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Without the right toothpaste, getting toddlers to brush their teeth two times a day can be an epic struggle.
They’ll scream, cry and fight to avoid the taste of toothpaste they hate.
So you have to make sure you get the best toothpaste in flavors that will convince them they want to brush their teeth.
These are our favorite brands and picks.
| Product | Best For | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Orajel My Little Pony | All Round | |
| 2. Tom’s of Main | All Natural | |
| 3. Jack N’ Jill | Organic | |
| 4. Aquafresh Kids | Cavities | |
| 5. NOW XyliWhite | Sensitive Teeth |
*All links above will take you to the latest prices on Amazon or you can read our in-depth toddler toothpaste reviews below.
When Should My Child Start Using Toothpaste?
Brushing their child’s teeth is one of those things parents start to think about long before it happens. You wonder if your child will get the hang of spitting out toothpaste or if they’ll end up swallowing it. Then you start to worry if they do swallow it that they’ll get sick — after all, there are warnings on toothpaste boxes cautioning you not to swallow toothpaste.
But I also didn’t want to introduce my child to brushing their teeth too late — I didn’t want their baby teeth decaying in their mouths.
I asked around and did a little independent research to figure out what the perfect time to introduce teeth brushing was. I found out that you can start encouraging your child to use a toothbrush as early as you want, once they have teeth, of course. When I was a new mom, dentists said fluoride toothpaste shouldn’t be introduced until they turn 3 years old (source).
What Should I Look for In Toddler Toothpaste?
Toothpaste can vary in quality from tube to tube.
There are certain things that you need in a toddler’s toothpaste.
- It should have fluoride: Fluoride can ward off tooth decay, but it shouldn’t be used in a larger amount until your child excels at spitting out the toothpaste they use instead of swallowing it (source). So some parents opt for a non-fluoride toothpaste until they feel their baby can fully spit it out because excess fluoride can lead to white spots on the teeth or darkened enamel if it is swallowed excessively (source).
- Make it a great flavor: The strong minty toothpastes many adults prefer can be enough to make a child feel like their mouth is on fire. Instead of going for that, look for kid-friendly flavors that will make them like brushing their teeth, like bubble gum. The better the flavor tastes to them, the less resistance they’ll give you and the longer they’ll tolerate brushing their teeth in a session.
How Much Toothpaste Should They Use?
As soon as they have teeth, you should start using a smidge of toothpaste — only the size of a grain of rice (source). You don’t want to use more than that until later.
But at age 3, it’s time to ramp it up. Children need to put a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on their bristles — they shouldn’t use more than that. But controlling the amount, even at that age, is really hard for children to grasp in their early days of teeth brushing.
It’s easy for kids to get too carried away when they start applying their toothpaste onto their toothbrushes. They feel the need to put a huge glob on that will cover the entire bristle area. But that’s way too much.
For one thing, it’s difficult for children to control the tube of toothpaste sometimes. It’s new to them so it’s no wonder that they accidentally squeeze too hard sometimes.
To help them learn how much toothpaste they should be using, you need to regulate the squeezing of the tube for a while.
Remember
Be prepared for them to overdo it for the first few days as they learn their own strength. If they get too much and it won’t go back into the tube, just scrape off the extra. It’s better to have that go to waste than to see your child use too much.
Even after you think your child has the hang of how much toothpaste to use, you should still supervise their brushing sessions to make sure they are doing everything right.
You’ll want to check to see that they are spitting out the toothpaste.
After they spit it out, it’s fine to give them a sip of water so they can swish it around their mouth and spit it out again.
You should never give them water until after they spit the first round of toothpaste out though, it makes it too easy for them to accidentally swallow the toothpaste and water mixture. It’s best to get the majority of the toothpaste out of their mouth before you introduce any water, just in case.
The Best Toddler Toothpastes of 2018
Now that you know the safety precautions and exactly what to look for —
Here are our reviews of the top 5 favorite products in 2018:
1. Orajel My Little Pony Fluoride Toothpaste
The fluoride in this toothpaste will help protect your child’s teeth from cavities, which is of great relief to moms who are worried about their kid damaging their teeth and going through the pain and expense of getting the cavities fixed.
This toothpaste should appeal to both little boys and girls because of the My Little Pony theme, which has been a popular kids’ cartoon for generations of children. Seeing those characters on the tube will make the toothpaste tube much more exciting for children. Plus, when they finally stop looking at the tube and starting brushing, they’ll get a fruit flavor that seems to be a crowd pleaser.
The kids should like the pretty blue color of the toothpaste and parents will like the fact that it cleans teeth very well.
PROS
- It’s very affordable.
- The fluoride will protect your child’s teeth well.
