Kid-Tested Electric Toothbrushes They'll Look Forward to Using Twice a Day (2024)

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If there’s anything kids of all ages need help with, it’s certainly cleaning, especially when it comes to brushing their teeth. One way of giving them a boost may be to switch them from a manual to an electric toothbrush. And since there are so many kids’ electric toothbrushes out there, making so many promises of effectiveness and engagement, we decided to test these brushes out on our own children at home.

While it is certainly possible for children to care for their teeth with a manualbrush, Cindy Roark, D.M.D., MS, senior vice president and chief clinical officer at Sage Dental, is clear on the benefits of electric toothbrushes: “Electric toothbrushes are infinitely better than manual ones,” she tells Parents. “It simply is not possible to manually brush with 30,000-40,000 brush strokes per minute.”

She adds that it’s the amount of time brushing where electric toothbrushes really shine. According to Dr. Roark, the average time most people brush with a manual toothbrush is only 45 seconds, while most electric brushes have an automatic two-minute timer—plus more cleaning power to the teeth. “More time = more plaque removal,” she says.

To help ensure your kids’ teeth stay healthy and rock the pearliest whites they can, we had our kids test 16 different electric toothbrushes. We looked at features such as how easy the brushes were to use, battery type, effectiveness, and any extras the brush came with, like lights and timers. We also tracked how well the toothbrushes held up over several months, so we could recommend a toothbrush that didn’t fall apart after a few initial uses. Whether you have a younger child who loves to chomp on bristles or an older one who needs extra motivation to brush every morning and night, our testing results can help you make the right decision.

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Our Favorites

Best Overall: Colgate Hum Kids Smart Battery Powered Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: This toothbrush came in with high marks for how easy it is to use and for the accompanying app that lets kids play an interactive game to get rid of “monsters” in their mouth and earn incentives and rewards—all while parents can track brushing data.

But Take Note: The app uses your phone’s camera to “look” in your child’s mouth, so it might require a few tries to get the hang of it.

How good is this brush? Well, one parent on our staff dubbed it “life-changing” after she and her son went from arguing about brushing his teeth every day to now looking forward to it.

That dramatic transformation is no doubt due to the Hum’s many kid-approved features, like its bright colors and design, a larger base handle that makes it easy to hold, and of course the game-like live app that peers into your child’s mouth to help them interactively ward off the monsters lurking, just waiting to cause cavities.

We found the app simple enough for kids to use on their own, though you might have to guide them the first few times. Just aim the phone toward the mouth on the included stand and the app guides them to chase down the monsters. Once they get them all, they are rewarded with incentives, stickers, and even the chance to take a smiling selfie to show off their new pearly whites.

The brush also comes with a built-in two-minute timer, tongue cleaner, and soft bristles to prevent gum damage. We admit that we were initially hesitant about needing an app for a twice-daily routine, but then we realized how much stress we eliminated with just two minutes of screen time. Even our kid's dentist was happy about us making the switch to a Hum.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 5 years and up
  • Battery: 2 AAA batteries (included)
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Easiest to Use: Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: We appreciate the textured grip for smaller hands, plus, it comes with its own charger, so you never run out of batteries.

But Take Note: The Oral-B, while giving an effective clean, definitely isn’t as fun as the gamified Hum.

The Oral-B electric toothbrushes are the brand I bought for my entire family for two reasons:

  1. They’re rechargeable with an included wall charger.
  2. You can subscribe to Oral-B electric toothbrush replacement heads on Amazon, so I get a fresh delivery every three months that reminds me to change everyone’s toothbrush heads.

And in testing we further confirmed that aside from pure convenience and the trusted name of Oral-B, this is also a kid-friendly toothbrush.

We found that this brush was intuitive, even for kids to use. We were also pleased with how well the brush cleaned our kid’s teeth over a manual toothbrush—which after all, is the whole point, right? This wasn’t the most exciting toothbrush in the bunch, but bottom line: It gets the job done. We were also happy that its performance held up after several months of use.

“My son doesn't have a lot of patience for teeth brushing, and I'm confident that this electric toothbrush is doing a better job cleaning his teeth than a manual brush,” our editor parent said during testing.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 3 years and up
  • Battery: Wall charger (included)

Best Clean: Philips Sonicare Kids Rechargeable Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: This Bluetooth-enabled brush has an app that, while not as cool as the live-action Hum brush, still coaches kids through the brushing process and gives them digital rewards for completing their oral care routine.

But Take Note: Setting up the app for the first time can be kind of a pain. Be prepared to answer a lot of strangely personal questions for a toothbrush.

