Parents should begin cleaning their infant’s mouth as soon as the first tooth erupts. A brush that is easy for the parent to hold and small enough to fit in the infant’s mouth is recommended. To ensure that brushing is safe and effective, the infant should be seated in the parent’s lap, with both parent and infant facing the same direction. The parent should try to clean all tooth surfaces, “lifting the lip” to brush at the gum line and then behind the teeth.