- The flavor is good.
- The hole the toothpaste comes out of is big so it is a little harder to control the amount.
- Kids should not swallow this kind of toothpaste.
2. Tom’s of Main Toddlers Natural Toothpaste
This type of toothpaste will keep parents who are seeking natural products happy because it doesn’t contain fluoride, SLS, gluten or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Moms who worry about the ill effects of swallowing toothpaste will be relieved to know that their baby will be perfectly safe if they end up swallowing this toothpaste. The product also isn’t tested on animals.
This is a great starter toothpaste to help children get the hang of brushing and spitting before introducing fluoride toothpaste.
The dispensing top on the toothpaste container helps contain messes so you won’t have to scrape half the tube of toothpaste off your counter.
And while it seems weird that cute little kids can have such bad morning breath at times, toddlers can have foul-smelling mouths in the morning. Even though this toothpaste is a fruit flavor, it helps get rid of the stench.
PROS
- It’s a good option for kids who have rejected other toothpastes.
- It isn’t harmful if swallowed.
- This toothpaste doesn’t contain gluten.
- Some parents said their kids hated the flavor, but other parents said their kids loved it.
- It is a little pricey.
3. Jack N’ Jill Natural Organic Toothpaste
This toothpaste has several organic ingredients, which is important to parents who worry about things like herbicides and pesticides being used to make baby products.
For this toothpaste, all natural ingredients are used so it’s safe to swallow without fear that it will damage your child’s health. There aren’t any preservatives, added color or fluoride. You can tell that no artificial color has been used because this toothpaste is clear.
The tube uses a fliptop container, which is easy for kids to control. It’s a good choice for moms who have had screw-on toothpaste caps go missing in the past when their kids got ahold of them.
This toothpaste even contains organic calendula which can soothe your child’s gums if they poke them too much with their toothbrush or if they are teething.
PROS
- It’s safe to swallow.
- You can tell by one look there is no added color.
- The calendula may take some of the sting out of teething.
- It’s expensive.
- It can be hard to see on the toothbrush because the toothpaste is clear.
4. Aquafresh Kids Pump Cavity Protection Toothpaste
This toothpaste has the teeth-strengthening fluoride that dentists recommend to give your child’s teeth a better chance of staying cavity free. Because it has the same amount of fluoride as an adult toothpaste would have, you can use this type if you don’t want two different tubes on your counter.
Kids won’t care about the protection aspect — they’ll just like the fresh bubble mint flavor of the toothpaste. It tastes like a refreshing bubblegum with just a hint of mint.
The pump stands up, which will keep toothpaste off your bathroom counter. All moms will appreciate that they have less cleaning to do. Dried toothpaste can be hard to scrub off.
Plus, your child will be able to use the pump with ease because it doesn’t require as much dexterity as unscrewing a cap does.
Moms who are on a tight budget will love that this toothpaste isn’t expensive.
PROS
- It’s affordable.
- The dispenser is easy to use and takes up less space on your counter.
- It won’t get toothpaste on your counter since it’s upright.
- Some small kids might not like the mint flavor.
- Some parents said the container takes more force to operate after a while.
5. NOW XyliWhite Bubblegum Splash Toothpaste Gel
This toothpaste will give your toddler a gentle clean that their sensitive teeth will appreciate. There are few things worse as a parent than seeing something that is supposed to protect your child cause them pain. But sensitive teeth are painful for an adult to deal with — let alone a kid.
The toothpaste doesn’t contain gluten and it is naturally sweetened, which is good news for parents who are concerned about their child’s sugar intake.
There is no fluoride or sodium lauryl sulfate in this toothpaste, which can be two additives some parents don’t like to see in their child’s toothpaste when they are still so young and their spitting skills are iffy.
The bubblegum flavor is usually a big crowd pleaser. And as long as their children are happy with the flavor, moms will be too — anything that gets our children brushing is okay by us.
PROS
- It’s affordable.
- Parents swear by the cavity protection this toothpaste offers.
- There is no sugar in it.
- It’s hard to push out of the dispenser when it gets to be about half empty.
- It’s a fairly thin toothpaste, which makes it a bit messy.
My Favorite Is …
If you want to go with the professionals’ recommendations to use fluoride, my favorite pick is the Orajel.
The fun characters on the bottle make brushing teeth fun for kids and they get cavity protection at the same time. The fruit flavor is good and the toothpaste is affordable, which is nice for moms who are strapped for cash because of all the other expenses associated with parenthood.
Whichever toothpaste you choose, just remember to supervise your young children as they master this lifelong habit.
*Original article online, Updated at https://momlovesbest.com/health/baby-care/toothpaste-for-toddlers
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