Choosing the right toothbrush for your child’s age
We are sometimes asked “What is the maximum age for our Buddies toothbrush?”
It may seem surprising that this isn’t an easy question to answer. That’s because the right answer is dependent upon so many different things.
It is much easier to determine a minimum age as this depends on the weight and size of the brush, ensuring a child is old enough to be able to handle it properly. As the Buddies toothbrush vibrates only very gently, this makes it suitable for children as young as 3 years (with parental guidance up until 7 years) and it’s intended to provide a stepping stone to their first electric toothbrush later on.
However, this assumes that the much more powerful electric toothbrushes will be suitable for everyone. And this isn’t always the case. Even some older children really struggle with strong movement or vibration in their mouths. One child at a recent dental show pressed his hand against his forehead as he explained to his Dad that “my toothbrush makes my head hurt right here”.
Very gentle vibration also means the child learns the important skill of brushing their teeth manually, without relying on a power brush to do the work for them.
The main message is that providing children are doing a good job of brushing their teeth, making contact with every surface of each tooth and gums for a total of at least 2 minutes, with the right toothpaste, then all is well.
The type of brush used (manual versus electric) is less important than this.
So, it’s really about encouraging them to brush. And this is the whole ethos of Buddies: providing products that make brushing a more pleasurable experience.
So if a child wants to continue using a Buddies toothbrush until they are into double digits (and beyond), this doesn’t represent an issue, especially if it’s encouraging them to brush.
Guidance on the ‘right toothpaste’ from the NHS and Oral Health Foundation is All children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per million). After three years old they should use a toothpaste that has 1350-1500ppm. (This is also suitable for adults)
0-3 years need just a smear
Buddies Toothpaste www.buddiestoothpaste.com contains 1450ppm of Fluoride and comes in 2 tasty flavours to specifically appeal to kids or anyone who usually dislikes the taste of other toothpastes.
This means there’s no upper age limit for the toothpaste either, as it contains enough fluoride to be suitable for adults.
Sometimes it’s good to know they don’t have to outgrow everything.
