From the first tooth: start straight away
According to 1177, Sweden's national health information service, it's time to start brushing when your child gets their first tooth. Brush twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime.
Choose a brush with a small, soft brush head. A small head reaches the very back of the mouth, and soft bristles are gentle on the gums.
Not much toothpaste is needed. For the youngest, a dab no bigger than your child's own little fingernail is enough.
With a baby or a small child it is usually easiest to let them lie down, for example on the changing table or in bed, while you brush.
3–6 years: you still do the brushing
Children often want to brush on their own, and it's good to let them practise. But an adult needs to brush afterwards. From around 4–5 years old, your child can stand or sit while you gently tilt their head back so you can see into their mouth.
Brush one tooth at a time with small, light movements and cover the whole tooth right down to the gum line. From 3–4 years an electric toothbrush also works well, if your child likes it.
6–12 years: spit, but don't rinse
From around six years old, your child can swish the toothpaste foam and a little water between their teeth and then spit it out. Ideally they shouldn't rinse their mouth afterwards.
Many parents stop helping too early. 1177 writes that children need an adult's help right up to 10–12 years of age, sometimes longer.
Remember: a small head, soft bristles, brushing twice a day and an adult who brushes afterwards until the child is around ten.
When is an ordinary adult brush enough?
There is no fixed age. Look at the mouth instead: does the brush head reach the back teeth without your child gagging, and does your child brush properly on their own? Then an adult brush usually works. For many, that happens in the early teens.
How often should a child's toothbrush be replaced?
More often than an adult's. Children like to chew on the brush, and that wears the bristles faster. Replace it when the bristles start to splay, and after about three months at the latest. Read more in our guide to how often to replace your toothbrush.
Plastic or plastic-free?
Most children's toothbrushes are made of plastic, both the handle and the bristles. That works, and the most important thing for your child's teeth is that the brushing happens every day.
If you want to cut down on plastic at home, there are children's brushes with handles made of bamboo or wood. The same requirements apply to them: a small head and soft bristles. We are working on adding a children's toothbrush like that to our own range.
Microplastics have been found in many places in the human body, and researchers don't yet know what that means for health. That's why some families choose plastic-free where it's easy, as a cautious choice. It's a personal decision.
Start with the adults' brushes
Until our children's toothbrush is available, we have adult-size brushes with bamboo handles and natural bristles, completely free of plastic. An easy first step can be to swap the adults' brushes in the bathroom, so the children see that things can be done differently.