Having a clean toothbrush is almost as important as cleaning your little one’s teeth. Trying to clean something with dirty tools will never get you from the “trying to clean” stage to the “done cleaning” stage and will eventually waste your time and effort.
How to keep a baby’s toothbrush clean? The six easy ways to keep a toothbrush clean are (1) rinsing it thoroughly with tap water after every brushing, (2) storing it correctly, (3) preventing water from splashing the toothbrush, (4) periodically cleaning the brush to get rid of bacteria, (5) having one toothbrush per person, and (6) replacing the toothbrush after sickness or every three to four months.
When having a baby, you automatically try to keep everything a little cleaner—the floor, the bathtub, the toys, etc. However, not many people think of something as obvious as the toothbrush. It is, therefore, great to have you reading this article.
These six ways are very easy to follow and the most effective and natural ones to make sure you always have a clean toothbrush at hand when you need it.
Always wash your hands before handling your or your baby’s toothbrush. Only put it down on a clean surface (bristles facing upward) in case you quickly need to use your two hands and already have the toothpaste on the brush.
Finish every brushing session with your little one by thoroughly rinsing the toothbrush with tap water. You can also use your thumb to rub any food pieces, debris, or any remaining toothpaste out of the bristles. Please wash your hands before you do that. To rinse the brush, hold it with the bristles facing the water flow. Do not forget to clean the whole handle of the brush. Shake it dry with a swift shake after rinsing. You can use a clean towel to wipe the handle dry. Leave the head of the brush and the bristles untouched.
The correct storing position is upright in a glass or cup that you can easily and regularly put into the dishwasher. If you have more than one brush in it, make sure they face away from one another and the bristles never touch. Wash the glass or cup regularly. Choose a place where the brush can air-dry between every use.
The correct storing place of the brush is in a dry, clean place that is not closed with a lid. Glasses or cups made of glass, ceramic, or plastic are suitable.
Do not use the practical tight-fitting travel protections. They are great when traveling but should not be used regularly and for longer periods.
Place the cup on a shelf, on top of a cupboard, or in a spacious bathroom cupboard. The brushes should not be right next to the sink to prevent them from getting splashed.
Also, bear in mind to keep them at least four to five feet (approximately 1.5 meters) away from the toilet.
Getting rid of bacteria regularly by disinfecting the brush is good, especially if your baby is sick or has a little wound in the mouth (e.g., from a tooth that just erupted or because they bit their tongue).
I do not recommend any chemical products like hydrogen peroxide, and please save your money and do not buy a UV toothbrush sanitizer.
Another bad idea is to stick a toothbrush into the dishwasher. It is simply not constructed for sanitizing a toothbrush. If you do not believe me, then put in a cup the right way up, run a full dishwashing cycle, and check what kind of water stays in the cup. Yuck!
Soak your toothbrush once a week for two to three minutes in boiling hot water instead. This is effective, only takes a few minutes, and is a cheap solution.
In case you are using any antibacterial mouth rinse, you can also soak the bristles in that for a few minutes. Do not bother buying one just to sanitize the brush; the hot water will do. Rinse the brush with tap water thoroughly afterward to get the remaining mouthwash out of the bristles. We do not need mouthwash on babies’ toothbrushes.
“Sharing is caring” does not apply when it comes to toothbrushes! Every family member must have their own brush. This is important because every mouth develops their own unique bacteria mix.
Sharing brushes is like a bacterial invasion for your baby’s mouth, and you risk infections. This also applies to twins and siblings in general. They too need a toothbrush each.
There is also the risk of spreading caries (tooth decay) bacteria. Only through inoculation will the caries bacteria get into your beloved little one’s mouth in the first place; therefore, sharing spoons, pacifiers, toothbrushes, etc., is never wise. This means that your child getting the caries from you is very likely when you also have troubles with it and you share any items that you had in your mouth with your child.
I just bought a new toothbrush for my two-year-old son today, and it reminded me of how terribly expensive baby toothbrushes are.
But replacing them is absolutely inevitable and essential. The American Dental Association (ADA) advises to change brushes every three months. If you store your little one’s toothbrush correctly and thoroughly clean it regularly, you may extend that to about four months.
But if your baby is like my son, then the brush will be “chewed through” within a few weeks. Therefore, I always have two identical brushes in use: one that he can take in his own hand and happily chew on and one that is only handled by a grown-up and is only used for the actual brushing. Why identical ones? It simply saves me the argument of him wanting my red one instead of his yellow one.
Please note that cleaning your beloved little one’s teeth is no guaranteed protection against tooth decay. It is also influenced by the bacteria in your little one’s mouth, the kind of food they eat (sugar content and acidity), and the teeth being brushed after meals.
It is, therefore, always essential to have a dentist check their teeth regularly. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) advises that a baby should be taken to the dentist by the age of 12 months or six months after the first tooth has erupted. Also, visit the dentist whenever the baby’s teeth are showing stains or discolored patches. A regular checkup is recommended every six months.
Is your little one giving you a hard time when you try to brush their teeth? In this article, you will find great tips and encouragement:
How to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth Without a Fight.
I hope this was helpful for you, and I wish you and your beloved little one a happy time brushing.
How do you keep baby’s toothbrush clean? Please feel free to leave a comment or ask any questions you may have.
All the best!
Start as soon as the first tooth breaks through the gum. Be gentle and use a very soft brush designed especially for babies. No toothpaste is required until the baby is approximately 18 months old. Then start using rice-sized up to maximum pea-sized amounts of no- or low-fluoride toothpaste.
Pediatric dentists agree that regular brushing is vital for healthy teeth. Often brushing by force is advised as an alternative to not brushing at all. However, this undermines the parents’ relationship with the child and can result in painful or even traumatic experiences for the little one. Turning brushing into a positive activity is, therefore, important. In this article, you will find seven tips on how to accomplish that.
If your baby does not have a tooth yet, having them drink a few sips of natural water (clean tap water, no gas) will suffice. Cleaning the mouth or the tongue with a gauze or washcloth is not necessary. The remaining washing-powder residues will be more harmful than not cleaning the tongue or mouth. Once the first tooth has erupted, use a very soft brush designed especially for babies.