In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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If you're searching for a quality electric toothbrush for your child, we tested 6 top choices with real children to help you sort through the various options. We've researched more than 20 potential contenders before narrowing our choices to various electric options, from the battery to rechargeable and sonic to simple electric, to determine which options clean the best, which have helpful features, and which are just downright adorable. Our guide and details can help you find the right brush for your needs and budget.
Editor's Note: We performed an update on our electric toothbrush review on January 31, 2024, by analyzing availability leading to the removal of a discontinued toothbrush.
The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush is a spinning sonic brush with a round brush head that includes a charger and stand for upright storage. We like the variety of potential kid-friendly themes, and the smaller round head was preferred by more than one tester over the larger and more traditional oval. This brush works well and is straightforward with a single button, perfect for newbies to the electric toothbrush game. It removes the plaque indicated with dye in our tests, and we like that the quality suggests you'll be brushing trouble-free for years to come.
Unfortunately, this brush doesn't have a timer, which can be short-sighted for a little one learning about the 2-minute brushing guidelines. While it offers information on downloading an app timer to use, this isn't something kids can do by themselves, so parents will need to be on standby with their phones. For younger children, we assume you're right there anyway, but as kids get older, they can brush alone and might need an external timer. Also, we suspect this app accessory will be used at first, but worry that over time with hectic schedules and real-life distractions, the app will be skipped, and kids won't meet the dentist-recommended two minutes of brushing. The Philips Sonicare for Kids is a similar brand-name brush we also loved and feel both are compelling and viable options that could be chosen by selecting which is cheaper. You can get a separate timer or a small 2-minute hourglass to help, and the price savings of this choice might make it a potential solution for those on a budget.
The Oral-B has a round brush head that is super comfortable for kids with smaller mouths.
The Philips Sonicare for Kids is similar to the adult Philips Sonicare toothbrushes and includes the same plaque-fighting power as the grown-up version. This brush is easy to use and rechargeable. It includes an automatic timer to keep kids brushing longer and has fun stickers to customize its design. Testers liked how the bristles felt on their gums and didn't mind the sonic level of agitation. Parents like the brand name, quality, and reliability of this product.
Unlike some of the competition, this brush only has a single setting. It is also one of the most expensive options in our review, which is a factor to consider. Overall, we think this brush and included charger and stand are a good choice for most kids from about five years old + and seem to have the quality to potentially last that long. These factors make it one we recommend to friends. Depending on sales or availability, the Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush is also another favorite, and we think most kids will be drawn to one or the other and they are similar enough in function and features we think you'll love both.
The Philips brush was a crowd pleaser with testers.
The Brusheez Kid's Electric Toothbrush Set is an adorable kit that makes brushing new and exciting for kids who may be reluctant to get involved. This cute kit has a turning hourglass timer, a rinse cup, a toothbrush, a replacement head, and a cover cap for the brush. Testers loved the cute design and enjoyed the slower spinning action of this non-sonic brush. Little ones fell in love with brushing while using this fun, kid-centric kit.
The only real downside to this brush is the lack of sonic brushing. While it did more than an adequate job of keeping teeth clean in our tests, it isn't on the same plane as sonic-level care, and the dentist we consulted with indicated a sonic brush would probably offer a better clean over time. However, any brushing is better than no brushing, and electric brushing is a step up from manual, so if you need to get kids jazzed about brushing, this could be a great gateway brush before moving onto sonic as they age since it could be more mouth comfortable than sonic options. If you want sonic care or they are ready to level up, the Philips Sonicare for Kids is one we think kids and parents will love.
The Brusheez is not sonic, but it did provide a good clean mouth.
The Vekkia Sonic Kids Electric Toothbrush is a cool sonic brush for kids that comes with a charging cord and several extra brush heads for long-term use. This brush is kid-size, has an automatic timer shut-off, and has three modes. Kids liked this brush for the smaller brush head and the gentle sonic cleaning. Parents like the reduction of plaque seen during our testing.
This option lacks a wall charger, so you'll need an extra or modern wall outlet with a USB port. While not a deal-breaker, it is a bummer that you might need to purchase something extra to recharge your brush. The Brusheez Kid's Electric Toothbrush Set comes with more bells and whistles and while not a true sonic option, we think kids will love all the bells and features that will make brushing more interesting. Overall, we think parents and kids will like this inexpensive option that comes with multiple replacement heads and has a cute monster to make cleaning away the plaque fun.
