Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft infant toothbrush or cloth and water. As teeth start to erupt at around 6 months of age, parents should begin to brush the teeth using a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste with a soft bristle age-appropriate toothbrush.  Once children are 3 to 6 years old, the amount of toothpaste used on the toothbrush should be increased to a pea-size.  Also, parents should be assisting in the child’s tooth brushing because most children at this age lack the ability to brush their teeth effectively.  It is expected that most children will swallow the toothpaste until they have the ability to learn spitting (at around age 5).  As long as the guidelines for the amount of toothpaste used are followed, the developing teeth will benefit from the fluoride ingested systemically.