There’s a lot we loved about this toothbrush: It’s well-made, comes with a charging base unit that doesn’t require any batteries to swap out, and has the option of using the app for bonus incentives. While the app is cool, it is worth noting that not all of our kids kept up with the app; sometimes you just want to brush your teeth and not make a production of it.

That being said, the brush does have some cool built-in features. For instance, the brush has a built-in two-minute timer that emits a tone halfway through to let kids know it’s time to switch sides of their mouths. We did find that this may not be the best electric toothbrush to introduce to a very young child right off the bat—it’s strong, so it can be a bit much if it’s your child’s first time going electric. But as longtime fans of the grown-up Sonicare brushes, we know this is one of your best bets for a really effective clean that isn’t too harsh on teeth and gums.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: Not specified
  • Battery: Charging base
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Best for Brush Chompers: Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: It’s rechargeable with an included wall charger and has a special pressure sensor that will light up if your child is pressing too hard.

But Take Note: While the toothbrush itself is pretty budget-friendly for an electric brush with a sensor, the replacement heads can be on the pricier side.

While not all electric toothbrushes—especially those designed for kids—offer pressure sensors, this Oral-B does.

When activated by your child pushing too hard to brush, the pressure sensor will light up, alerting both of you that it’s time to back off the pressure a bit. And according to pediatric dentist Sabrina Magid-Katz, D.M.D., of Advanced Dentistry of Westchester in New York, this can be a very helpful feature. Not only does this help decrease wear and tear on the toothbrush, saving you money, but it also helps protect your child’s gum and teach healthy brushing habits.

We also found the built-in two-minute timer to be an additional helpful coaching tool. “Bedtime is crazy enough with kids, and it's really nice to have this ‘coaching’ my daughter with her brushing,” our editor parent noted during testing. “It takes some of the work off of me having to watch over her to make sure she is brushing long enough. Her brushing time before was very fast, and her idea of ‘two minutes’ equaled about 10 seconds, so I was constantly sending her back in for additional brushing time before this brush!”

Though it’s priced higher than some of the other brushes on this list, the pressure sensor may actually make it last longer (or at least make the brushes hold up for the recommended time). Overall, we found this to be a high-quality toothbrush that’s worth the price.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: Not listed
  • Battery: Wall charger (included)
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Best Budget: Colgate Kids Battery Powered Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: This toothbrush is affordable, simple to use, and small. Plus, it comes with a bunch of different character options.

But Take Note: It’s battery-powered and doesn’t have a replacement head, so eventually, you’ll need to toss the entire toothbrush.

If you’re looking for a great starter electric toothbrush, this one won’t require a big investment. We found it’s especially ideal for toddlers, thanks to the small size, relatively quiet noise level, gentle vibration, and of course, all those cool character options, like Batman, Bluey, or a magical unicorn. Eventually, we would recommend upgrading to a more advanced electric toothbrush, but it’s a good way to introduce your child to a toothbrush that turns on, vibrates, and shuts off.

It can also be useful if you’re traveling and still want the convenience of some electrical power to brush your kid’s teeth at their grandparents’ house, in a hotel, or wherever you happen to be, without packing a more expensive toothbrush.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 3 years and up
  • Battery: 1 AA battery (included)

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Best Soft Bristles: Burst BURSTkids Sonic Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: This brush comes with a “burst” of bright colors, has a large, easy-grip handle, and super soft bristles that avoid damaging gums.

But Take Note: The charging base doesn’t come with a cord, so you’ll need a USB compatible-charging wall adapter and cord.

We loved this toothbrush—and so did our kids. (CoComelon lovers, beware: there’s even a CoComelon-themed brush!)In testing, we found the kids were drawn to the bright colors of this brush, along with the button that let them turn on the vibrations. The waterproof, silicone handle stays grippy in the hands of enthusiastic brushers. And if they forget to put it on the charging base, the built-in batteries ensure it can still be used for up to 30 days from a single charge.

We also found that kids might need a little help pushing the buttons of this brush off initially, but they’ll catch on quickly. It also has a two-minute timer, and you can sign up for the burst subscription plan to have new toothbrush heads sent your way every 12 weeks, so you don’t forget to keep them changed. And of course, we can’t forget to mention the extra-soft, tapered bristles,—they’re specially designed to keep kids’ teeth and gums safe.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 3 years and up
  • Battery: Battery-powered with USB charging base (USB plug not included)
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Best for Busy Parents: Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: It’s a great size and vibration strength for tweens, and the subscription option means parents don’t have to remember when to buy new brush heads or batteries.

But Take Note: You’ll need to eventually swap out that AA, which feels wasteful when there are rechargeable options.