The Vekkia is a cute dragon brush with multiple brush heads
The Dada-tech Kids Electric Toothbrush is a smaller toothbrush offering sonic care. It has an automatic timer with 30-second pause reminders to switch zones or keep brushing. This brush is child-sized for smaller hands, and testers liked the changing lights.
The light-up action is a double-edged sword; while little ones like seeing the lights, they distract from the action of brushing, resulting in kids turning off the lights and watching the brush in the mirror instead of diligent dental care. However, we think that over time, kids might grow bored with the lights and instead focus on brushing, and the smaller handle could make it easier for younger children to get in the habit of brushing. The Brusheez Kid's Electric Toothbrush Set is an adorable option with lots of features that make brushing more interesting for little ones trying to establish good habits.
The Dada-tec has light-up action that makes brushing fun but distracting.
The U-Type Ultrasonic Electric Toothbrush is a U-shaped silicone mouthpiece with brush-like protrusions to rub against teeth while the panda head vibrates to create a sonic action on teeth. The idea is interesting, and the design impressed us as innovative. It has multiple modes and an automatic timer. It is a brush we were enthusiastic to test due to the unique approach used.
However, our testing of this brush proved disappointing. This brush did not remove much of the plaque-simulating dye in our tests, and our pediatric dentist expressed skepticism about the design. She remarked it might not be a good idea, in her opinion, since she felt it is important for kids to learn good dental habits early. The fact that in our tests, it didn't appear to be as effective at removing plaque-simulating dye, especially along the gum line, added to her skepticism. Plaque in the gum line can potentially lead to gingivitis and cavities. Our kid testers found this brush harder to understand using its various light colors indicating different modes. We found the mouthpiece hard to clean when the "brush cycle" was over, as ours retained almost all of the kids' toothpaste we used, which we then had to hand wash. Based on our tests, this option disappointed us with much less of the plaque-simulating dye removed than other brushes we tested. We also worry using this option will inhibit little ones from embracing important lifelong brushing habits and developing the skills they need to have good oral hygiene as they get older. At the end of our testing, we regrettably concluded that this innovative brush is not a product we'd feel comfortable recommending to a friend. We believe, and the dentists we spoke to agree, that a more traditional sonic brush like the Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush is a better choice over the U-style brushes.
The U-Style design isn't deep enough to reach the gum line leaving critical areas brush-free.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Other Oral Hygiene Products
Helping your child create good dental habits and oral hygiene is easier with top-notch gear. Create a toolkit with our favorite kids' toothpaste and the best kids flossers. For little ones, select one of the best baby toothbrushes to get them motivated.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Why You Should Trust Us
We researched and purchased the best and most highly rated electric toothbrushes on the market. Each brush was used over time by real kid testers for ease of use, mouth feel, cleaning ability, battery life, and more. We performed dye brushing tests, with before and after color retention assessments, to determine which brushes were the most effective. We took our observations and compiled them with tester feedback to rank the brushes and hand out awards. While we are not dentists or medical professionals, we feel confident our tests and award winners will be helpful in creating bright smiles that make your dentist happy.
Since 2012, BabyGearLab has been buying and testing products for babies, kids, and pregnancy. Wendy Schmitz, a Senior Review Editor since 2014 and mother of 2, leads the electric toothbrush review from researching possible competitors to the hands-on testing with her children. Wendy's family used each toothbrush side-by-side, considering each brush's features, quality, ease of use, cleanability, and more. The feedback from child testers influenced the ranking and winners in this review, and a pediatric dentist was consulted. After a year of use with some brushes, we've updated this review with new findings, including battery life information.
We dyed our plaque and grit purple to see how well each brush could tackle the cleaning up.
Some brushes have a plug in recharge cord while others sit on a stand to charge
Analysis and Test Results
We purchased the top electric toothbrushes for kids and put them to the test side-by-side with kid testers to find the brushes that kids like the best, clean plaque most efficiently, and have unique features that encourage good brushing habits from the start.
Disclaimer
We are not medical professionals. While we discussed electric toothbrushes with dentists and hygienists for our review, you should not rely on this review or our winners as medical advice. Because each child is unique, and their dental needs are unique, you should always discuss their periodontal health with a dentist specializing in children. While our guide is a good place to find information about the differences in potential toothbrush options for your child, we encourage you to discuss your choice with a dentist.
The U-Style is hard to use for many reasons including preparation and after cleanup.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Ease of Use
Most of the brushes in this review are easy to use. They all include easy-to-use on/off buttons, but some were so easy to press we accidentally shut them off while brushing. The rechargeable options were easier to set up as we didn't have to manage batteries and battery covers. Still, some didn't come with wall chargers, making it challenging to keep them charged without finding a dedicated wall plug.
