How to brush and floss your child's teeth, age by age

The basics for every age

Whatever your child's age, a handful of habits do most of the work. Get these right and you've covered the big stuff.

• Brush twice a day, morning and night, for about two minutes each time. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends this for kids and adults alike.
• Make bedtime brushing count. Saliva flow slows during sleep, so food left on the teeth overnight has more time to do damage. After the bedtime brush, offer only water.
• Choose a soft-bristled brush with a small head that fits comfortably in your child's mouth.
• Use fluoride toothpaste from the very first tooth. For young kids the amount is tiny: a rice-grain smear under age 3 and a pea-sized dab from ages 3 to 6. Our guide to fluoride and toothpaste for kids explains the reasons and what to do if your child swallows some.
• Floss once a day once any two teeth touch.

Who brushes, and how, at every age

Kids want to do it themselves long before they can do it well. The goal is to let them practice while you make sure the job actually gets done.

Before the first tooth

Gently wipe your baby's gums with a clean, damp washcloth or piece of gauze after feedings, especially before bed. It clears away milk and gets your baby used to having their mouth cleaned. Our baby teething timeline shows when to expect that first tooth.

First tooth to age 3: you do the brushing

As soon as a tooth appears, switch to a soft infant toothbrush with a smear of fluoride toothpaste. At this age, you do all of the brushing. Many parents find it easiest to sit on the floor or couch with their child lying back, head resting in their lap. You can see every tooth, and your child feels secure.

If two adults are home, try sitting knee to knee, facing each other, with your child's head in one lap and legs across the other. One person brushes while the other holds hands or sings. Toddlers often want a turn, so hand them a second brush to hold while you do the real cleaning.

Ages 3 to 6: brushing together

Move up to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and let your child start brushing, then follow up yourself. A simple pattern works well: "You go first, then it's my turn." Stand behind your child at the bathroom mirror and tip their head back slightly so you can see the back teeth. This is also a good age to practice spitting out the extra toothpaste.

Ages 6 and up: supervised independence

School-age kids can usually take over more of the brushing, but most still miss spots, especially along the gumline and on the back molars. Keep checking and touching up. A common rule of thumb is to keep helping until your child can tie their own shoes, since both tasks take similar hand control.

The first permanent molars usually come in around age 6, behind the last baby teeth. Because no baby tooth falls out to make room, they're easy to overlook. They also sit partly under the gum for a while, so show your child how to reach all the way back.

Tweens and teens: owning the routine

Older kids generally have the skill, but motivation can slip. Rushed mornings, late nights, and more snacking add up. Braces bring another challenge, since brackets trap food. Check in now and then, keep supplies stocked, and let your teen pick their own brush and toothpaste flavor. A reminder from the dentist sometimes lands better than one from a parent.

How to brush, step by step

Good technique matters more than force. Scrubbing hard can irritate gums without cleaning any better.

1. Get a clear view

   Choose a position where you can see inside your child's mouth: lying in your lap for little ones, or standing behind an older child at the mirror.

2. Aim at the gumline

   Tilt the bristles toward the spot where teeth meet gums. Plaque likes to collect right along that edge.

3. Use small, gentle circles

   Work a tooth or two at a time with short strokes or tiny circles, rather than sawing back and forth.

4. Cover every surface

   Brush the outside of each tooth, the inside facing the tongue, and the flat chewing tops of the back teeth.

5. Hit the tricky spots

   Reach behind the last molar on each side and inside the lower front teeth, where tartar often builds up.

6. Finish with the tongue

   A few light strokes on the tongue help freshen breath. Then have your child spit out the leftover toothpaste.

Two minutes feels long to a child. Dividing the mouth into quarters (top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left) and spending a short stretch on each helps the time pass and keeps you from skipping an area.

When and how to start flossing

Toothbrush bristles can't reach between teeth that touch, and food and plaque love those tight spaces. That's why cavities between teeth are common in children. Start flossing as soon as any two teeth touch. For many kids, that happens first with the back baby molars.

How to floss a child's teeth

• Use a piece of floss long enough to wrap around your fingers, or a floss pick, which is often easier in a small mouth.
• Ease the floss gently between two teeth. Don't snap it down onto the gums.
• Curve it into a C shape around one tooth and glide it up and down, just slightly under the gumline. Then curve it around the neighboring tooth.
• Move to a clean section of floss as you go from tooth to tooth.

Once a day is enough, and bedtime is usually the easiest time. Flossing takes more coordination than brushing, so expect to do it for your child well into the school years. If floss is a struggle, start with just the back teeth that touch and add more as your child gets used to it.

Electric or manual toothbrush?

Both can clean children's teeth well. What matters most is reaching every surface for long enough, so pick whichever your child will actually use.

• Manual brushes are inexpensive, easy to find in kid sizes, and give you full control when you're brushing for your child.
• Electric brushes do some of the motion for you, and many have built-in timers that signal when to move on. Some kids love the buzzing, which can make brushing more appealing.
• Sensory-sensitive kids may find vibration or noise uncomfortable. If that's your child, a soft manual brush may work better. Our guide to dental visits for children with autism and sensory sensitivities has more ideas.

Whatever you choose, look for soft bristles, a small head, and a handle your child can grip. The ADA Seal of Acceptance on a package means the product has been reviewed for safety and effectiveness. Replace the brush, or the electric brush head, every few months, or sooner if the bristles look bent or frayed.

Ways to make brushing fun

A little play goes a long way, especially with toddlers and preschoolers. Try a few of these and keep the ones that stick.

• Play a song or use a timer. A favorite tune or a sand timer gives brushing a clear start and finish.
• Offer small choices. Let your child pick between two toothbrushes or two kid-friendly fluoride toothpastes. A little control makes kids more willing.
• Brush side by side. Kids copy what they see, so brush your own teeth at the same time and make a show of doing a good job.
• Pretend. Hunt for "sugar bugs," brush a stuffed animal's teeth first, or narrate the brush's trip around the mouth like a little adventure.
• Track it. A simple sticker chart for morning and night brushing motivates many young kids. Praise the effort, not just the result.

When brushing turns into a battle

Almost every family goes through a stretch where brushing feels like a fight. It's normal, and it usually passes. These strategies help:

• Stay calm and keep it brief. A matter-of-fact tone works better than pleading or punishment. Brushing is simply part of the day, like buckling a car seat.
• Move it earlier. If bedtime brushing falls apart because your child is exhausted, brush right after dinner or bath, then offer only water.
• Give them a job. Let your toddler hold the toothpaste, start the timer, or "brush" your teeth while you brush theirs.
• Hold steady when you need to. Some nights a toddler simply won't cooperate. Gently keeping them in the lap position for a quick brush is okay. Keep your voice warm and offer praise when it's over.
• Keep the habit. Missing one night isn't a disaster, but letting refusals become routine teaches kids that brushing is optional.

If your child has strong sensory reactions, or brushing is causing real distress night after night, mention it at the next visit. We can suggest tools and approaches that suit your child.

How checkups back up your routine

Even with great brushing, some plaque gets missed and hardens into tartar that only a professional cleaning can remove. At each checkup and cleaning, our team can point out exactly where plaque tends to collect in your child's mouth, so you know where to focus at home.

Checkups are also when we look for early signs of decay and add extra protection when it makes sense, such as sealants for back molars. To learn how cavities start and what to watch for between visits, read our guide to cavities in children.

Frequently asked questions