11 of the best toothbrushes for babies, toddlers and children – tried and tested

With young babies, alternatively, you can start them off with a chewable brush. These very early toothbrushes clean teeth, massage and soothe teething gums, and means babies get used to having their teeth brushed. Or you may decide to go straight onto a standard toothbrush. It's best to invest in a small-headed one with soft bristles. Just a small smear of children’s toothpaste will be enough. For safety, she says, "Initially let the babies chew on the brush, then introduce toothpaste, then start to brush your baby's teeth for them and then let them hold the brush and chew on it. Eventually, they will be able to do it themselves under your supervision."

According to the Oral Health Foundation, "Tooth decay is almost entirely preventable, yet it remains the number one reason for childhood hospital admissions for general anaesthesia in the UK".

One tip worth trying for children reluctant to brush their teeth is to use a toothbrushing app (we have one detailed in the list below) to make brushing fun. Maybe try hanging a calendar in the bathroom and marking a reward star each time they brush. It may require some persuading and encouragement at the start for some children, but over time they will have a well-developed brushing routine.

Other useful bathroom products for kids include baby and children's toiletries and children's towels.

Best toothbrushes for babies and toddlers at a glance:

• Best electric option for babies: Brush-Baby BabySonic Electronic Toothbrush, £13.99
• Best for teething babies: Brush-Baby Chewable Toothbrush, £6.99
• Best for first set of teeth: The Brushies Baby & Toddler Toothbrush, £7.50
• Best for protective shield: MAM Teach Me Toothbrush Set, £9
• Best long-lasting electric toothbrush: Brush-Baby Wild Ones Sonic Toothbrush, £29.99
• Best budget electric toothbrush: Colgate Kids Extra Soft Battery Powered Toothbrush, £8
• Best for travel: Aquafresh Little Teeth Children’s Toothbrush, £2.15
• Best for sustainability: Wild & Stone Bamboo Kids Toothbrush, £5.99
• Best recommended by dentists: Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush, £40
• Best budget buy: Boots Kids Toothbrush, £1
• Best musical toothbrush: Jack N’ Jill Buzzy Brush Electric Musical Toothbrush, £20

What to consider when buying a toothbrush for your baby or toddler

Age suitability – "Age recommendations will be indicated on the packaging, you can’t go wrong" shares expert doctor Manrina Rhodes. Always check the packaging to get an idea of the appropriate toothbrush for your child.

Colours and themes – There are lots of colour and character theme variations your child can select from. Your child might be able to select a toothbrush with their favourite cartoon character on it or simply their favourite colour – all to make toothbrushing a bit more fun!

Function – There are different kinds of toothbrushes depending on what stage your child is at. Our list has manual toothbrushes, as well as electric and soft teething toothbrushes, too.

Safety – For babies, there are things to look out for that help the toothbrush be safer. One of the toothbrushes on our list has a guard to prevent the toothbrush being pushed too far into the mouth.

Toothbrushes for babies

1. Brush-Baby BabySonic Electronic Toothbrush, £13.99

– Best electric option for babies

Age suitability: 0-36 months | Award: Bronze – Everyday parenting essential under £20, MadeForMums Awards 2022

Thought electric toothbrushes were for older children? Not so.

The BabySonic electronic toothbrush is designed for use from birth to 36 months. With two brushes – a baby one for 0-18 months and a toddler brush for 18-36 months, it's good value for money, particularly for an electric toothbrush.

This unique little brush has a tiny head and uses sonic vibrations to brush your baby's teeth – keeping the noise to a minimum. It's also got a 2-minute light timer and a 30-second pulse reminder to help teach good oral care habits from a very early age. This is great as the children get older and become more aware of their brushing routine.

The brush comes with 1 x AAA battery and an extra replacement head, but more replacement heads can be purchased as and when necessary.

Pros: Great electric option for babies, comes with extra replaceable brush head
Cons: May need to buy replacement brush heads, not all babies will like the sonic vibrations

Available from: Boots, JoJo Maman Bebe, Amazon and Brush-Baby

2. Brush-Baby Chewable Toothbrush, £6.99

– Best for teething babies

Age suitability: 10 months to 3 years

The Brush-Baby chewable toothbrush is perfect for teething babies. Suitable to use from 10 months old, its innovative shape allows children to hold the handle and chew the brush intuitively. Easy to carry around, this clever little brush is 100% silicone, BPA, lead and pthalate-free and can be chilled in the freezer if your baby needs a little extra help with their sore gums.

An award-winning silicone brush that doesn't splay, unlike normal bristle toothbrushes, it cleans teeth and gently soothes gums as your baby has a good chomp. It's up to you whether you use toothpaste, but if you do, ensure it's a fluoride-free one. Babies do not need fluoride until they are two years old.

