Best Electric Toothbrushes for Kids 2024 (2024)

These electric toothbrushes have distinctive features, making them suitable for different needs. We discuss these features in more detail below.

6 Best Electric Toothbrushes for Kids

1. Top Pick: Oral-B Kids

Our top pick is the Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush with Color-Changing Bristles. Its kid-friendly features include:

• A two-minute coaching timer with 30-second intervals
• Access to the Disney Magic Timer App
• Replaceable brush heads
• A rechargeable battery
• A sensitive mode
• Soft bristles that change color when the brush head needs to be replaced
• Four fun stickers featuring a friendly chameleon

Oral-B’s other rechargeable electric toothbrushes for kids use the same base model. But this brush stands out due to its unique color-changing bristles.

At only $19.99, this is Oral-B’s most affordable rechargeable kids’ brush. Other designs feature Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars characters rather than the chameleon but also tend to be more expensive. You can find all of these designs on the official Oral-B shop or the Oral-B Kids Amazon store.

2. Best for Basics: Frost

Frost is SNOW’s brand of kids’ oral hygiene products. Their electric toothbrush is shaped like a cute bear in five colors.

This brush has a more straightforward design than the other brushes on this list. It’s battery-powered and has a replaceable brush head. It doesn’t contain a timer, but this won’t be a problem if you can set a separate timer for your child.

If you or your child don’t want a brush with too many additional features, Frost may be the right choice. It has the most basic features you should look for in an electric toothbrush (including replaceable heads) but none of the bells and whistles of other brands.

3. Best Design: Philips Sonicare for Kids

Philips Sonicare for Kids offers an interactive experience for kids learning to brush. We made it our pick for best design due to the following features:

• An ergonomic handle meant for kids and adults to hold easily
• KidTimer, which gradually increases to a full two minutes to help kids get used to brushing
• KidPacer, which gives a musical signal every 30 seconds when it’s time to move to the next quadrant
• Replacement brush heads that can be either Standard or Mini size
• Bluetooth connectivity to the Sonicare for Kids app to help kids brush properly

However, some customers complained that the Sonicare app didn’t allow multiple devices to access their child’s brushing data.

If one phone or tablet fails and you must set up the app on a new device, your child’s previous brushing progress won’t be available.

In addition, this is the most expensive brush on our list, at nearly $30 (every other product listed here costs less than $20).

4. Most Creative App: Hum by Colgate

Hum is Colgate’s line of smart toothbrushes. Like many of the other products on this list, the Hum Kids Smart Electric Toothbrush features:

• A brushing app
• Replaceable brush heads
• Child-friendly size and handle design

What stands out most about Hum is the Guided Brushing app, which uses augmented reality to engage kids with brushing. By linking a phone or tablet with your child’s brush, they’ll be able to see monsters appear in spots they need to brush.

The app includes a timer, games that reward your child for good brushing, and a record of their progress.

The main draw of this brush is the creative app. The brush doesn’t have a built-in timer and isn’t rechargeable. You’ll need to have AAA batteries handy to keep this brush running.

5. Best for Younger Kids: Brusheez

The Brusheez Electric Toothbrush Set is more than just a brush. It’s a self-contained set that includes everything kids need to brush effectively:

• The brush itself
• A matching protective cover that can be one of nine different animal characters
• A new brush head for quick replacement
• A small rinse cup
• A two-minute hourglass timer
• A storage base with room to hold all of the above

The brush has a cute animal-themed design, an easy-grip handle, and a simple on-off switch. This makes it fun for kids without being overly complicated.

For younger kids or parents who don’t want to deal with apps and multiple settings, we think Brusheez makes a great choice.

6. Best for Older Kids: Quip Kids

For older kids, we recommend the Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush. It features:

• A sleek, minimal design
• A two-minute timer with 30-second pulses
• A small, soft-bristled replaceable brush head
• A mirror mount that allows it to sit upright between uses

This brush may appeal to kids a little older and less interested in cute designs or characters. It has everything they need to continue brushing effectively without looking too childlike.

Like Quip’s adult electric toothbrush, this brush is powered by AAA batteries and offers a 3-month battery life. The main difference between the two is the size of the brush head.

Quip also offers the Smart Electric Toothbrush for kids, which uses Bluetooth to connect to the Quip Smart Brush app. This model is available through Quip’s site.

How to Choose the Best Electric Toothbrush for Kids

With so many toothbrushes on the market, deciding the best option for your child can take time and effort.

For an electric toothbrush to be suitable for your child, it must be safe, effective, and age-appropriate. Using a toothbrush that isn’t meant for kids can result in injury or ineffective brushing.

What Age Can Kids Start Using an Electric Toothbrush?

With the proper guidance, you can start brushing your child’s teeth with an electric toothbrush around age 3.

Before age 3, children often have difficulty staying still and using a toothbrush safely. Until then, you’ll want to brush their teeth for them with a manual toothbrush. Most kids need help brushing their teeth until around age 8.

