, sore gums, loose teeth, or brushing around newly arriving permanent teeth.
Source: NHS: looking after children’s teeth.
Give practice turns without handing over too soon
Let a younger child begin with their own turn, then calmly take over to finish. With an older child, ask them to show you the surfaces they cleaned and watch their next attempt. Holding a toothbrush confidently and brushing effectively are different skills.
Use the same language across caregivers so your child does not have to learn a different routine every night. If brushing becomes consistently painful or distressing, stop trying to solve it with a new timer alone and ask their dentist for an individual plan.
General education from the Brushie team, drafted with AI assistance. This guide does not replace advice from your child’s dentist. How we prepare our guides.
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