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It’s an exciting time when your little one’s first tooth starts to appear. Baby teeth can pop up as early as 6 months old, so it’s important to care for them as early as possible. Some baby toothbrushes resemble adult toothbrushes, while others are geared for teething or fit on the finger for easy use. Regardless of toothbrush design, the best baby toothbrushes are soft, easy to use, and withstand the gnawing of tiny pearly whites. To find the best baby toothbrushes and learn more about oral health for babies, we spoke to several pediatric dentists and researched guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). A board-certified family physician on our Review Board also reviewed this article for medical accuracy and integrity surrounding what to look for in baby toothbrushes, as well as when and how often to use them. In addition, we tested 16 top-rated electric toothbrushes for kids with the help of 12 parenting editors and their children. We asked our parenting editors to have their children use the toothbrushes independently, when applicable, for an initial two months, providing feedback on how the toothbrushes worked and held up over time. We kept this guidance in mind when researching dozens of baby toothbrushes on the market and considered their design, age recommendations, ease of use, effectiveness, quality, and overall value. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Best Budget: Best Fingertip Brush: Best Triple Angle: Best for Teething: Best Electric: Best for Toddlers: Best for Baby to Handle: In This Article Our Picks How We Selected and Tested Our Experts What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Verywell Family Pros Soft and chewable Great for teething Dishwasher, freezer, and sterilizer safe Cons Odd shape makes brushing difficult The Brilliant Baby Buddy Baby’s First Teether-Brush is our top pick because it doubles as a teether and a toothbrush. Made of BPA-free food-grade silicone, this baby toothbrush is virtually indestructible and ideal for gentle brushing. The Baby Buddy is for babies 4 months old and up because the soft silicone bristles make it useful before those teeth start to show. You can freeze it, throw it in the dishwasher, and even pop it into a bottle sterilizer if you need a quick cleanse. Pros Oval shape Soft bristles Easy-to-grip handle Cons No colors/patterns While it's important to give your baby the best start possible when it comes to oral health, that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money on a toothbrush. The RADIUS Pure Brush is a basic toothbrush that's just the right size for little mouths. The soft bristles are vegetable-based nylon, and the brush is dye-free and BPA-free, so you can feel confident it's a solid choice to care for your baby's teeth. Plus, the tapered handle makes it easy for tiny hands to hold by themselves. Pros Double-sided design Food-grade silicone Storage stand included Cons Difficult to clean tongue With this type of two-sided brush, you can use your finger to gently rub along your baby’s gums and emerging teeth for a thorough clean. A fingertip brush is also great for getting your baby used to a mouth-cleaning routine. We love FridaBaby’s fingertip brush for its durability and BPA-free, food-grade silicone construction. Pros Cleans all sides at once Time-to-toss indicator Soft bristles Cons Doesn't clean tongue A triple-angle toothbrush is unique because it cleans all sides at once (almost like a hug to the teeth). One of our favorite features of the FridaBaby Triple-Angle Toothhugger is its time-to-toss indicator, where blue bristles in the middle of the brush turn white so you know when to replace the brush. Kids 2 years old and up will love the fun color options and soft round bristles that feel gentle against the teeth. Plus, your toddler will get a kick out of “brushing” their teeth all by themselves with this brush, and you’ll love that they're learning good hygiene habits at a young age. They can even set the toothbrush upright independently, thanks to a suction cup on the bottom of the brush. The Best Toothpastes for Toddlers, According to Dentists Who Are Moms Pros Soft and flexible Effortless to hold Two-in-one design Cons Collects fuzz/debris easily The Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush doubles as a teether and toothbrush. The best part about this brush is that your baby can brush all by themselves, promoting hand-eye coordination and good hygiene. This ingenious product is just right for little hands to grasp easily, and its gentle silicone bristles bring relief to sore gums while still brushing them clean. The Best Baby Teethers for Soothing Your Little One's Sore Gums Pros Toothbrush head lights up Pulse reminders to move to different areas Two-minute timer Cons Cannot turn off light We love how easy the Papablic Baby Electric Toothbrush is to use for littles. A 2-year-old was able to turn the toothbrush on by himself immediately. The toothbrush comes with two heads, one for newborns to 18 months and another for 18 months to 3 years. Unfortunately, the brush head sometimes dislodged when kiddos brushed or bit down on the head, so parents had to lock it back into place. Moreover, the bristles started prematurely fraying after about one month of use and lots of biting from kids. One of our favorite features of this baby toothbrush is its two-minute timer. The brush’s head lights up and turns off after two minutes, so kids brush the recommended time to get their teeth clean. However, the light was somewhat of a distraction for excited toddlers who preferred playing with the light over brushing their teeth. On the other hand, the toothbrush pulses every 30 seconds to let kids (and parents) know when it’s time to move to another area of the mouth. Overall, we appreciate this kid-friendly feature to make brushing teeth fun. The Best Electric Toothbrushes for Kids, Tested on Our Own Children’s Pearly Whites Pros