Key Features to Look for in a Kids’ Electric Toothbrush

While electric toothbrushes for kids are similar to those for adults, there are some essential differences.

Here are some essential features to look for in an electric toothbrush for your child:

Soft Bristles

Dentists generally recommend kids and adults use a soft-bristled toothbrush. This is because soft bristles are gentle on your teeth and gums. Stiffer bristles can irritate the gum tissue, cause gum recession, and wear tooth enamel away.

This is especially important for kids still learning to brush their teeth properly. They may still need a better sense of how much pressure to use. A soft brush will help your child avoid injury, gum recession, and enamel wear.

One exception to this is if your child has braces. In this case, the soft bristles can get trapped in the brackets and damage your child’s braces. Their dentist or orthodontist may recommend using a brush with somewhat stiffer bristles.

Timers

Many electric toothbrushes have a timer built in.

Timing is a crucial part of building good brushing habits. We strongly recommend having your child use a timer to ensure they brush for two minutes.

Within those two minutes, they should spend 30 seconds brushing each quadrant of their teeth (upper left, upper right, lower left, lower right). Many electric toothbrushes have a two-minute timer with 30-second intervals to make this easy.

Cleaning Modes

Kids’ electric toothbrushes can also include more than one cleaning mode. In other words, the toothbrush allows you or your child to change the pressure or speed of the brush head.

The lighter pressure setting is often called soft, gentle, or sensitive mode. Like soft bristles, this mode can make brushing easier on your child’s teeth and gums, especially if they’re sensitive.

Safety

A good electric toothbrush for kids is designed with safety in mind. The abovementioned features can make brushing safer for kids by reducing gum irritation and enamel wear.

However, gentle bristles, a good timer, and a gentle pressure mode aren’t the only things to look for. Other child-friendly features include:

• A small handle — This feature makes it easier for your child to steady the brush.
• A small brush head — Smaller brush heads will fit kids’ mouths better. They’ll be easier to use and less likely to bother their gums.
• A pressure sensor — This lets your child know when they’re brushing too hard. Some brushes have this instead of a gentle mode, which may be better for slightly older kids who are more used to brushing.

Fun Designs

Many kids’ electric toothbrushes have fun designs with popular cartoon characters. They may also have timers that sync to an app that features these characters.

Brushing with their favorite characters can help get kids engaged with brushing their teeth. It can make oral hygiene something they look forward to.

However, the importance of these kid-friendly designs will depend on your child’s age and preferences. Some kids may be less interested in these features, especially as they age.

Try to choose a design that will be most effective at helping your child to brush consistently.

Why Trust Our Review?

NewMouth is a leading and trusted online resource for oral health information. For over four years, we have researched and written about oral hygiene products, including electric toothbrushes.

We have a dedicated team of medical writers, expert researchers, licensed dental professionals, and medical reviewers who create and oversee every content published on our site. Our goal is to provide credible, accurate, and up-to-date content that is free and accessible to everyone looking for dental care.

After extensive research, this article underwent an intensive review process:

• The article was reviewed and fact-checked by two in-house editors
• One of our in-house dentists reviewed the article for accuracy
• The article is updated and reviewed again every month to ensure pricing, product details, and other specs are up-to-date

How We Chose Products

We based our electric toothbrush choices on multiple considerations, including:

• Dentist recommendations
• Verified customer reviews
• Manufacturer specs
• Availability online

We ranked and classified these products after extensive research on their features, pricing, and customers’ opinions. We also incorporated feedback from our in-house medical review team.

How to Use Electric Toothbrushes Safely

To ensure your child brushes safely, do the following:

• Supervise them while they brush, especially during the first few weeks or months
• Don’t give them a brush they can’t easily hold in place
• Replace the brush head when the bristles start to wear down, or at least every 3 to 4 months
• Make sure the brush is clean before and after use

Tips for Motivating Your Child to Brush Their Teeth

Depending on their age and personality, you may struggle to motivate your child to brush their teeth. Here are some tips:

• Let them choose their toothbrush — Getting your child to choose a toothbrush (and even toothpaste) will help them feel invested in their oral hygiene routine.
• Make it a game — Turn brushing into a fun game. Consider playing music or a video they enjoy. Some of the products we listed accomplish this with apps, but you can do it in various ways.
• Brush together — Having your child brush their teeth with you will set a good example and help both of you stay on track with oral hygiene.

Talk to their dentist — Your pediatric dentist may have more advice on encouraging your child to continue brushing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Summary

When looking for a kids’ electric toothbrush, you want a product that’s safe, effective, and easy for your child to use.

These electric toothbrushes have standout features, making them excellent choices for kids (and parents) with various needs and preferences. They’re also affordable, with all but one costing $20 or less (Sonicare for Kids is listed at just under $30).

Talk to your child and their dentist about these electric toothbrush options.