Bath & Body Products The Best Baby Toothbrushes for Budding Pearly Whites Good oral health starts here with these infant toothbrushes By Christin Perry and Katrina Cossey Updated on December 21, 2023 Medically reviewed by Tyra Tennyson Francis, MD Print We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Verywell Family / Jaclyn Mastropasqua 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: Brilliant Baby’s First Teether-Brush at Amazon ($7) Jump to Review Best Budget: RADIUS Pure Brush at Amazon ($8) Jump to Review Best Fingertip Brush: FridaBaby SmileFrida The Finger Toothbrush at Amazon ($5) Jump to Review Best Triple Angle: FridaBaby Triple-Angle Toothhugger at Amazon ($6) Jump to Review Best for Teething: Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush at Amazon ($9) Jump to Review Best Electric: Papablic Baby Electric Toothbrush at Amazon ($15) Jump to Review Best Set: Nûby 4 Stage Oral Care System at Amazon ($8) Jump to Review Best for Toddlers: DADA-TECH Baby Electric Toothbrush at Amazon ($28) Jump to Review Best for Baby to Handle: Ecovona Training Baby Toothbrush at Amazon ($8) Jump to Review In This Article Expand Our Picks How We Selected and Tested Our Experts What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Verywell Family Best Overall Brilliant Baby’s First Teether-Brush Amazon View On Amazon $7 View On Walmart $7 Pros Soft and chewable Great for teething Dishwasher, freezer, and sterilizer safe Cons Odd shape makes brushing difficult Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: 4 mos and upMaterial: SiliconeBristles: Silicone Best Budget RADIUS Pure Brush Amazon View On Amazon $8 View On Grove.co $5 View On IHerb $4 Pros Oval shape Soft bristles Easy-to-grip handle Cons No colors/patterns Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: 6 mos and upMaterial: PlasticBristles: Vegetable-based nylon Best Fingertip Brush FridaBaby SmileFrida The Finger Toothbrush Amazon View On Amazon $5 Pros Double-sided design Food-grade silicone Storage stand included Cons Difficult to clean tongue Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: 3 mos and upMaterial: SiliconeBristles: Silicone Best Triple Angle FridaBaby Triple-Angle Toothhugger Amazon View On Amazon $6 Pros Cleans all sides at once Time-to-toss indicator Soft bristles Cons Doesn't clean tongue Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: 2 yrs and upMaterial: PlasticBristles: Not listed The Best Toothpaste Our Toddlers Tested and Loved Best for Teething Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush Amazon View On Amazon $9 View On Walmart $9 View On Target $9 Pros Soft and flexible Effortless to hold Two-in-one design Cons Collects fuzz/debris easily Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: Up to 12 mosMaterial: SiliconeBristles: Silicone Best Electric Papablic Baby Electric Toothbrush Amazon View On Amazon $15 View On Papablic.com Pros Toothbrush head lights up Pulse reminders to move to different areas Two-minute timer Cons Cannot turn off light Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: Newborn to 3 yrsMaterial: Not listedBristles: Not listed The Best Electric Toothbrushes for Kids, Tested on Our Own Children’s Pearly Whites Best Set Nûby 4 Stage Oral Care System Amazon View On Amazon $8 Pros Four toothbrushes Multiple color and set size options Stand for all brushes included Cons Sometimes difficult to put brushes back into stand Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: Newborn and up (depends on toothbrush used)Material: SiliconeBristles: Silicone and nylon (depends on toothbrush used) Best for Toddlers DADA-TECH Baby Electric Toothbrush Amazon View On Amazon $28 View On Dadatk.com Pros Handle is easy to hold Two brushes included Small brush head Cons Difficult to turn on Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: Newborn to 3 yrs+Material: Not listedBristles: Nylon Best for Baby to Handle Ecovona Training Baby Toothbrush Amazon View On Amazon $8 Pros Toothbrush and teether Wide, ergonomic handle Multiple colors Cons Bristles should not be chewed on Why We Recommend It 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. Key Specs: Recommended Age: Newborn up to 2 yrsMaterial: Not listedBristles: Not listed The 7 Best Teething Biscuits of 2024, According to a Dietitian How We Selected and Tested the Baby Toothbrushes 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. Our Experts Nasem Dunlop, DMD, board-certified pediatric dentist and owner of Treehouse Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Erin Issac, DMD, board-certified pediatric dentist, Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, and assistant clinical professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine Marc Schlenoff, DDS, FAGD, VP of Clinical Development at Tend Dental What to Look for in a Baby Toothbrush Age Appropriate: When your little one first starts showing teeth, you may wonder what type of toothbrush to get. First, make sure the toothbrush is age appropriate. It's best to buy a smaller toothbrush, which will help them learn about grasping and maneuvering around their mouth to wipe away debris and bacteria. A smaller toothbrush will fit in a baby's mouth much easier, too, hitting teeth better and ensuring they're getting clean. Check the manufacturer's age recommendations before using a toothbrush for baby. Overall, you want to make sure they have their own toothbrush and are brushing twice a day—once after breakfast and just before bed. Brushing teeth twice a day for at least two minutes is important dental hygiene to instill early. Soft Bristles: Brushing at an early age is important, so finding the right toothbrush is key. There are many baby toothbrushes on the market, but before you make your final decision, look for a toothbrush with soft bristles, especially if baby is just starting to bud teeth. This cleans their mouth and may also soothe teething symptoms. Toothbrushes with soft bristles are great for cleaning gums. Once a baby starts growing teeth, decay can begin, which is why good dental hygiene is vital once they start teething. It may feel like soft bristles aren't doing much, but for a baby's mouth, it's plenty. It removes any milk and sugar buildup from meals. Teething Toothbrush vs. Finger Toothbrush: There are a few differences between the two, but many parents and caregivers wonder if one cleans better than the other. Teething toothbrushes typically have soft bristles, sometimes made of silicone, that can resemble an adult toothbrush but smaller. Once baby's teeth erupt, these are ideal for brushing teeth as baby can grasp the toothbrush themselves and learn how to brush independently (with help, of course). As for finger toothbrushes, they fit on a finger like a thimble does for sewing. They also have soft silicone bristles to help clean gums from any buildup. These are perfect for simply cleaning baby's mouth before any teeth come in. They can also be used once teeth erupt, too, with a rice-sized amount of toothpaste. Frequently Asked Questions 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. Why Trust Verywell Family 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 30 Best Infant Toys of 2024 to Help Babies Discover the World Around Them 13 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Dental Association. Baby Teeth. American Academy of Pediatrics. Good oral health starts early: aap policy explained. American Academy of Pediatrics. Baby’s first tooth: 7 facts parents should know. American Dental Association. Fluoride: topical and systemic supplements. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry | faq. American Dental Association. Baby Teeth. American Academy of Pediatrics. Good oral health starts early: aap policy explained. American Academy of Pediatrics. Baby’s first tooth: 7 facts parents should know. American Dental Association. Baby Teeth. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry | faq. HealthyChildren.org. Good oral health starts early. American Dental Association. Baby teeth. American Dental Association. Fluoride: topical and systemic supplements. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit