How long should I help my child brush their teeth

Q: Should a 5 year old be able to brush their own teeth?

Most children arent able to effectively brush their own teeth before age 6. This is a perfect time to teach your children proper technique. At our office well also go over the basics for your child, but its up to you to help them practice at home until theyre able to do it themselves.

Who’s more likely to have a cavity: you or your child? Most parents would say that it’s more likely that their child has a cavity, but why? The truth is that there’s nothing about baby teeth that makes them more susceptible to cavities. The only reason that children deal with cavities more often is that they’re less likely to clean their teeth effectively.

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Toothbrushing tips
How to help children brush their teeth properly
Taking your child to the dentist
Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants
How long should you help kids brush teeth?
Should a 7 year old be able to brush their teeth?
When can kids brush their teeth without help?
Should a 5 year old be able to brush their own teeth?

At what point is your child ready to brush his or her own teeth? And what can you do to make sure that the job is getting done correctly?

Before Age 6

Most children aren’t able to effectively brush their own teeth before age 6. This is a perfect time to teach your children proper technique. At our office we’ll also go over the basics for your child, but it’s up to you to help them practice at home until they’re able to do it themselves.

Lead by example and allow them to copy your actions as they brush their own teeth. However, finish up by taking a turn at their teeth yourself and making sure that you cover all the bases. Teach your child to brush softly, thoroughly, and patiently, getting the surface of the molars, the inside of the teeth, and clear down to the gumline in circular motions.

Essential Components of an Independent Brusher

Many children become ready to brush their own teeth between age 6 and 9. However, it’s not strictly about age. Rather, there are certain skills that they need to develop in order to be independent brushers:

Dexterity: Little hands sometimes have a hard time wielding a toothbrush as effectively as an adult. A good comparison for parents to use is shoelaces. When your child is dextrous enough to tie their own laces, they are probably also dextrous enough to brush their teeth independently.
Responsibility: Brushing teeth every morning and night eventually becomes such a habit that we feel dismayed if we forget. However, it takes a while for those hygiene habits to develop in children. How reliable is your child about washing his or her hands, combing hair, and making the bed? Once you can trust your child to take care of these things solo, they’re probably ready to take care of brushing as well.
Spitting: This might seem like a strange skill to add to dexterity and responsibility. However, it’s very important for tooth-brushing. Young children have a hard time spitting out toothpaste while brushing. It’s one reason that we recommend only using as much toothpaste as a grain of rice for children under two. Before age 6, watch your child to make sure that toothpaste is being spit into the sink instead of swallowed. Until they’ve mastered that skill, they need to be supervised while brushing.

Try the Tablet Test

Still not sure if your child is ready to brush solo? Try the tablet test. Plaque-revealing tablets are available at the grocery store and they can help both you and your child see how much effect brushing is having (or, how much it’s not having.) Once they’ve acquired the skills enumerated above and they’re able to pass the tablet test, your child should be able to effectively brush their own teeth at home.

From brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist, here's how to take care of your children's teeth.

A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. Follow these tips and you can help keep your kids' teeth decay-free.

Toothbrushing tips

It's important to use a fluoride toothpaste, as this helps prevent and control tooth decay.

Children aged up to 3 years

Start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as the first milk tooth breaks through (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).
Parents or carers should brush or supervise toothbrushing.
Brush teeth twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
Brush last thing at night before bed and on 1 other occasion.
Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) or family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
Use only a smear of toothpaste.
Make sure children don't eat or lick toothpaste from the tube.

Smear of toothpaste

Children aged 3 to 6 years

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
Brushing should be supervised by a parent or carer.
Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) or family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
Spit out after brushing and don't rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Pea-sized blob of toothpaste

Children aged 7 and over

Brush at least twice daily for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
Brush last thing at night before bed and at least on 1 other occasion.
Use fluoride toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm of fluoride (check label).
Spit out after brushing and don't rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.

Children aged 7 and over should be able to brush their own teeth, but it's still a good idea to watch them to make sure they brush properly and for about 2 minutes.

How to help children brush their teeth properly

Guide your child's hand so they can feel the correct movement.
Use a mirror to help your child see exactly where the brush is cleaning their teeth.
Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes.
Don't let children run around with a toothbrush in their mouth, as they may have an accident and hurt themselves.

Taking your child to the dentist

NHS dental care for children is free.
Take your child to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear. This is so they become familiar with the environment and get to know the dentist. The dentist can advise you on how to prevent decay and identify any oral health problems at an early stage. Just opening up the child's mouth for the dentist to take a look at is useful practise for the future.
When you visit the dentist, be positive about it and make the trip fun. This will stop your child worrying about future visits.
Take your child for regular dental check-ups as advised by the dentist.

Find your nearest dentist

Fluoride varnish and fissure sealants

Fissure sealants can be done once your child's permanent back teeth have started to come through (usually at the age of about 6 or 7) to protect them against decay. This is where the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are covered with a special thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out of the grooves. The sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years.
Fluoride varnish can be applied to both baby teeth and adult teeth. It involves painting a varnish that contains high levels of fluoride onto the surface of the tooth every 6 months to prevent decay. Some children may need this more often. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay.
From the age of 3, children should be offered fluoride varnish application at least twice a year. Younger children may also be offered this treatment if your dentist thinks they need it.

Ask your dentist about fluoride varnish or fissure sealing.

How long should you help kids brush teeth?

Brushing should continue for a minimum of two minutes. Sing a song or play a song while the child brushes to remind them of the amount of time they need to brush. Be sure to have your child brush their teeth twice per day, namely, once in the morning and once at night.

Should a 7 year old be able to brush their teeth?

Your child can learn how to brush his or her own teeth at about age 3. Children should be brushing their own teeth morning and night by age 4. But you should supervise and check for proper cleaning. Encourage your child to watch you brush your teeth at a proper angle, so he or she knows how to brush the right way.

When can kids brush their teeth without help?

Around age 6, many children are responsible enough and have the manual dexterity to brush their own teeth thoroughly, although they may still need help with flossing. But the time frame will vary depending on the needs, maturity, and development of each child.

Should a 5 year old be able to brush their own teeth?

Most children aren't able to effectively brush their own teeth before age 6. This is a perfect time to teach your children proper technique. At our office we'll also go over the basics for your child, but it's up to you to help them practice at home until they're able to do it themselves.