Designed to fit your baby's mouth, there's no problem reaching the molar teeth, and if you cool it in the fridge and dab it with some teething gel, it's great for sore gums too.

As your little one chews away, the toothbrush massages tender gums and gently cleans any teeth that are poking their way through.

Pros: Great for teething babies, easy to hold by baby or parent, durable
Cons: Might not be needed for a long time

Available from: Boots, JoJo Maman Bebe, Amazon and Brush-Baby

3. The Brushies Baby & Toddler Toothbrush, £7.50

– Best for first set of teeth

Age suitability: 4 weeks to 4 years

The brainchild of a family dentist and a child psychologist, the Brushies baby toothbrush is a fun, finger puppet-style brush that should help brushing be more fun.

Dishwasher-safe, BPA, latex, and phthalate-free, the Brushies are made from food-grade silicone and the packaging is recyclable. It's worth noting that the toothbrush isn't bite-proof, so be prepared for possible bites from tiny teeth.

Pros: Easy to use, different colour options
Cons: Not bite proof

Available from: Natural Baby Shower

4. MAM Teach Me Toothbrush Set, £9

– Best for protective shield

Age suitability: 6 months +

If telling your child how to brush their teeth doesn't work, show them. That's the premise of the MAM Teach Me Toothbrush Set. This unique system consists of two brushes – a longer one for the parent to use with their baby, and a smaller one so they can try independent brushing.

Short, extra-soft bristles with rounded heads provide optimal brushing without harming a baby's tender gums and tooth enamel, and the small gap created by the short, pink bristles serves as a guide for how much toothpaste to use.

There's also a protective shield on the bigger one so the toothbrush doesn't reach too far back in their mouths. Looks like MAM really have thought of everything with this set.

"I used MAM toothbrushes as they have different stages for their age and also a safeguard to stop them choking by putting the toothbrush too far back" shared parent tester Kelly.

Using the little brush, your child can practise doing their teeth on their own. The soft handle is ergonomically shaped, easy to grip and non-slip. Genius.

Pros: Two toothbrush set, protective shield, toothpaste size guide
Cons: Slightly pricey

Available from: Boots, Amazon and MAM Baby

Toothbrushes for toddlers & children

5. Brush-Baby Wild Ones Sonic Toothbrush, £29.99

– Best long-lasting electric toothbrush

Age suitability: 0-10 years

A popular electric choice for toddlers in our Top Testers Club, this toothbrush comes in a range of colours and characters such as Bearnie the Bear, Mya the Monkey and Holly the Hippo – your child can simply choose their favourite.

The Wild Ones toothbrush lights up which is a great way to keep kids fascinated when cleaning their teeth. It comes with a cable and is rechargeable, with 4 hours of charging the toothbrush has enough power to last up to 28 days. There are also 2 power modes you can choose from when it comes to brushing. You don't need to worry too much if it gets wet either as it's waterproof.

It comes with 2 replacement brush heads, and these should help the brush to last much longer until you have to buy more.

"We like it because "it got a light and it a buzzy brush the same as mummy". I like it because I can change the toothbrush heads as he grows and it cleans his teeth without having to scrub at them which he doesn't like as he's autistic" shared parent tester Zee, who tested this with her 3-year-old.

"I really found it encouraged my 3-year-old and 2-year-old to brush their teeth. Started using them from 1 year old with my eldest. They love the fact it’s an animal and is electric and lights up. Rechargeable which is a bonus as well" said parent tester Bethanie.

Pros: Different character options, rechargeable, lights up
Cons: Having to buy replacement brush head after a while

Available from: Amazon, Brush-Baby and Growing Smiles

6. Colgate Kids Extra Soft Battery Powered Toothbrush, £8

– Best budget electric brush

Age suitable from: 3+ years

It's important that once you start brushing your little one's new teeth, you are careful with their gums. Extra soft bristles are not just effective at cleaning, they're gentle too.

The Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush has a small brush head and, once switched on, the head oscillates to gently clean developing toddler teeth. The slim handle is designed to be easy to grip and it has an on/off button that's easy to press.

Parent tester Andrea commented that this toothbrush is her daughter's favourite as she loves the colour pink!

This toothbrush doesn't come with removable heads, meaning it will only last a few months. It is recommended that you change your child's toothbrush every 3-4 months, or when the bristles start to fray.

Pros: Extra soft bristles, easy to hold
Cons: Quite pricy for a disposable toothbrush

Available from: Boots, Amazon and Superdrug

7. Aquafresh Little Teeth Children's Toothbrush, £2.15

– Best for travel

Age suitability: 3-5 years

Looking after teeth for over 40 years, Aquafresh is a leading brand in oral care and they certainly know how to keep children happy, too.