We loved that this toothbrush came completely ready to go, with no set-up or complicated instructions required. It was only the perfect size for older kids entering preteen territory and still offered some bright colors, so it’s not some boring adult toothbrush. In testing, we found that its vibrations were gentler than those of the Sonicare, which can be a good thing if your kid isn’t quite a fan of that sensation. We’re not sure if that means it’s less effective than other brushes, but truly the best toothbrush is the one your child will use at least twice a day.

You’re supposed to be able to unstick the brush holder (it can attach to your mirror), then restick it again, but we found that the sticky factor definitely didn’t hold up when we tried to re-attach the toothbrush after traveling. Instead, you may have to resort to a regular old toothbrush cup. In long-term testing, we were happy to sign up for Quip’s subscription service, so we could receive a new brush head and battery every three months. As busy parents, it’s never easy to keep track of those details!

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 3 years and up
  • Battery: 1 AA battery (included)
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Best for Younger Kids: DADA-TECH Baby Electric Toothbrush

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Why We Like It: Unlike any of the other toothbrushes on our list, this one can be used for toddlers as young as 12 months old in the “massage” mode, one of three different modes offered.

But Take Note: We didn’t quite understand the purpose of the light that’s activated on the first touch of a button—you’ll have to push it twice to actually start the brush.

Designed with younger kids in mind, this toothbrush set comes with two different brush sizes and three different modes: a cleaning mode for kids 7-12 years old, a soft mode for 3-6 years old, and a massage mode for toddlers 12 months old and up, which we really appreciated. We also liked that the brush was simple enough that even a toddler could use it.One slight puzzle, however, was that the first push of the button turns on a light that seems unnecessary, and you have to push it again to turn on the brush all the way. But, as another plus, the whole toothbrush is waterproof, so you can get your child started on brushing habits right in the shower or tub.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 12 months and up
  • Battery: 1 AAA rechargeable battery (not included)

Best Extras: Brusheez Kids Electric Toothbrush Set

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Why We Like It: Kids can choose from a variety of friendly creatures with this toothbrush set, and you get some helpful extras, like a brush cover, rinse cup, brush chart, and stand that can be wall-mounted or countertop.

But Take Note: The two AA batteries you need to run this bad boy are not included. We also weren’t a huge fan of the fact that the timer is located on the base and not the actual brush.

The Brusheez is a popular kids’ toothbrush, primarily for its friendly design and convenient extras, but despite the “fun factor” of the brush, it still has some drawbacks. For instance, we didn’t love the external timer or the fact that it doesn’t come with batteries.

As far as wins, we did find the toothbrush handle comfortable for kids to hold and head to be just the right size for kids’ mouths. We also like the fact that kids can choose from non-traditional creature design options, like a shark, alligator, elephant, and a llama. The fact that it comes with one replacement head is a nice bonus too, since remembering to order new ones can be a hard habit to adjust to. Overall, the brush was simple and straightforward to use and for the price point, it’s a great toothbrush that most kids will love.

The Details:

  • Recommended age: 3 years and up
  • Battery: 2 AA batteries (not included)
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Our Testing Method

Fifteen real-life parents on our staff took 16 electric toothbrushes home to our young children. With the advice of dentist Marc Schlenoff, D.D.S., fa*gD,vice president of clinical development at Tend Dental, we developed a methodology to test each brush, looking at:

  • Ease of setup, especially if it involved an app
  • Ease of use for kids and adults
  • How well it cleaned
  • What extras it included, like a timer or a sensor
  • Overall quality and value, compared to price

We also interviewed Cindy Roark, D.M.D., the senior vice president and chief clinical officer at Sage Dental, and Sabrina Magid-Katz, D.M.D., pediatric dentist at Advanced Dentistry of Westchester in New York, to glean more in-depth expert insight into the safety and effectiveness of electric toothbrushes for kids.

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We Also Tested

The toothbrushes listed above were our favorites, but we also tested three additional toothbrushes that, ultimately, we decided not to recommend. If they’re on your list to check out, here’s why they didn’t make the cut.

  • Spinbrush Electric Toothbrush: We felt this option is basically a manual toothbrush that vibrates a little. If you’re going to go electric, it’s probably worth your time and money to buy one that will deliver a more effective clean.
  • Papablic Baby Electric Toothbrush: We found that the separate light button on the brush was way too distracting for a toddler.
  • Oral-B Kids Battery Toothbrush: This toothbrush had several cons, including being too loud, having buttons that were too difficult to press for young fingers, and bristles that didn’t even spin. Again, this one functioned more like a manual toothbrush masquerading as electric.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Electric Toothbrush

Ease of Use

Especially for young children or any children with dexterity issues, finding a toothbrush that’s easy to use is important. If the buttons are too hard to press,they can’t shut it off on their own, or it’s too large or too small for their hands, it’s not a good brush for kids. The whole point of an electric toothbrush for a child is to make your life easier, not harder. (Aside from the obvious oral health, of course!)

