5 Crucial Tooth Brushing Tips Every Parent Needs to Know

When should you start brushing your baby’s teeth (hint: it’s probably earlier than you expect)? What toothpaste should you use? How much toothpaste do you use for a baby? What about a toddler? How long should you brush for?
There are so many questions when it comes to brushing your baby’s teeth…
Despite thinking I was doing everything right, I found out I still made one mistake with both of my children. This one actually surprised me when I learned about it.
To help you avoid the same mistake I made, as well as other easy-to-make mistakes when it comes to brushing a baby’s teeth, I created this video with 5 things every parent should know about cleaning babies teeth (and toddler’s too!).
This video will help you understand when and how to start brushing your baby’s teeth, what to use, and mistakes to avoid. These tips are all things that often get overlooked, but make a big difference for your child.
You’ll also learn how to make the process of cleaning baby’s teeth easier and more enjoyable for them and for you. The last thing you want is for teeth cleaning time to be a stressful and traumatic experience.
And despite what some people might tell you, taking care of your baby’s teeth (even before they come through) is extremely important despite the fact that they will eventually fall out and be replaced by adult teeth. In fact, as you’ll learn in this video, the way we care for our baby’s teeth actually impacts their adult teeth as well!
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#emmahubbard #babydevelopment #brushingbabiesteeth
00:00 - 00:46 : Should you use toothpaste?
00:47 - 01:29 : How much toothpaste should you use?
01:30 - 02:48 : When to start brushing (it's earlier than you think!)
02:49 - 02:58 : Flossing for babies and toddlers
02:59 - 03:30 : Tooth brushing should be fun!
03:31 - 06:27 : How to make tooth brushing easier and enjoyable
06:28 - 07:32 : When to quit
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• 5 Crucial Tooth Brushi...

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks for watching! Do you have any other tips that you use with your little one to make tooth brushing easier? Don't forget to get your free 0 - 12 months old developmental milestone chart here: brightestbeginning.com/checklist/

[@Lifeisbutanillusion]

Emma, I'm in New Zealand, here we are recommended to use 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth pops out and use a smear of it. Where I live the water is definitely fluorinated, 0.7-1 mg per litre to be exact, so should we still use fluoride toothpaste? I have a 9 month old with two bottom front teeth. I'm quite worried and confused knowing what I'm told here in Nz and now seeing your video, just want the best for my bubs teeth! What should I do? x

[@mencarikeikhlasan4696]

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[@yasmineharis-ds1ro]

, aka😂😮

[@hannahogley4347]

My dad had a toothbrush song he made up. I remember him vividly standing me on the toilet seat and singing, I still remember it word for word: North and south, what a great mouth, what a lovely set of shiners They’re so bright, shining white like little stardrops in the night If you clean them well, your breath won’t smell early in the morning So do as I say, as the voice of decay, clean your teeth twice a day Spit it down the plug hole Spit it down the plug hole Glug glug!! My baby is 5 months old now and this is something she is definitely going to inherit!

[@haripriya432]

Really nice song. Can I try with my baby?

[@EmmaHubbard]

That is such a cute song. Thanks so much for sharing! It also sounds like tooth brushing was more enjoyable because of it!

[@sylvanafow1340]

This is so sweet.

[@Seventytwodegrees]

I love this! Thank you for sharing this special song ❤

[@monikadhar2544]

I can't thank you enough dear Emma. My baby is gonna be one year old soon and I have been following your videos dedicatedly from day 1. Thank you for making this journey so doable for me. It's as if you read my mind when I have doubts and there comes your video. Thank you so much. Looking forward for more wonderful videos 😊😊😊. Love😊

[@amisenho13]

It’s so important to make tooth-brushing as trauma-free as possible. My mother got fed up with my not brushing my teeth consistently as a kid, and I remember her grabbing my head, forcing a tooth brush in my mouth, and aggressively brushing my gums and teeth to the point of bleeding. I’ve honestly never had a good relationship with dental hygiene, mostly due to gum sensitivity and gag reflex, but I remember this incident being a big part of it.

[@dozytotlullabies]

The last point is so important. Never neglect the baby teeth just because they are going to fall out eventually...the kids need them. Take care of those teeth now! ❤️

[@EmmaHubbard]

Absolutely!

