Without the right toothpaste, getting toddlers to brush their teeth twice a day can be an epic struggle. They’ll scream, cry, and fight to avoid the taste of something they hate.
But we’ve spoken with many dentists, and they all agree that it’s essential to start tooth brushing at a young age.
This led to our hunt for the best baby and toddler toothpaste. We’ve polled the experts, including dentists, parents, and our own babies and toddlers. The result is this list of top toothpaste brands — in flavors that will convince your little ones that they actually want to brush their teeth.
- Mild fruit flavor that kids will love
- Not harmful if swallowed
- Doesn’t contain gluten
- Safe to swallow
- No added color
- Soothes gums during teething
- Affordable
- Protects teeth from cavities
- Great flavor
- Easy to use dispenser
- Won’t mess all over your counter
- Affordable
- Great for adults or kids
- Parents swear by its cavity protection
- Naturally sweetened
The Best Baby and Toddler Toothpaste of 2024
Here are our favorite baby and toddler toothpastes.
Tom’s of Maine Toddlers Natural Toothpaste
Best All-Natural Toddler Toothpaste
This toothpaste doesn’t contain fluoride, SLS, gluten, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Moms who worry about the ill effects of swallowing toothpaste will be relieved to know that their baby will be perfectly safe if they swallow this. As a bonus, it isn’t tested on animals.
It’s a great starter toothpaste to help kids get the hang of brushing and spitting before introducing fluoride. The dispensing top on the container helps contain messes, so you won’t have to scrape half the tube off your counter.
And while it seems weird, toddlers can have foul-smelling mouths in the morning. Even though this is a fruit flavor, it helps get rid of the stench.
Pros
- It’s a good option for kids who have rejected other brands.
- It isn’t harmful if swallowed.
- Doesn’t contain gluten.
Cons
- Some kids find the flavor distasteful.
- It’s a little pricey.
Our Ratings
User Experience
Jack N’ Jill Natural Organic Toddler Toothpaste
Best Organic Toddler Toothpaste
This vegan toothpaste includes several organic ingredients, which is important to parents who worry about chemicals in baby products. One of these organic ingredients is calendula, which soothes painful gums if your child pokes them too much with their toothbrush or if they are teething.
With all-natural ingredients, you can rest assured this toothpaste is safe to swallow and won’t damage your child’s health. There aren’t any preservatives, fluoride, or added colors in this clear formula.
The flip-top tube is easy for kids to control. It also prevents the loss of those tiny toothpaste caps some other brands use, which can be a choking hazard for babies and toddlers.
Pros
- It’s safe to swallow.
- You can tell with one look there is no added color.
- The calendula may take some of the sting out of teething.
Cons
- It’s expensive.
- It can be hard to see on the toothbrush because it’s clear.
Our Ratings
Personal Perspective
Orajel Kids Paw Patrol Fluoride Toothpaste
Best Fluoride Toddler Toothpaste
The fluoride in this brand will help protect your child’s teeth from cavities. And having a fun character theme makes this toothpaste much more exciting for children.
When they finally stop looking at the tube and start brushing, they’ll discover a fruity flavor that seems to be a crowd-pleaser.
Kids tell us they like the pretty blue color, and parents like that it cleans teeth well.
Pros
- It’s affordable.
- Flouride offers ultimate cavity protection.
- The flavor is great.
Cons
- The wide dispenser makes it hard to control the amount.
- Lid easily breaks off when accidentally dropped.
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Aquafresh Kids Pump Cavity Protection Toddler Toothpaste
Best Pump Dispense Toddler Toothpaste
This option has teeth-strengthening fluoride that dentists recommend to give your child’s teeth a better chance of staying cavity-free. Because it has the same amount of fluoride as an adult toothpaste, you can use this yourself if you don’t want two different tubes on your counter.
Kids won’t care about the protection aspect, but they will like the flavor — a refreshing bubblegum taste with just a hint of mint. And moms will like that this toothpaste is affordable, and one tube lasts a long time.
The pump stands upright, which prevents wasted toothpaste and unnecessary messes. This means less clean-up, and you won’t have a squashed, gunky tube with the cap gummed on.
Plus, your child will be able to use the pump with ease because it doesn’t require as much dexterity as unscrewing a cap does.
Pros
- It’s affordable.
- The dispenser is easy to use and takes up less space on your counter.
- It won’t make a mess all over your counter since it’s upright.
Cons
- Some small kids might not like the mint flavor.
- The container takes more force to operate as it empties and tips easily.
