DUBAI: It’s a happy event when the first tooth appears in the laughing little mouth and their teeth gradually start peeking out proudly and happily at the parents. To ask an obvious question: How should you choose your baby’s first toothbrush?

What specifications are suitable for your baby’s soft, fragile gums?

Among the helpful tips about choosing the toothbrush for your baby’s first teeth, we have compiled the following for you:

First, a baby’s toothbrush should be small, adapted to fit the little one’s mouth, and it should reach two of the baby’s teeth with each movement.

The most important specifications of the baby’s toothbrush are that it have smooth bristles arranged in three lines and a round head to protect the baby’s gums from injury.

It’s best if the bristles are industrially manufactured and not made of animal hair because the latter is hollow on the inside and can store a lot of germs.

The toothbrush can have sloped or straight bristles, according to the recommendation of your pediatrician, who will prefer one shape over the other based on your baby’s mouth shape and their ability to adapt to the brush.

It’s best to sometimes set aside two toothbrushes for the baby, one for the morning and the second for the evening, so that each has plenty of time to dry, preventing an accumulation of germs on them, or you can have one and place it in the open air after each use.

To distinguish between the morning brush and the evening brush, you can choose different colors, of course, knowing that toothbrushes made of nylon need more time to dry. It’s always best not to clean a baby’s teeth with a damp brush.

Replace your baby’s toothbrush every two months because it becomes damaged or warped from use, and the child’s gums could be injured by using it. It’s also better to replace it immediately after your child recovers from the flu or any other infectious disease.

Finally, and to help your little angel form the habit of brushing their teeth, choose a toothbrush decorated with funny faces from a cartoon they love or their favorite animal, if possible.

This article was first published on babyarabia.com.