Baby Toothpaste Guide: What to Use from First Tooth to Toddler Years

You finally spot it: a tiny white edge peeking through your baby’s gums. It’s exciting, but it also makes you wonder: when should you start brushing that first little tooth, and what baby toothpaste should you use? With shelf after shelf of options, it’s easy to grab whatever’s on sale and hope for the best. 

Getting these basics right early on protects your child’s teeth long before you can see the effects. This guide walks you through when to start brushing, what to look for in a toothpaste, and how much to use as your child grows.  

And if you’re curious about what’s ahead once all those teeth come in, this milk teeth timeline covers the full eruption schedule through age 3. 

When to Start Brushing with Baby Toothpaste 

Brushing actually starts before your baby even has teeth. You can simply wipe your baby’s gums gently with a clean, damp washcloth or soft gauze after feedings. This isn’t brushing yet, but it clears away bacteria and gets your baby used to having something in their mouth. 

The moment that first tooth breaks through, usually somewhere between six months and a year, it’s time to switch to a baby toothbrush and toothpaste. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Philippine Dental Association (PDA), brushing should start as soon as the first tooth erupts, using a rice-grain-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste. Brush twice a day, ideally right after breakfast and before bed.⁠ 

Stick to that twice-daily routine from the start. Babies pick up on repetition fast, and brushing every morning and night becomes a part of their daily routine well before they’re old enough to fight you on it. 

Fluoride or Non-Fluoride: What’s the Difference? 

Here’s the short answer: give your baby toothpaste with fluoride. It’s what helps keep those little teeth cavity-free by strengthening enamel, the hard outer layer that protects each tooth from decay.  

This matters in the Philippines, where most areas don’t have fluoride in the water supply. That means the toothpaste is doing all the work when it comes to protecting your child’s teeth. The Philippine Pediatric Dental Society, Inc. (PPDSI) recommends fluoride toothpaste as the standard for babies and toddlers. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste as one of the simplest ways to prevent cavities. Using the right amount for your child’s age is one of the easiest ways to stay ahead of that. 

One exception is if your child’s dentist has told you to hold off on fluoride for a specific reason. Outside of that, fluoride toothpaste is the way to go at every age, once you’ve got the amount right. 

How Much Toothpaste to Use 

A rice grain-sized smear works for babies under 3; a pea-sized amount is enough once they turn 3. 

The PPDSI notes that too little toothpaste and your child misses out on fluoride’s cavity protection; too much, swallowed regularly, can leave faint white spots on their adult teeth later on. So here’s how much toothpaste you should use, according to your child’s age. 

From first tooth to age 2: a rice grain-sized smear 

For your baby’s first tooth up to their second birthday, one grain of rice’s worth of toothpaste, or isang butil ng bigas on the brush, is really all you need. The amount stays the same whether you’re picking out toothpaste for a 9-month-old or toothpaste for a 1-year-old baby. Sticking to this amount keeps your baby from swallowing more fluoride than they need, while still giving their teeth the cavity protection they’re meant to get. 

Ages 2 to 6: a mung bean-sized amount 

Once your child turns 2, you can move up to a mung bean-sized dab, or isang butil ng munggo. By this age, most kids have gotten the hang of spitting instead of swallowing, so the slightly bigger amount is safe to use and gives their teeth the full benefit fluoride is meant to provide. 

What to Check on the Label 

Now that you know how much to put on the brush, here’s what to look for when you’re picking out toothpaste for your baby in the Philippines. 

Fluoride concentration 

Check the label for a fluoride level of 1,000 parts per million (ppm) if your child is under 2, and 1,350 to 1,500 ppm once they turn 2, following the PPDSI guidelines. Most toothpaste made specifically for babies and toddlers already falls in the right range for its age group, but checking the label yourself is an easy way to be sure. 

Flavor and texture 

Most kids’ toothpaste comes in milder, fruit-flavored versions. If you’re worried a sweeter flavor means your child will swallow more, a 2018 systematic review found flavored toothpaste doesn’t actually increase fluoride intake in young children compared to unflavored versions. So, picking one your child actually likes doesn’t put them at any extra risk of swallowing more, and can help them look forward to brushing. 

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and doesn’t replace advice from your child’s pediatrician or dentist. Any medical opinions referenced don’t necessarily reflect the views of ParenTeam.