Once your child reaches their toddler years and wants to practise brushing their own teeth, a fun and engaging toothbrush certainly helps. The Aquafresh Little Teeth toothbrush is made for 3-5 year old kids.

"My 3-year-old loves the different characters and brushes his teeth happily. The dentist seemed pleased with his clean teeth too. I also like how the head of the character is a little travel cap, so helpful if going away" shared parent tester Emma-Jayne.

At this stage, a few extras are very handy – like the gum-friendly flexible neck, the easy-grip handle and a colourful animal clip-on lid. Not only do kids love the little character head that fits on top of their brush, but it also keeps the brush protected from bathroom germs and is great for travel.

"He loves it when he gets a new brush and it's a different animal. We like these as they come with lids for the brush so it's perfect to keep in his bag for preschool for when they brush their teeth after lunch," shared parent tester Lucy who tested this with her 3 year old.

Pros: Different colour options, multi-purpose animal cover clip, fun and engaging
Cons: The animal cover clip can get misplaced

Available from: Boots, Amazon and Wilko

8. Wild & Stone Bamboo Kids Toothbrush, £4.79

– Best for sustainability

Age suitability: 3+ years

If you're looking for a sustainable option for your child then look no further. Wild & Stone toothbrushes are made with 100% certified sustainable bamboo and the packaging consists of a recyclable, plastic-free box – what a great way to introduce environment-friendly products to young children.

You can get a pack of 4 and they come in lots of different, fun colours to appeal to children. The handle is simple in design and easy for small hands to hold.

"We use Wild and Stone bamboo toothbrushes for our boys. They enjoy choosing which colour to have next from the box. I like them as there is much less plastic in the brushes themselves and the packaging is all cardboard so much better for the environment. I can often buy them on offer too!" shared parent tester Sarah.

Pros: Affordable, environmental-friendly, different colour options
Cons: May not be as appealing in design

Available from: Wild & Stone

9. Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush, £40

– Best recommended by dentists

Age suitability: 3+ years

As your baby grows and it's time to move on to a slightly more grown-up toothbrush, the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush is a good start. Recommended by dentists, Oral-B has a fantastic reputation for keeping big and small mouths clean for many years.

The brush includes 4 stickers in a range of different colours and characters that can be applied to the brush handle, including Marvel Spider-Man, Elsa from Frozen 2, Disney characters and more. It includes one extra-soft toothbrush head, which you can buy separately when the head needs replacing.

The toothbrush has 2 modes – a regular and a sensitive mode that gently cleans little teeth. The brush has its own timer built within it, but you can also download the Disney Magic Timer app created by Oral-B to help your child to learn and understand how long they should be brushing for in a fun way. You'll be pleased to know the app is free, too.

"My 3-year-old uses this, the dentist recommended electric for a better clean. He likes Spiderman so it’s a bit more of an incentive to brush and he has an electric brush just like mummy and daddy" shared parent tester Nikki.

Pros: Recommended by dentists, fun character designs, rechargeable
Cons: Slightly pricey

Available from: Boots, Amazon and Oral-B

10. Boots Kids Toothbrush, £1

– Best budget buy

Age suitability: 0-2 years

If you're looking for something simple that does the job then look no further than this Boots Kids toothbrush. It's super affordable at the price of just £1, and has a non-slip grip for little hands to hold on to.

The toothbrush head is small and the bristles are soft – gentle for older babies or toddlers.

Pros: Affordable, easy to use, small brush head
Cons: Limited colour options

Available from: Boots

11. Jack N' Jill Buzzy Brush Electric Musical Toothbrush, £20

– Best musical toothbrush

Age suitability: 3+ years

If you have a child who really is not keen on having their teeth brushed, why not try something completely different – a musical toothbrush?

The Jack N' Jill Buzzy Bush Electrical Musical Toothbrush sings songs to instruct you how to use it, and it's catchy too. There are 3 different audio tracks to select and each track is accompanied by colourful lights. The tracks all have auto turn-off after 2 minutes and memory mode allows you to return to your previously used setting mode.

Made for 3 years and up, it's the right age to engage children in healthy habits. BPA, PVC and Phthalate free, with soft DuPont nylon bristles, it's an extra soft brush. Plus it's made with recyclable materials within the handle of the toothbrush. And if the singing gets too much, you'll be pleased to know there is a silent mode!

Pros: Plays audio tracks, lights up, recyclable
Cons: Requires batteries

Available from: Amazon and Ecco Verde