4.1 Anticipatory Guidance

Toothbrushing

Materials for Parents

A variety of brochures are designed to provide parents with information about how to ensure that their child enjoys the best possible oral health. Brochures are available from the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Oral Health and the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center.

Toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste helps maintain the health of teeth and gums. Toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste serves as a vehicle for applying very small doses of topical fluoride to tooth surfaces. Frequent exposure to small amounts of topical fluoride each day is the best way to reduce the risk for dental caries.1

Because many brands of toothpaste are flavored, young children tend to swallow toothpaste more readily than do older children and adults. Concern over fluorosis occurring in the permanent teeth has resulted in a number of confusing and contradictory recommendations regarding the use of fluoridated toothpaste. Recognizing fluoride’s cariostatic properties, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children’s teeth be brushed twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste.2 Specific guidelines as to the amount of toothpaste dispensed according to the age of the child were developed to reduce the risk of fluorosis. These guidelines are as follows:

For infants and children under age 3

• Use a soft toothbrush that is an appropriate size for the infant’s or child’s age
• Dispense a “smear” of fluoridated toothpaste on the bristles of the toothbrush
• Parents should brush the infant’s or child’s teeth twice daily
  

• For children ages 3 through 6

• Use a soft toothbrush that is an appropriate size for the child’s age
• Dispense a “pea-size amount” of fluoridated toothpaste on the bristles of the toothbrush
• Parents should brush the child’s teeth or supervise brushing twice daily
  

Smear		Pea-size
Used with permission from Norman Tinanoff, D.D.S., M.S., University of Maryland Dental School.

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