Choosing a Children’s Toothbrush
The silicone finger brush and banana toothbrush can help your baby can get used to the oral sensation of brushing and establish a daily brushing routine early on. These are effective as a training and teething toothbrush, but not as effective as a regular toothbrush for removing plaque off teeth.
As soon as your baby starts getting teeth, we recommend using a soft bristled toothbrush. Soft bristles come in extra soft, soft, and medium soft bristles. If you’re worried that your teeth won’t get as clean with a soft toothbrush, don’t worry, it’s more about technique To clean both gums and teeth effectively, angle your toothbrush toward the gum line and use gentle, circular motions to remove plaque, bacteria, and food.
The Jordan Step 1 Baby Toothbrush has extra soft bristles, a soft biting ring for babies, and a short handle that is not a choking or falling hazard. Some considerations for toothbrush selection for your baby is to make sure the bristles do not fall out, a short handle so the toothbrush cannot be put in the back of the mouth, soft bristles, and small head that fits comfortably into your child’s mouth.
The Colgate toothbrush or Oral B Baby Toothbrush at the age appropriate level are great choices.
A suction cup on the bottom of the toothbrush has added convenience and hygienic benefits if you are brushing on the go. A helpful tip is to keep multiple toothbrushes in visible areas of the house so you can have easy access to brushing your child’s teeth. Modify your environment to make it easier to do things without friction or extra effort. We are surrounded by forces that slow us down or speed us up. In December 2017, Harvard Business Review published an article about the “banana principle.” In “To Get People to Change, Make Change Easy,” they discuss how friction can be observed in many everyday activities. For example, if you offer people a free bowl of fruit consisting of bananas and oranges, the bananas usually get chosen first. Why? It’s simply because the bananas are easier to peel than oranges. So reduce the friction of brushing your teeth, placing multiple toothbrushes in easy to reach places can help promote healthy behaviors.
Many different types of manual and electric toothbrushes are available. Manual toothbrushes rely on manual dexterity and technique to be efficient. Electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual brushes at removing plaque with ranges of functions and timers and sensors to warn you when you are applying too much pressure when brushing. 
Some parents ask about the Whole Mouth Electric Toothbrush. Although it seems like a great solution for brushing a wiggly child, it is ineffective at removing plaque.
There are pros and cons of manual versus electric toothbrushes. It’s best to find what works well for your lifestyle and preference.