Our Ratings
First-Hand Impression
NOW XyliWhite Bubblegum Splash Kids Toothpaste Gel
Best Gentle Toddler Toothpaste
There are few things worse as a parent than seeing something that’s supposed to protect your child cause them pain. But sensitive teeth are painful for an adult to deal with — let alone a kid. This toothpaste will give your toddler a gentle clean their sensitive teeth will appreciate.
XyliWhite doesn’t contain gluten, and it’s sweetened naturally.
It doesn’t contain fluoride or sodium lauryl sulfate, which are two additives some parents don’t like to see, especially when their babies are still young and their spitting skills are iffy. This toothpaste uses Xylitol as an alternative to fluoride, which also offers cavity protection.
The bubblegum flavor is usually a big crowd-pleaser. If children are happy with the flavor, moms will be too. Anything that gets our children brushing is okay by us.
Pros
- Great for adults or kids.
- Parents swear by the cavity protection this offers.
- There’s no sugar in it.
Cons
- It’s hard to push out of the dispenser when it gets to be about half empty.
- The thin consistency makes it a bit messy.
Our Ratings
User Experience
When Should Baby Start Using Toothpaste?
You can start encouraging your child to use a toddler toothbrush as early as you want — once they have teeth, of course. You can use a soft silicone teether/brush like the Baby Banana for teething and the initial tooth brushing. The newest recommendations say to start using a small amount of fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth appears (1).
How to Choose Toothpaste for Babies
You Don’t Need To Avoid Flouride
Flouride wards off tooth decay, but you should only use it in tiny amounts until your child masters spitting out their toothpaste instead of swallowing it (2). Some parents opt for a non-fluoride option until they feel their baby can fully spit it out because excess fluoride can lead to white spots on the teeth or darkened enamel if swallowed excessively (3). However, fluoride is safe for babies and toddlers and protects against tooth decay (4).
Make It a Great Flavor
The strong, minty flavors many adults prefer can be enough to make a child feel like their mouth is on fire. Instead, look for kid-friendly flavors like bubblegum or watermelon that will make them like brushing their teeth. The better the flavor tastes to them, the less resistance they’ll give you, and the longer they’ll tolerate brushing their teeth.
How Much Toothpaste Should Toddlers Use?
As soon as your little one has teeth, you should start using a smidge of toddler toothpaste — about the size of a grain of rice (5).
But by age three, it’s time to ramp it up. Children can then use a pea-sized amount on their bristles — but no more than that.
It’s easy for kids to get carried away when they start squeezing out their toothpaste themselves, and they may put a huge blob on the brush. But that’s way too much. To help them learn how much they should be using, you need to regulate the squeezing of the tube for a while.
Remember
Be prepared for them to overdo it for the first few days as they learn their strength. If they get too much, just scrape off the excess. Even after you think they’ve gotten the hang of it, you should still supervise to ensure they’re doing everything right.
You’ll also want to check to see that they’re spitting it out properly.
After they spit their toothpaste, it’s okay to give them a sip of water so they can swish it around their mouth and spit it out again.
You should never give them water before they spit as it makes it too easy for them to accidentally swallow the toothpaste and water mixture. It’s best to get the majority of the toothpaste out of your child’s mouth first before you give them any water, just in case.
FAQs
Do Toddlers Need Special Toothpaste?
Toothpaste formulated for toddlers will taste way better to your little one than the toothpaste you’re used to. Toddlers have such sensitive taste buds that our toothpaste can actually cause a burning sensation in their tongues.
Also, toddler-specific toothpaste is safer for the inevitable accidental swallows when your kid is learning to brush their teeth. Toothpaste formulated for toddlers is safer to ingest than something meant for adults.
What to Do If a Toddler Doesn’t Like Brushing Teeth?
Oh, there are ways to make brushing teeth fun. Did you know some apps turn teeth brushing into a game? Pokémon has one.
There are loads of other options on your phone, too. You could even turn teeth brushing time into an interactive game yourself. Trying something like offering a sweet treat or small toy reward for brushing their teeth can make your toddler dread the activity way less.
When Should Toddlers Use Real Toothpaste?
“Real” toothpaste is a debatable term. What we will say is that the CDC recommends your toddler starts using fluoride toothpaste after they turn two.
Still, they make kids’ toothpaste that contains fluoride. You don’t have to jump straight into the minty flavors when your toddler turns two if they don’t like mint.
How Do Dentists Clean Toddler Teeth?
Dentists clean toddler teeth very carefully. Some of the instruments they use to clean toddlers’ teeth are smaller than the tools needed for an adult cleaning.
That means extra care is required. Not to mention, dentists want to make sure your toddler stays as calm as possible for their cleaning.
