Looking for infant, toddler, or child dental recommendations like the best toothbrush for babies, toothpaste for kids who hate toothpaste, or what to use to clean a baby's mouth? Maybe you’re wondering about baby dental care products in general. So many parents reach out to me across my social media platforms and ask what dental products are best to use for their children and what products dentists recommend for children. I’ve compiled below a list of my favorites! You’ll find at the end of the post several of my YouTube videos that can help guide you with brushing your infant or toddler’s teeth both before teeth come in and after.
Dental Hygiene Tools for Infants – Dr. M's Favorite Toothbrush for Babies
Below are some of my favorite products for cleaning a baby’s mouth (gums, tongue, and cheeks) before teeth come in. Please note that toothpaste is not necessary for a baby before their teeth come in, you can just use water!
- Washcloths for wiping gums, tongue, and inner cheeks
- Dental sponges for wiping gums, tongue, and inner cheeks
- Silicone finger brush for stimulating the gums
- Banana brush for stimulating the gums
- Oral B 0-3 Winnie the Pooh toothbrush is my go-to once the first tooth arrives!
Bath time can be a great time to begin introducing the baby to an oral hygiene routine. Don’t forget a little bathtub insert to help them sit up and a memory foam bath mat to protect your knees.
Dental Hygiene Tools for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Next, I’ll share some of my favorite products for toddlers and preschoolers. Please note that toothpastes containing SLS are fine, they’re just well-known, so I don’t emphasize them here. Children who find regular paste too foamy or “spicy” or who get frequent mouth ulcers may be sensitive to SLS, so going SLS-free will often solve that problem.
- Oral B 0-3 Winnie the Pooh toothbrush
- Triple-sided toothbrush by Surround (my preference)
- Triple-angled toothbrush by Fridababy
- Tanner’s Tasty Paste (vanilla, chocolate, or orange – SLS free)
- Hello blue raspberry, bubblegum, grape, or strawberry toothpaste (SLS free)
- Flavorless toothpaste from Dr. Bob (SLS free)
- Fruit-flavored floss picks
- A mess-free toothpaste dispenser cap
- And don’t forget a step stool so they can see themselves in the mirror and a faucet cover to protect their teeth from falls in the tub!
Dental Hygiene Tools for Elementary-Aged Children
For older children, the fun toothpastes shared above are still fantastic (truth be told, teens and adults can use them, too!) Some products I love for elementary-aged children are:
- Colgate hum manual toothbrush (a great guided app experience for children learning to brush)
- Xylitol gum can be a great habit to introduce after eating foods that typically stick in the teeth for long periods of time (e.g. crackers – you can also try these Whisps as cracker alternatives)
- Basic Bites are a great after-brushing treat that’s good for teeth (sugar-free and has arginine, calcium, and xylitol)
- SuperTeeth probiotics can help promote optimal oral health and may lower the risk of cavities, bad breath, and gingivitis. I'm an affiliate and you can get 10% off with code “themamadentist”!
- For their first electric brush, I love the Oral B 6+ toothbrush
- They can begin to use mouthwash once they’re spitting, which is around age 6, and my favorite brand is ACT kids.
- Once their permanent teeth come in, be sure to add Save-A-Tooth to your emergency kit in case a tooth is knocked out and needs to be stored until it can be put back in
I hope these recommendations were helpful! If you’re looking for even more ideas, check out the Idea Lists on my Amazon Storefront.
Did you know that the AAPD recommends a child's first dental visit occur within six months of their first tooth coming in or by their first birthday, whichever is earliest? If you need helping finding a pediatric dentistnear you, look here! Both the AAPD and the ABPD offer locators by zipcode.
Brushing Baby's Teeth
