It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But, the teeth required to eat that apple must be healthy. To maintain healthy teeth one needs to brush them daily. Even slightest ignorance can cause several oral problems. Unlike adults, kids neither understand the need, nor do they know how to take care of their teeth. If they are aware, then there are n number of reasons not to do it. It is solely the responsibility of the parents to encourage them till they learn to do it on their own. Usually, baby teeth are lost around the age of 7-8 years. Until then they help the child speak, eat and smile. According to dental experts, every phase of childhood should have an appropriate toothbrush. It should suit the child in all respects. It should be comfortable, as well as attractive. The following paragraph offers various ways of choosing a right toothbrush for a kid. An Ideal Toothbrush for Kids When you visit a chemist for a toothbrush, he will show you various types that will stagger you. There are long-necked, angle necked or thick-necked brushes with soft bristles to massage the gums, or hard bristles to clean the plaque. However, a toothbrush for your kid should have an elongated handle that will help the child to hold it and move it around comfortably. Groves on the thick handle naturally lend a better grip. It should be fascinating so that the kid likes to use it. Following are some important characteristics to be taken into consideration while choosing a toothbrush. Bristles A toothbrush should have soft bristles because a kid's teeth and gums are in a growing stage. Using a toothbrush with hard bristles will only harm causing pain and sometimes result in bleeding gums. You also need to make sure that the bristles are tiny so that they can help massage your kid's teeth and gums. Head A toothbrush should have a round head as it does not hurt the teeth as well as cheek on the inside. Ideally the head should be according to the size of the child's mouth rather than age so that it can easily be put into his/her mouth and moved about. So age categories mentioned on the packaging must be considered as guidelines and not the only criterion for selection. Shape and Style The shape of the toothbrush's handle should allow the child proper grip over it. You should avoid choosing ones that do not have an easy grip. The style of the brush should attract the child. There are various toothbrushes available in market having shapes of different animals. You can also try to choose a toothbrush that has pictures of your kid's favorite cartoon characters. Also, you can buy toothbrushes that have lights flashing for a minute or so, which will make child's brushing longer and full of fun. For toddlers, look for a toothbrush with long handle which will allow you to brush your child's teeth. Electric Toothbrushes There are a variety of toothbrushes available today, one of them being electric toothbrushes. They have a timer fixed in them. Normally, the timer is set for 3 minutes which allows for longer and complete brushing of teeth. There are either audible or tactile signals that indicate the time has expired and completion of the task. Some of them have an option of setting the speed for brushing either to a high or a low level. Higher level of brushing is effective in most cases. The lower level is usually recommended for beginners because their oral tissues need time to get used to powerful brushing action of higher level. Electric toothbrushes have the facility of replacing heads because the bristles of these brushes also wear out like other toothbrushes. Some versions of these toothbrushes have characteristics of neat and whitening modes. The later one works on yellowing and plaque formation which results in clean teeth. These brushes are a bit costly than the regular toothbrushes. An electric toothbrush is a rechargeable device. This a safe device as it does not have to be plugged in while in use or recharging, rather, there are batteries inside it which gets recharged through the case without any direct connection. This charging is done through induction. The prices of electric toothbrushes vary according to their functional quality and starts from $14. The higher end versions of this product are available in the range of $100-$179. Where to Get Best Toothbrushes? Nowadays, there are a variety of toothbrushes available at the chemists and druggists. Also, there are several websites that advertise best toothbrushes for kids. Interestingly, along with the regular toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes are also available. Generally, the best age for your kid to start using an electric toothbrush is 8 because, by this time children are able to handle things more independently. But, it is most important to consult your dentist before choosing an electric toothbrush. I hope, this article will guide you to choose a right toothbrush for your kid. Know that your task is not finished with choosing a right toothbrush for your kid as it needs to be replaced monthly or once in two months. If your kid is small, he or she will take some time to realize that it really helps to keep the teeth healthy and strong. Until, then best of luck!