Brushing teeth twice a day will help with the build up of plaque and tooth decay. But it’s easier said than done. We’ve rounded up some toothbrushes that will put zip into your kids’ toothbrushing routine.
Kids’ teeth cause parents and caregivers an amazing amount of stress considering their size. Seemingly endless sleepless nights with teething, milk teeth falling out, brushing battles, braces… but electric toothbrushes can help ease the pain somewhat.
When should you start brushing your kids’ teeth?
The NHS advocates toothbrushing in children from as soon as that first tiny pearl pops through their gums. That tends be around the six months mark – so you’re in this for the long haul. They also suggest this is the time you should start taking your child to the dentist, and ideally all children should have seen a dentist at least once by their first birthday.
Why should I use an electric toothbrush for kids?
Electric toothbrushes are by no means the be all and end all for young children. The main thing is to get them brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Sounds simple, right? Parents everywhere give a hollow laugh at that. But electric toothbrushes are handy to help ease the toothbrushing stress for parents and kids.
What should I look for when choosing an electric toothbrush for my child?
The most important thing in a toothbrush, of course, is that it does the main job – brushing the teeth and keeping them clean. Professor Claire Stevens CBE, spokesperson for the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) says, “If a family is considering buying an electric toothbrush for a child, look for one with a small oscillating head since they have been found to be effective.”
After that, you might want to think about other features, which are nice to have but not essential. Many kids’ electric toothbrushes have integrated timers to help kids to know how long they need to brush, and can foster independence. They also often have extra features that will get kids excited about brushing their teeth such as well-loved characters from their favourite Disney flicks or familiar superheroes, while some toothbrushes sing and others may even have flashing lights.
Really you want a decent toothbrush that will get your child excited about the brushing process. Involve them in choosing the model (within a range of one you’re happy with yourself, of course) and they will be much more invested in the whole toothbrushing affair.
Jack n’ Jill Buzzy Brush electrical musical toothbrush
Two thumbs up for the ecoconscious stance of this brand. The toothbrush is free from toxins such as BPA and PVC, and is totally recyclable and biodegradable. It also looks pretty cute yet minimalist on our bathroom shelves compared to some of the other toothbrushes we tried. Our tester did enjoy customising the handle though, using the stickers included in the box.
The brush itself has a larger head than some others we tried – about the size of an adult electric-toothbrush head. The bristles are soft, and sculpted to fit around the curve of teeth. Our mini tester loved the audio on this brush – yep, that’s right, it plays a song that lasts the two minutes required for adequate brushing. If that gets a bit much, then you can have the toothbrush guide you through how to brush teeth, talking to you every step of the way. Or, of course, the toothbrush can be silent.
This brush takes two AAA batteries, which lasted for the whole of our testing period.
Buy now £16.00, Kidly
Philips One by Sonicare
Running in some sunny shades, this toothbrush will appeal to kids and teens of all ages. The slim handle is easy for smaller hands to hold, while the sleek profile means it looks grown up. The head on the brush is adult size though, so it is probably better suited to slightly older kids who will be able to reach all parts of their mouth easily.
What’s nice is there’s a 30-second sensor which buzzes to remind you to move on to the next part of your mouth, and a two-minute timer to let you know you’ve completed adequate brushing. No need to remember to charge this brush either – it runs for 90 days on a single AAA battery. We were pleased to see it’s not single use. Lastly, the carry case it comes with is useful for travel and storing, as the bottom of the brush is not flat so you can’t stand it up like other electric toothbrushes.
Buy now £29.99, Philips
Oral-B Kids Disney Frozen electric toothbrush
Suitable for kids aged three and up, this brush will be a huge hit with Frozen fans (that’s a pretty large pool, we reckon). They also make a Spider-Man version for budding superheroes.
Oral-B have designed this especially to support kids’ oral health, with a sensor and extra-soft bristles to ensure kids are brushing gently to protect their gums. Another bonus is the small brush head – less than 1cm in diameter – which means it’s easy to move around smaller mouths and get to the very back teeth.
Our mini tester loved that it comes with stickers, and they spent a while “bonding” with their new toothbrush by adding stickers to the handle. Anything that gets them excited about teeth brushing is a win for us.
It’s a rechargeable battery toothbrush, but it held charge well during testing so you don’t need to remember to charge it often. And it is also compatible with Disney’s Magic Timer app – an app you can download that encourages and rewards kids for brushing their teeth with pictures, timers and in-app stickers to collect. We did find this helped our mini tester get a bit more interested in brushing their teeth.
Buy now £20.00, Boots
Brush-Baby Wild Ones sonic toothbrush
How cute is this little toothbrush? We tested the elephant, but there are nine animals characters to choose from. Our mini testers were immediately drawn to it. The head on this brush is small and oval shaped, so good for getting down to the gum line, and the bristles have two lengths to get between teeth better.
Our kids absolutely loved the flashing lights in the handle, which we have to admit is a cool feature. As a parent, we liked that it’s rechargeable via a USB cable, not one of those annoying bathroom plugs.
Evie the Elephant – and her friends – comes with two replacement heads, which means you’re less prone to letting the brush head get a bit worn out. One other thing we liked was the sucker base – it meant the toothbrush didn’t fall in the sink every time we washed our hands. A simple feature but a real win for us.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Brush-Baby KidzSonic rocket electric toothbrush
Our mini tester had a blast (not even sorry) with this rocket toothbrush. The flashing light setting provided lots of fun – especially if you turn off the light in the bathroom for a “space clean” experience. The ergonomic handle is pleasingly chunky while being light enough for little people to wield with ease.
An in-built timer helped our tester make sure he was getting his full quota of teeth brushing in, while the small head on the brush helped him reach right to the back teeth. This rocket is powered by a AAA battery (Elon Musk, take note) and the pack includes two brush heads.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
Brush-Baby BabySonic electric toothbrush
This mini electric toothbrush is designed for kids aged 0 to 3 years old. It comes with a teeny baby brush head for 0-18 month olds and a slightly larger one for toddlers aged 18 months to three years. The handle is small, and moulded to fit little toddler paws.
A simple power button lets you cycle through the functions – light on, light and brush on, off. We said simple. The light in the handle acts as your two-minute timer, so there’s no wondering if the nightly toothbrush is done or not. There is also a 30-second pulse to remind you to move on to the next area of the mouth. The bottom of the brush has a suction cup, which means it can be safely stowed away by the sink in a hygienic way.
Buy now £8.99, Boots
Whites Beaconsfield Wiggle electric toothbrush
We never thought we’d say this about an electric toothbrush, but wow this is fun. The Wiggle looks nothing like a toothbrush, for one. It’s a big red strawberry, with a gumshield attached. Press the strawberry’s nose and the gum shield vibrates – the gum shield is lined with lots of flexible brushes, allowing it to brush all the teeth at once without the whole rigmarole of moving the brush or having to utter “no, you missed a bit, keep going” again.
Our tester found it hugely fun to use, and the brand say the brush has had great success with children. Plus 50p from every sale goes to the mental-health charity Young Minds.
The toothbrush comes in a fancy presentation box, with a docking charger and USB cable, non-peroxide strawberry and bubblegum flavoured toothpaste and a spare brush.
Buy now £39.99, Whites Beaconsfield
Verdict
We loved the Jack N’ Jill brush, from the ethos on sustainability to the functionality of it. And our kids found it hilarious too. This is clearly a well-thought-out brush, made by people that know what makes kid tick (and what gets them to brush their teeth).