[@csillabarna2052]

Thank you for your tips, you're an angel. My 18 month old son just started to let his teeth washed for the very first time! No bite, no cry, no fight.

[@vl4798]

I'm so glad I came across this video. Thanks Emma!!! I have a 7 month old with 3 teeth and was wonder what brand of toothbrush to get

[@Dana-mb1hd]

Emma your videos are incredibly helpful! So glad I found your channel! Thank you💜🙏

[@EmmaHubbard]

I’m so glad you’re finding it helpful! Thanks Dana! 😊

[@gina2105]

In the US the recommendation is to use fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth emerges, but just "a smear" even less than a rice size.

[@nosibaloyi3149]

Hi, thank you so much for all your educational videos. May you please advise if a wedge pillow is good for a newborn.

[@Lizzifer7]

Edit : our bubs 11 months and has 8 teeth already 😅 We use Jack and Jill toothpaste, fluoride free and all sorts of flavours to keep little one interested ☺️

[@PennyAfNorberg]

When did they come out?

[@katarinakaras4497]

Thanks Emma! All your videos are so helpful !!! Would you be able to recommend some brand of toothbrushes .. for a one year old :) Thank you ☺️

[@t.n.tolbert4456]

This was awesome and oh so timely! My baby is about to be 10 months old and is just getting his first two teeth. They haven’t quite come through yet but my sister-in-law recently gifted us a toothbrush and this made me feel more comfortable starting the brushing process. ❤️

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mb69009]

Thank you for all the tips. This is such a struggle! I wanted to share that I use Boka toothpaste which has hydroxyapatite as the main ingredient (no fluoride). It's better than toothpaste that is just fluoride-free. Also, love your top so much!

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks for sharing!! I agree tooth brushing can definitely be a struggle!

[@Quuqqe]

Thank you for this!! While brushing my 10mo's teeth, I've been thinking about how to make it as enjoyable as possible. This gave me a few more tips to try.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kpersonal7383]

I have this condition as an adult - exactly from this. Thanks for the reminder for my baby!! Whew I forgot about this!!

[@EmmaHubbard]

no worries at all!

[@sugirthamurugesan2679]

Any video for making the brushing process effective for a toddler who is already very very resistive? Your guidance has always been so valuable. Looking forward to your reply .🎉

[@olgaart6490]

Amazing video thank you very much

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad you liked it!

[@priusa8113]

Emma, I do brush my 20 month old s teeth while laying down for couple reasons: she isn’t walking yet and is just easier. Would love to see a demo video with you brushing your little ones teeth please thanks!!!

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@klepece]

Oh, I did one thing right already. I take my baby with me to the bathroom in the morning and she always wantetd to take my toothbrush so I bought a small one for her to play with while I brush my teeth 😊 she is almost 9 months now and I can see traces of first teeth under her gum. I guess we can try a little brushing tomorrow morning 🥰 thank you 😊

[@EmmaHubbard]

That is awesome!

[@aartiabhyankar4047]

Thank you soooo much for all you videos .They have helped a great deal .I just had a quick question, I do brush my baby's teeth twice a day. At night he does get up to drink milk and then goes back to sleep. I am slightly concerned about the milk coating his teeth at night. Do I need to be concerned about this? Thank you

[@connielumbay7170]

thank you for this

[@EmmaHubbard]

No worries!

[@christynnaa]

My 18 months old baby won't let me brush his teeth no matter what... i tried different toothpastes ...brushes.. i brush my teeth with him next to me..i show him that it is fun and cool to brush teeth ...i feel like i tried everything i can. I can't impose force and brush his teeth forcefully ..figjting and crying.. i can't do that. I feel helpless and i really want to take care of his teeth because i have bad teeth and i don't want him to end up like me . I feel desperate

[@TF.Jodi21]

In the states they have fluoride free toothpaste which is what I've been using! My 18mth old dislikes her teeth getting brushed but she'll let me do it. I'm trying to get her to open wide so I can actually see and make sure I'm getting good. I have bad teeth from childhood so I'm really trying to make sure she has no issues.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Sounds like you are doing a great job.

