Brushing Tips for Kids

You’re all set for your happy morning and nighttime ritual. You’ve provided your son with his favorite action hero toothbrush and your daughter with her favorite flavored toothpaste. You’ve gotten them into the healthy habit of two minutes of brushing twice each day. You’ve introduced them to flossing. You have favorite brushing songs! Stickers! Gold stars! And, best of all, you’re teaching great brushing techniques.

Kids need the same basic brushing tools and skills as adults. What makes for the best cleaning?

Find the right brush

No matter how cute—or heroic—the brush, it needs to have soft bristles to protect enamel and delicate gum tissue. The head should be a perfect fit for your child’s mouth. And if the handle is easy to grip and hold, you have a winner.

Find the right toothpaste

The bubblegum flavor might appeal to your child, but it’s the fluoride that helps to prevent cavities. Talk to us about the right time to start using fluoride toothpaste and the right amount for your child’s brush.

Teach your child the angles

If your child is too young to brush alone, start geometry lessons early. Holding the brush at a 45-degree angle toward the gums will clean bacteria and plaque from the tooth surface and the gum line. And don’t forget the chewing surfaces and the insides of the teeth. When your child begins brushing on her own, coach her as she learns the best way to clean all the surfaces of her teeth.

Easy does it

Teeth and gums should be massaged, not scrubbed. Brushing too hard can damage not only tender gum tissue, but even your child’s enamel.

Learn to let go

No matter how comfortable and appealing the brush, after three or four months, it’s time for a change. Frayed bristles don’t clean as effectively, and making up for it by brushing harder isn’t the answer (see above). Also, toothbrushes can build up quite a collection of bacteria over time (see below), so a fresh brush is a must!

Everything in its place

A toothbrush should dry thoroughly between uses without touching other brushes. Placing a brush in a plastic container doesn’t let it dry and encourages bacterial growth. And a toothbrush needs its own space—touching toothbrush heads means sharing toothbrush bacteria. The best way to keep toothbrushes as dry and as germ-free as possible is to store them upright, without touching other brushes, in a clean, well-ventilated area.

Rinse and repeat

Your child should rinse his toothbrush before and after using it, and be sure to rinse his mouth as well. That should get rid of any leftover food particles brushing has removed.

Finally, keep up the good work! As you teach your child proper brushing techniques, and make sure she uses them as she grows, you are preparing her for a lifetime of great checkups with the doctor at our Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts office. Give yourself a gold star—you’ve earned it!

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Hours of Operation

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:15 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

What Our Clients Say About Us

  • "This office at Washington Street in Wellesley is incredibly well run. Everybody is friendly and very professional.

    Lyn Galante cleans my teeth very thoroughly and gently and gives me good dental health advice.

    Suzanne Gendell is a fabulous dentist, a thoughtful and very pleasant person, and I trust her implicitly.

    When people say "I hate to go to the dentist" I always respond "I don't!""
    Ilse S
  • "Dr. Harrison is the BEST dentist I have ever had. He is an expert in the art of dentistry, He explains procedures in detail and answers all questions and concerns completely. He is very professional and easy to talk to. I always feel confident that the work he performed is of the highest quality. I would highly recommend him."
    Jane D
  • "A lot of thought and preparation has obviously gone into the new set up. I felt very safe, the space was very clean and the new procedures all made sense. I’ll be back in 6 months"
    Jerry D
  • "Very thorough, efficient hygiene appointment and exam with Dr. Gendel. I could not be more satisfied!"
    Catherine H
  • "I was treated very professionally and courteously by Dr. Burnett and Bruno. They were very positive and gave me great hope for solutions to my dental dilemma. I look forward to future dental visits. Thank you."
    Manuel D
  • "Very professional and courteous service. Suzy is an exceptional Dental technician."
    Ashok P
  • "This group is the most professional and caring group you could ever ask for. Dr.Harrison and his team are nothing but the best!"
    Catharine F
  • "I really appreciated the warmth and kindness of the people who worked at MetroWest Dental. The doctor and assistant were very professional yet friendly, too. I loved it!"
    GABRIELLE E
  • "Excellence experience from start to finish!"
    Robert A
  • "Absolutely amazing! The responsiveness, professionalism and genuine caring was unparalleled."
    Casey R
  • "Great service. I feel very safe. Such expertise and into cutting edge safety COVID efforts"
    Carla B
  • "Metro west Dental spends more time with their patients than any other dentist office I’ve been to. Great staff."
    Brett S
  • "Great dentist and extremely friendly staff. Very professional and have only positive experiences visiting."
    Zachary Zieper
  • "Super friendly and highly recommended by my ace dentist who is retiring."
    Beryl Bergen
  • "Great as always. Such pros, such warmth and care.
    My mouth could not be happier."
    Arno Rafael Minkkinen
  • "Dr. Inna gave me Botox and it is terrific. The procedure was painless. She was very gentle and kind.
    During the next few weeks, so many people in my life noticed how much younger I look. My forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet are gone.
    I highly recommend Dr. Inna for all dental and cosmetic procedures."
    Carole Sage
  • "I was nervous to go to my dental appointment during a pandemic, but they made a lot of changes in their office and procedures to address the COVID situation. This made me feel safer and more comfortable, and of course, the continued excellence & quality of the care provided by the staff at this office remains the same as always."
    D T
  • "Lynn is great. Fast and comfortable. And fun to talk to. Very personable."
    John Fritts
  • "Fantastic cleaning. Good attention to Covid safety."
    Jim Ogletree
  • "Susie the hygenist did a fabulous job cleaning my teeth! Everyone at the office is warm and friendly. I highly recommend this dental office!"
    Donna Santamaria
  • "I have been a patient of Dr. Burnett for the past two years at Metro West Dental. The office is very clean and welcoming and the staff are always polite and knowledgeable.
    *Parking is also a plus*
    I started seeing Dr.Burnett for Botox that started out cosmetically. Dr.Burnett made the experience very pleasant from my first time and has stayed that way till now! Dr.Burnett had suggested that I try the Botox for my clenching and it has HELPED tremendously. I’m very thankful for her ability to make me feel beautiful and confident in her care."
    Ester Kuritnik
  • "Dr. Burnett is an incredible dentist. I worked with her for both my Invisalign and Zoom whitening treatment, and I couldn't be happier with my result. She is extremely thorough and pays attention to every detail. My teeth are perfect because of her work. I highly recommend her."
    Caraline Zeizel
  • "My visit with Dr. Harrison was exceptional. The office was so organized and extremely clean and organized. I felt safe and well taken care of during my visit. Tina was attentive, competent and so friendly. Dr. Harrison has always maintained a A+++ office. Highest quality of dental care ! Thank you!"
    Carole Anne Parisi
  • "Beyond grateful and impressed. After a different dentist made some mistakes on a chipped filling and tore up the side of my mouth doing so, I was beside myself. Metro West got me in so quickly despite being booked. Dr. Burnett was beyond wonderful. She’s so kind and tried so hard to make everything painless. Tina was also wonderful to chat with and so on top of everything. The office was totally secure and COVID-19 safe with many precautions. I’m getting ready to move out of the area, but would recommend this office and Dr. Burnett to anyone. Top notch."
    Leah Salloway