A social story for brushing teeth

A social story for brushing teeth is the sink at home: a pea of fluoride toothpaste, gentle circles on every side, then spit. The extra paste is spit out, not rinsed.

The sink

Carol Gray's 10.2 criteria say a social story uses first person or third person, and it does not say you (Social Stories 10.2 Criteria, accessed October 31, 2026). The story below is first person. It is the bathroom sink, not a dental office.

When the wash itself is the hard moment, read the bath time guide.

Pea, Circles, Spit

I brush my teeth at the bathroom sink. Morning is one time. Before bed is the other time.

Mom or Dad puts the toothpaste on the brush. The amount is about the size of a pea. The tube stays on a high shelf after that.

The brush has soft bristles and a small head. I stand at the sink. The bristles touch the teeth.

I move the brush in gentle circles. The circles go on the front of the teeth, the back of the teeth, and the chewing side.

A song can mark the time. When the song ends, brushing ends.

I spit. I do not fill a cup and rinse.

Mom or Dad may take a turn with the same brush after I spit, so the back teeth get circles too.

The brush goes in the cup. The faucet goes off. The next brushing is the other time of day.

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Who puts the paste on the brush

The AAP says an adult should always place toothpaste on the toothbrush and then keep it out of reach (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026).

The AAP says a pea-sized amount for children ages 3 through 6 (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026). If your child is outside that range, ask the pediatrician or the dentist.

The AAP says children usually need help with brushing until they are 8 years old. When they can tie their own shoelaces, they can usually brush on their own. It is still important to supervise them to make sure they are brushing for 2 minutes (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026). If your child cannot tie laces yet, plan on taking a turn with the brush after they spit. Write that turn into the story so it is not a surprise.

The CDC's notes for children match the spit: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, use a pea-sized amount while an adult is watching, and spit the paste out rather than swallow it (Oral Health Tips for Children, accessed October 31, 2026; Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026).

Spit, and leave the fluoride there

When a child can spit, the AAP says to spit the extra paste out and not rinse with water right after (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026).

If your child cannot spit yet, the AAP describes a different ending: tilt the mouth down so the paste dribbles into the sink, a cup, or a washcloth. The CDC says to spit toothpaste out rather than swallow it (Oral Health Tips for Children, accessed October 31, 2026). If the story says "I spit" and your child dribbles instead, change that one sentence before you read it.

The AAP mentions brushing along to a song (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026). Pick a song you will actually play, and use the same one each time so the ending is predictable.

One practice tonight

Do this once, at the sink the story names.

1. An adult squeezes a pea of fluoride toothpaste onto the soft brush, then puts the tube up high.
2. Read the story aloud. Point at the brush, the pea, the sink, and the cup.
3. Gentle circles on the front, the back, and the chewing side. A song can run while the circles happen.
4. Spit into the sink. No cup of water after that.
5. If the back teeth still need circles, the adult takes that turn and says so: "My turn on the back teeth."

Two pictures, the brush then the song, can be printed as a two-step picture strip. More strips are on the free tools page.

The sink story, and later ones, go out from the Social Stories email list.

When brushing needs a dentist or a pediatrician

The AAP says oral-health questions go to the pediatrician or the dentist. Ask them if the paste is swallowed instead of spit or dribbled out, if you are unsure what amount belongs on the brush, or if brushing has stopped because the mouth hurts. Bring the story you have been reading. A pea and a song do not treat a tooth that hurts.

FAQ

What amount of toothpaste goes on the brush?

The AAP says a pea, placed by an adult, for ages 3 through 6 (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026). Outside that range, ask the pediatrician or the dentist.

Why skip the rinse?

Spit the extra paste into the sink, and leave the rest. The AAP says a water rinse right after brushing washes off the fluoride (Toothbrushing Tips for Young Children, accessed October 31, 2026).

What if my child cannot spit?

Tilt the mouth down so the paste dribbles into the sink, a cup, or a washcloth. Change the story's spit sentence to that dribble so the words match the sink.

When do we call?

Call the pediatrician or the dentist if the paste is swallowed, if you are unsure of the amount, or if brushing has stopped because the mouth hurts. Bring the story.