[@hsiangyunchen0]

My baby loves her toothbrush. Can't get enough of playing and biting on it, but she either would not share her toothbrush with me or would not open her mouth to let me brush for her. She is very cautious of anything not voluntarily placed in her mouth. I will try the mirror trick and brush with her.

[@catherineeffiong1525]

Hi Emma. I've been following your videos for sometime now and they've been really helpful. My baby is actually 3months and three weeks old, is it okay if I smear very little toothpaste on a gauze wrapped around my finger to clean her mouth?

[@ejola79]

Thank you!!! I was waiting for this toothbrushing info !!!!!

[@Andgie211]

Me too

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hope it was worth the wait!

[@EmmaHubbard]

@@Andgie211 hop you found it helpful!

[@ejola79]

@@EmmaHubbard it was! Just my 19 month old toddler will only suck on her toothbrush (with only a tiny bit of toothpaste) which is making me have to lay her down and quickly brushing myself... which of course she hates... but I try to sing and be really happy when it's all over. Is it okay to just let her suck on the toothbrush?

[@EmmaHubbard]

@@ejola79 letting her mouth the tooth brush will help her get more comfortable with the feeling. You could try different tooth paste flavouring as this can sometimes help. Also while your little one is holding her tooth brush you could try and brush her teeth at the same time and initially keep it very short, like seconds and then increase the time very gradually.

[@trrhyn]

Any tips on flossing my toddlers teeth? I havent ever flossed his teeth, he is blessed with beautiful teeth but we brush 1-2 times per day with age appropriate toothpaste and tooth brush. But never have consideredflossing.... is there special flossing devices for toddlers?

[@iLauras]

My dentist actually recommended to lay on the bed with my toddler on me, squeeze her cheeks so she will open her mouth and brush her teeth. After a week she would give up and realize she is best off cooperating. I don't stand with forcefully getting my way as a parent so I never tried this method. My daughter is almost 17 months and we brush her teeth every morning (might switch to night after seeing your video). It's still only for a few seconds, but every now and then she will say "AAAA" while opening her mouth and I'm hopeful she will eventually get the idea and cooperate by choice.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi @iLauras your approach sounds like a more pleasant to me. The other method would have definitely been traumatic for your little one and would not have helped. It sounds like you are getting there too, which is great!

[@jenxiao1827]

uk here, we do use baby toothpaste with our 1year old, but i put bearly a smear on it. enough to leave a little bit of taste but nothing more than that. i will admit its hit or miss depending on my daughters mood how we brush her teeth but ive gotten some tips to try and make the days i need to pin her down less of an occurrence

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks so much for sharing! I am glad you were able to get some tips from this video to try. Hopefully it makes it a little more pleasant for you and your little one!

[@goatonthehill]

I haven't used it, will try again tomorrow

[@ms14892]

Hey Emma, my LO is almost 1 year old and I was hoping you had advice on how to transition out of giving her the bottle? Right now it seems more comfort before she naps and sleeps. I’ve tried switching to a straw cup to give her the milk but she’s not having it all. Any tips or recommendations on bottles or advice on that transition? Thanks Emma, you are awesome!

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hey! There are a few things you can try. One thing you could try is gradually reduce the amount of milk you are putting in the bottle. It is important to do this slowly so your little one doesn't notice and request more milk. Each time your little one finishes the bottle you would say "all finished" and put her to bed. It's also important not to go and fill the bottle up again, as your little one will know that this is an option. Eventually it will get to the point where there is hardly any milk in the bottle and your little one will happily drop it. Hope that helps!

[@bhavanamurthy7711]

Can you please provide some tips on how to clean a newborn mouth after feeding?

[@nataliamartinez6834]

What do you do if your kid is not used to brushing and cries and fights you the whole time? He used to let me, I did what you said about starting when they are babies and then he caught a cold with a fever about three months ago or so that I had to administer liquid Tylenol and ever since he does not let me near his mouth to brush his teeth. I might have to resort to holding him down to brush his teeth because he’s so uncooperative, is there a better alternative? I want him to at least not fear brushing his teeth, let alone enjoy it! 😢 I can’t help but feel like I messed up somewhere 💔

[@invisblemouse]

Confused about the toothpaste vs no toothpaste. Is fluoride free for under 18 months okay or best not to use any if there is fluoride in our water. He's got 6 teeth and the front top two are discoloured.