Timers and Sensors

We included information on which toothbrushes have built-in timers to help kids reach the American Dental Association’s (ADA) recommended two-minute brush time, as well as considerations on additional sensors, like brushes that alert if you’re brushing too hard, all of which can help guide your decision-making.

Dr. Magid-Katz notes that electric toothbrushes with features like a timer can help get kids excited about brushing, “which is a win for everyone,” she adds.

Apps and Games

Added apps and games can motivate kids who hate brushing, but they also have the bonus of instructing kids how to brush too. You might think tooth-brushing is pretty straightforward, but one 2019 poll found that even one-third of adults brush their teeth incorrectly, so extra coaching can be helpful. However, sometimes straightforward is best, and if your kid is the type to get distracted by too much going on, you may want to skip the apps and games.

Battery Type

Do you want an electric toothbrush with its own built-in charger, or do you not mind changing batteries every now and then? Battery-powered toothbrushes can be taken on the go more easily, but the battery compartment can also break or lose parts, so consider what makes the most sense for you.

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How to Use Electric Toothbrushes Safely

The ADA does say that powered electric toothbrushes are both safe and effective. Plus, it specifically explains that electric toothbrushes may be especially helpful for people with dexterity challenges, including children, anyone with a disability, and those who have braces.

The ADA also has a Seal of Acceptance for electric toothbrushes that the organization has found to be safe and effective, so you can look for a toothbrush for your child with the ADA Seal to be extra cautious.

Dr. Magid-Katz recommends the following tips for using an electric toothbrush safely with kids:

  • Check the age recommendation before using. Most electric toothbrushes can be used starting around the age of 3, but some models start for ages 7 and up.
  • Always supervise your child when using an electric toothbrush. According to Dr. Magid-Katz, parents should help brush until their child is at least 7 years of age and can routinely tie their own shoes.
  • Make sure the bristles are soft or extra-soft. “Any brush can do damage if the bristles are too firm or you’re pushing too hard,” points out Dr. Magid-Katz.
  • Mix it up. If your child is pushing too hard, she also suggests holding the toothbrush with two fingers or using your opposite hand to hold the brush. (This tip also applies to adults and to manual toothbrushes!)
  • Technique matters. Although Dr. Magid-Katz explains that technique isn’t as crucial with an electric brush as it is with a manual toothbrush, it still matters. She recommends the following technique: Slowly walk the brush along where the gums meet the teeth and let the electric toothbrush do the work. Next, make sure the brush reaches the cheek, tongue, and chewing surfaces of each tooth. “It can’t clean what it doesn’t touch,” she says
  • Let your child ease in with a new brush. “Let them try it themselves before you brush for them,” suggests Dr. Magid-Katz. If the brush has different modes, start with gentle vibration and work your way up slowly over time.
  • Focus on bedtime cleaning. If your child hates brushing, Dr. Magid-Katzrecommends focusing on the evening routine, as “a thorough cleaning is most important at night before bed.” (Hey, she gets it!)
  • Communicate with your dentist and dental hygienist. Added a new brush or routine? Speak up about it, Dr. Magid-Katz says. “They can give you feedback as to how well it’s working and if your child has more or less build-up than the previous visit,” she adds.

And last but not least, Dr. Magid-Katz recommends never forcing a fancy-schmancy toothbrush on your child.

“No matter how ‘good’ the toothbrush is, it won’t work if the child refuses to use it,” she explains. “No one wants to make the daily routine harder. You don’t want to discourage brushing altogether.”

Your Questions, Answered

Do dentists recommend electric toothbrushes for kids?

Pediatric dentists do recommend electric toothbrushes for children, primarily because they can give a much better clean, especially for kids who might not have a lot of control with a manual toothbrush.

How can I motivate my child to brush their teeth?

An electric toothbrush can be helpful for kids who are less-than-enthusiastic about toothbrushing. Many electric brushes come with enticing features like colorful characters, stickers, timers, and lights to help them hit their full two-minute brush mark.

How often should I replace my child’s toothbrush or toothbrush head?

The ADA recommends changing a toothbrush or toothbrush head every three to four months, but you should change it more frequently if the bristles are visibly frayed or splayed out. It’s also a good idea to change the toothbrush or head whenever your child gets sick, says Dr. Magid-Katz.

Who We Are

Chaunie Brusie is a registered nurse from Michigan. She has five children ranging in age from teen to threenager, and she loathes brushing their teeth, so that’s a chore she tries to convince her husband to take over as often as possible.

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