Four toothbrushes Multiple color and set size options Stand for all brushes included Cons Sometimes difficult to put brushes back into stand If you're looking to purchase a toothbrushing set that will last from infancy to toddlerhood, you'll love the Nûby 4 Stage Oral Care System. It comes with four brushes: a soft, silicone fingertip brush that you can use right from birth and three additional brushes for the different stages of teething. The first brush is great for when babies start teething and helps littles get used to the feeling of a toothbrush in their mouth while working on their grip. As your baby's teething process continues, the additional brushes will provide much-needed relief from sore gums—you can even pop them in the refrigerator to increase their comfort. Pros Handle is easy to hold Two brushes included Small brush head Cons Difficult to turn on The Dada-Tech electric toothbrush has lots of features we love, like its multiple small brush heads sized suitably for small mouths, an anti-slip handle for a solid grip, and a smart timer for a full two-minute brush. Unfortunately, the toothbrush was off to a rough start with inserting the battery. You have to take off the bottom cap and undo a tiny screw each time you need to replace the battery. We also encountered issues with turning the toothbrush on. Pressing the on/off button once turns on the brush head’s light but not the actual toothbrush. Instead, you have to press the on/off button twice in order to turn the brush on for brushing. On the other hand, we were pleasantly surprised with how durable the toothbrush is against repeated drops to the floor by kids. Bonus: This set includes two toothbrushes; one for newborns to age 3 and another for ages 3 and up. Pros Toothbrush and teether Wide, ergonomic handle Multiple colors Cons Bristles should not be chewed on If you’re looking for a baby toothbrush that's super easy for little hands to hold, try this uniquely shaped brush from Ecovona. It has a wide, ergonomic handle with a hole in the middle, making it just right for tiny fingers. We love that it features a two-in-one design; the top of the toothbrush cleans teeth, while the bottom of the handle doubles as a teether. The 7 Best Teething Biscuits of 2024, According to a Dietitian In order to find the best baby toothbrushes, we researched more than 50 products available on the market, spoke to parents and medical professionals, and reviewed guidance from top professional associations. We started our research by reviewing guidelines from the AAP, ADA, and AAPD on oral health for babies, like when should you start brushing a baby’s teeth, how often, and the best toothbrushes to use for babies. Moreover, we monitored shopping trends to bring you the best and most up-to-date offerings and researched reviews from customers and competitors. We considered design, age recommendations, material, ease of use, and overall value when reviewing products. We also tested 16 top-rated electric toothbrushes for kids with the help of 12 parenting editors and their children. We also consulted with pediatric dentists to find out more about good oral health and what to look for in a toothbrush for kids. During our test, parenting editors examined each toothbrush's battery type, ease of use, handle, and more. We asked them to set up each toothbrush according to the manufacturer’s instructions and then teach their child how to use the toothbrush so they could use it independently and properly. Kids used the electric toothbrushes for an initial two months, with parenting editors providing feedback on what they and their children thought of the product and if it improved brushing habits. Do I need to brush my infant's gums before they have teeth? Waiting for your baby to erupt teeth is an exciting time, but many parents and caregivers don't realize they should actually start brushing early. According to the American Dental Association, you'll want to clean your baby's mouth beginning directly after birth. While this doesn't mean you need to add toothpaste and an actual toothbrush before they have teeth, you do want to care for their gums. Take a fingertip toothbrush or washcloth to simply rub their gums before the first tooth erupts. Once a tooth appears, decay can begin forming if the mouth is not properly cleaned. How often should I brush my infant's teeth? Once baby's first tooth erupts, you'll want to start brushing twice a day, every day. When that first tooth comes in, decay is a possibility, so cleaning the teeth twice a day ensures healthy dental hygiene. You'll need to brush baby's teeth with a fluoride toothpaste once after breakfast and just before they go to bed. You want their toothbrush to be the last thing to touch their teeth at night. You'll want to use a rice-sized amount of toothpaste on your child's brush until they turn three. Too much toothpaste can lead to fluorosis, a condition that can permanently stain teeth by forming pits and spots on teeth. Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer, enthusiastic shopper, and devoted mom. She spent several years in broadcast journalism but found her true passion in writing about the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. She’s researched thousands of baby products, toys, gifts, and more and personally tested many of them. In her spare time, you’ll likely find her in the beautiful outdoors of Oklahoma with her husband and 3-year-old son. When her kiddo's teeth first started popping up, she opted for the Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush. She loved the two-in-one design, soft silicone, and how cute her baby looked gnawing on a tiny banana. The 31 Best Infant Toys of 2024 to Help Babies Discover the World Around Them Why We Recommend It
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How We Selected and Tested the Baby Toothbrushes
Our Experts
What to Look for in a Baby Toothbrush
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Trust Verywell Family