[@crystalflores82]

EMMA!! I need help! My son is 19 mos and just shows no interest in brushing his teeth or bites down on the brush and pulls at it to remove the bristles. I want to make sure he develops good habits but cannot get him on board. Any suggestion on getting a toddler on board?

[@GarysAngel2014]

I didn’t know abt wiping the gums when he was a newborn I use non fluoride toothpaste when his 1st tooth popped up I make teeth brushing fun n he helps me brush mine

[@EmmaHubbard]

Definitely sounds like you are making tooth brushing enjoyable. This is going to make it so much easier in the future.

[@PennyAfNorberg]

We got a toothbrush and paste from the pedriacit care when our daughter's tooth started coming out but we brush her laying, will change that.

[@debaterforhim]

My son is 4 months and has 4 teeth breaking through his gums atm and several more on the way... (both gum lines are bumpy across the entire gum, top and bottom... his Pediatrician says he will have all his teeth soon)! My son hates pacis, teethers, etc. Any advice on how to get him to be ok with a toothbrush in his mouth? I know I need to start on this now.... looking to get him a dentist appointment too.... he is ok with the washcloth but atm that is the only thing I can get in his mouth.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi @Rebecca Kent wow 4 teeth coming through already. I hope he is coping with the teething process ok. It can be a little uncomfortable while they erupt. I would just keep persisting with using the wash cloth. This will help your little one get familiar and comfortable with having some thing in his mouth. As your little one gets more control over his hands, and can start to grab and hold onto toys, he will start placing these into his mouth and mouthing them. This is how bub's explore toys because they don't have the ability to manipulate them using their hands. Generally bub's really start ramping up the mouthing at 5 - 6 months. I would just try and get teethers which are circular and lightweight, as 4 - 6 month olds find circular items easier to hold. Hope this helps.

[@mantleatrest]

Thank you so much Emma. My baby is 21 months old and he hates it when I brush his teeth. I realise iv made so many mistakes but I am glad that I can still turn things around. One question though.. how important is tongue brushing at this age since he gags a lot?

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful! I would recommend you chat to your dentist about how important it is to brush the tongue. I would guess that because we want the tooth brushing experience to be pleasant, it would be ok not to brush their tongue (or only brush the very front of it) as it is easy to trigger the gag reflex on a toddlers tongue.

[@mantleatrest]

@@EmmaHubbard thank you so much. Will do just that.

[@tazzy6403]

I'm still struggling to get him to be ok with teeth brushing I'm afraid. He's always hated anyone near his mouth or nose and his teething makes it an uncomfortable experience. Not sure what to do

[@shalinis2799]

🙏❤️

[@EmmaHubbard]

It's my pleasure!

[@carmencitilla]

Some of this recommendations are a bit old... In Spain dentists recommend using Fluor 1000ppm tooth paste, the size of a rice grain. And don't use silicone bristles.

[@Lifeisbutanillusion]

Same here in New Zealand, so what info should we follow? Where I live the water is definitely fluorinated, 0.7-1 mg per litre to be exact, so should we still use fluoride toothpaste? I have a 9 month old with two bottom front teeth... @Emma Hubbard

[@lifeinchina6032]

My 1 year old won't let me out my finger in her mouth. I thibk we are late as we didn't rub her gums before her first tooth apoeared. What should I do?

[@shabnamkaun]

My 9 month old has 6 teeth and they're very sharp. It's not possible to finger brush them. Can you please recommend a specific brand of infant toothbrush.

[@SunshinePearl]

My 2.5 years old toddler refuses to open her mouth to brush her teeth. Everyday is a struggle and drama. She started refusing just recently. I used to brush her teeth no problem as long as I gave her something to hold. Lately she doesn’t want to hold anything and cries and screams while I’m trying to brush. I don’t know what to do. I can only get the front of the teeth and the sides. The inside is impossible because she just doesn’t open her mouth and I’m afraid to hurt her trying to force it open 😣 Help!!!!

