Looking for a kids’ electric toothbrush? Even when you’re all grown up, you may not actually have fun brushing your teeth. So try to remember back when you were a kid. Brushing your teeth was BORING. Yet it’s still necessary to teach your kids about good healthcare, including brushing twice a day.

Any kids’ toothbrush will surely try to do the job, but an electric toothbrush may make it easier and more fun for your kids to get brushing regularly. Most have a built-in timer so your kids know when to stop. Plus they often come in fun colours, which may feel more fun too. Here’s the lowdown on kids’ electric toothbrushes.

Are electric toothbrushes ok to use on children’s teeth?

The top factor to consider when choosing a toothbrush for your kid is whether it’s safe for their teeth. Fortunately, clinical evidence shows children’s electric toothbrushes are typically safe and offer the same benefits as traditional brushing, like plaque removal.

Kids and adults alike can struggle to clean their mouths effectively with a manual brush. Electric toothbrushes tend to have angled heads to better clean hard-to-reach areas.

Also, the hand-motion necessary to use a manual toothbrush properly may be difficult for your kids. Electric toothbrushes essentially replicate the action required to clean teeth properly, so they don’t have to worry about it. Thanks to benefits like these, the British Dental Association even recommends children use electric toothbrushes.

At what age can a child use an electric toothbrush?

Stick to manual brushes for babies and toddlers. For electric brushes, wait until your child is at least three. Before that, brush your kid’s teeth using a baby toothbrush with extra-soft bristles and a smaller head, to make brushing as comfy as possible for your little one.

After they turn three, you can give your kid their own electric toothbrush. Just supervise them at first to ensure they’re using it properly. Once you’re confident in their brushing skills, they should get in the habit of brushing once in the morning and once before bedtime.

Can I use an electric toothbrush on a baby?

It’s best to wait until your child is three before introducing an electric toothbrush, for a few reasons.

First off, the whirring sound of an electric toothbrush might unsettle a baby and make brushing more difficult. Second, if the baby were to bite on the electric toothbrush, it could result in an injury because of their soft gums.

How should you brush a baby’s teeth?

Dentists recommend you start brushing a baby’s teeth as soon as their first tooth appears. However, you can use a piece of gauze or a clean wet cloth to clean the first few baby teeth at first.

Once baby’s close to two years old, you can introduce the concept of spitting the toothpaste out. But in all baby-brushing cases, use a tiny amount of toothpaste and thoroughly clean each tooth to get rid of all the plaque. Follow these steps:

1. Set baby on your lap and rest their head against your chest before brushing.
2. Squeeze a very small amount of toothpaste – no larger than a grain of rice – onto the baby toothbrush. When your child turns three, then they can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
3. Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush each tooth slowly and methodically. Brush both the back and the front of the teeth using a circular motion. And encourage your little tyke to take over brushing their teeth once their ready. (Remember: some kids will learn more quickly than others – and that’s ok!)
4. Dentists recommend you encourage your kids to spit out toothpaste when they turn two; that’s when they start to understand the concept. And once they learn, you can increase the amount of toothpaste they use.

What’s the best electric toothbrush for kids?

Here are some of the best rechargeable electric toothbrushes for kids:

Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush

Oral-B is a name famous for dental care. Their kids’ electric toothbrush features a small brush head that’s the perfect size for a child’s mouth. It’s among the best electric toothbrushes for kids, thanks to the extra soft bristles.

The handle is ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into a child’s hand. Each brush also features a two-minute timer, to help kids brush for as long as recommended. These are inexpensive toothbrushes, so it’s a good idea to change them every 4-5 months.

Philips Sonicare for Kids

This brush is great if you want a high-tech option for your kid. It’s got lights and sounds and definitely makes brushing more fun. It’s also encourages good dental habits, with its kidpacer timer. It allows you to set the time accordingly to encourage children to focus on brushing their teeth properly.  

Sonicare also features changeable brush heads, so instead of purchasing a new brush every time, you can just pick up a new set of heads. Another feature your kid may love is the Bluetooth connectivity option. This allows you to sync the brush to your phone, to let your kid play games through an app while brushing.

Brusheez Kids Electric Toothbrush Set

Brusheez Kids Electric Toothbrush is super popular among young kids, thanks to its sweet animal-themed design. This set comes with a two-minute timer. Brusheez boasts this brush can remove more than twice the plaque than a standard toothbrush does.

Thanks to the charger’s smart design, kids are encouraged to keep their brushing equipment organized. The toothbrush also comes with a replaceable front-head to use when the original gets old. As a parent, you can see your kid’s progress with the fun-to-use brushing chart that comes with the stand.

Make brushing fun for your kid

Even if you buy the greatest brush for your kids, it doesn’t mean they’ll always enjoy using it. So in addition to choosing a fun toothbrush and yummy toothpaste, you may have to find a few ways to make brushing more enjoyable for them.

Brush together

One of the best ways to get children to enjoy brushing is doing it alongside them. Kids are more likely to do something if they see their parents doing it too. Make brushing teeth a family activity.

Add music

Music lifts everyone’s mood! So playing it while your kids brush their teeth might make it more fun for your kids – not to mention, yourself! Play their favorite song when it’s time to brush their teeth or choreograph an entire dance routine to go with it!

Reward them for good habits

Rewarding your kids for good behavior isn’t a bad thing. Get creative and design (or find on Pinterest!) a brushing chart for your kids. Whenever they do a good job brushing, they get to put stickers on their chart and maybe earn prizes for their efforts.

Getting into a good brushing routine for your kids takes time and patience, regardless of which kind of brush you give them. But establishing good care from a young age can help ensure your kids won’t have to make frequent visits to the dentist. Find a dentist near you for consultation on good brushing etiquette. After all, good dental hygiene is a smart idea at every age.