[@agneslowe4898]

Wow perfect timing my little one just got his first tooth!!

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hope it helps!

[@nadiag8429]

Could i please ask - what if the toothpaste doesn't have fluoride? Can we brush teeth being 12 months old then?

[@zzkittykat]

Yes

[@coolflyer]

We use toothpaste without any fluoride at all for our one-year-old son, because he still gets his vitamin D tablets, which already contain fluoride.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks so much for sharing this tip!

[@jennysexton9169]

brush your teeth, brush your teeth, give your mouth a treat! brush up and down and all around, keep them clean and neat!! 😊😊😊

[@EmmaHubbard]

I love it! 💜

[@lblasso]

What if you use a natural toothpaste with no fluoride ?

[@silversong1991]

If you have fluoride in the water it's fine. If not once they have molars ideal have fluoride and make sure the diet is low in added sugars.

[@alext8204]

theres flouride free toothpaste

[@Joanna.Birgitta]

In Sweden we say that you need the size of your baby’s pinky in toothpaste.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks so much for sharing. It really can depend on where you live.

[@Joanna.Birgitta]

@@EmmaHubbard pinkys nail of course 😅 Thanks for all the information in your videos. It has helped me a lot. Some times it’s just to realise I’m already doing the right thing, and that feels good, then I know I’m on the right track. Keep up the good work, you are literally helping people all over the world 🌍 Thank you 🙏🥰

[@EmmaHubbard]

@@Joanna.Birgitta thanks so much for this lovely comment! I am so glad these videos help give you some reassurance on your parenting journey, as parenting can definitely be overwhelming at times.

[@user-ss1di7hh8p]

My 10month has got 8 teeth. The bites have become so unbearable. Lol. I hope it's safe to switch to baby toothbrush

[@kristinemacule4948]

There is another thing in a lot of countries it is common to swivel mouth with water after brushing teeth. Which is totally wrong, you just wash away all the goodness of toothpaste

[@EmmaHubbard]

This is common in Australia or maybe in the family I grew up in. It is so hard to break the habit!

[@Lifeisbutanillusion]

Actually research has shown that it doesn't matter whether you rinse after or not, the effects are negligible and you won't have any worse off teeth whatsoever if you rinse with water after. x

[@msspookyeyes]

Hi. Can you make a video on how to make your toddler wear glasses 👓.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi! Convincing a toddler to wear glasses is always tricky. I find having a strap can make it slightly more difficult for the toddler to remove the glasses and this can deter them from trying to remove them and leave them on.

[@moonlightdreams911]

I don’t understand ? If you don’t use toothpaste before 18 months ? What do you use? Just water ?

[@Vixxiegurl]

I wonder if there's any tips for a 3 year old with sensory issues. He hates it and if it was up to him he'll never do it

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi @Vixxiegurl there are lots of tips which can help a child who find tooth brushing distressing due to sensory issues. The advice just depends on what the little one's sensory preferences are. For example if your little one is sensitive to light touch then swapping to an electric tooth brush might be helpful, as these kids can find the vibration sensation easier to process/tolerate than a manual tooth brush. Where as, some kids don't like the froth of toothpaste so you can try toothpaste which doesn't froth. Or it might be the taste of the toothpaste and it might be beneficial to get samples of different flavoured tooth paste and see if your little one has a preference.

[@minadlv9615]

But he wants my brush :(

[@EmmaHubbard]

Oh that can be hard. Does it make a different if you have two child tooth brushes and just go to put it in your mouth and wait see if he grabs it?

[@genesiscreationz7779]

This video was so extensive I couldn’t retain all the information

[@EmmaHubbard]

Haha I hope that’s a good thing 😂

[@kelleythenurse3283]

Some of this advice is contrary to advice dentists give for how to brush babies’ teeth in the US. 🤔

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi Kelley! Just looking at the CDC recommendations and they seem to align: www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/childrens-oral-health/index.html Which ones are contrary to what dentists generally recommend?

[@kelleythenurse3283]

@@EmmaHubbard brushing them laying down. Every time I’ve looked at a pediatric dentist’s website about how to brush toddler’s teeth, it says lay them down with their head more or less in the parent’s lap.