Those with multiple modes were the hardest to use, as switching modes often meant pushing the start button more than once. This design resulted in switching modes while brushing, increasing brush time accidentally, and turning the brush off altogether. We aren't sure multiple modes are necessary, and this seems to complicate everything, so we prefer those with a single clean mode and straightforward operation. The Philips Sonicare for Kids is a single-mode, push for on/off, one-and-done, making it super easy for kids to manage independently without assistance. The Brusheez Kid's Electric Toothbrush Set is also straightforward with two buttons, one for on and one for off, with the off button being smaller and more challenging to not accidentally press while brushing.
The U-Type Ultrasonic Electric Toothbrush is one of the hardest to use as it has multiple modes that require multiple pushes of the button. We needed the manual to sort out which mode was based on the color of the associated light. Keeping a manual on hand to determine if you are using the desired setting feels like a deal-breaker to us.
The Brusheez comes with everything you need to get kids excited about good oral hygiene and regular brushing.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Features
Some brushes offer many bells and whistles, while others are more straightforward teeth-cleaning machines. Of course, what features and functions you need will depend on your brushing goals, but we think a few things are essential and are things we encourage you to consider them.
An essential feature, in our mind, is the automatic timer included with many of these products. These timers are preset for two minutes, the teeth brushing time recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). Some include pauses at 30 seconds to remind kids to keep brushing or change areas in their mouths, but all turn off automatically at two minutes. We love this feature because it keeps little ones on task and ensures they are brushing for the right amount of time to ensure a good, clean mouth. A timer empowers little ones to take charge of their dental health and helps parents feel more comfortable that brushing is happening as it should.
The hourglass timer on the Brusheez was a hit with kids as they could watch the time go by while brushing.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Most of the products in our review include an automatic timer where the brushes turn off when they hit the two-minute mark, and we like these the best; a few examples include the Philips Sonic Care and the Vekkia Sonic Kids Electric Toothbrush. The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush doesn't have a timer and instead relies on an app. While an app might be fun, it isn't a practical solution for twice-daily brushing routines where parents are busy and likely can't hand over their smartphones for teeth brushing. The Brusheez has an hourglass timer you turn yourself. While we like that this timer is attached to the kit stand so it won't get lost, and kids like the fun design and watching the sand fall, it was challenging to remember to turn the timer for each brushing. Some kids liked watching the time count down instead of the automatic timer, where you never know how much time is left. Still, others fiddled with the timer while brushing, making it essentially useless. Overall, we think a timer is a must-have for kids to keep them brushing and ensure the best clean possible.
Other features were add-ons or multiple mode settings on the brush. Some brushes came with replacement heads, like the Vekkia Sonic Kids Electric Toothbrush, while the Brusheez comes with an extra brush head, a timer, a stand, a cup, and a dust cover. We aren't sure how much action the modes will get on those brushes that include them, as most kids just want to brush and go, but if it appeals to you, it is something to consider. If features and add-ons are important to you, this might be something to explore, but to us, the most important is a timer and possibly additional brush heads.
The before brushing dye job prior to using the Oral-B.
It is clear to see that the Oral-B removed the plaque and the dye after two minutes of brushing.
Cleaning
The name of the toothbrush game is to clean teeth and remove plaque. Electric toothbrushes have traditionally been marketed as being more productive at these objectives than standard toothbrushes, and sonic-type brushes, particularly, are supposed to get teeth cleaner. We tested each brush in our lineup for several months using a chewable dye before brushing that shows you where the plaque is. Children chewed the dye, used the brushes, and we took before and after photos (before rinsing) to capture how much of the dye was removed during brushing. These tests provided the basis of our ranking for cleanliness and taking care of plaque.
The before photo of the dyed plaque areas before using the Dsnly.
The Dsnly does such a good job it's hard to tell his teeth were ever purple even if his mouth still is.
Overall, the sonic brushes provided a far better clean than the non-sonic brushes, with the rechargeable options removing the most plaque. Prolonged use of the sonic brushes (before and after photos above) earned testers a "no plaque" report at their most recent dental exam after three months of continuous use, completely selling us on the power of sonic care as this had never happened before. The best at cleaning teeth in our tests include Philips, Oral-B, Vekkia, and Brusheez (a non-sonic option), as evidenced by the dye test.
Dye before the use of the U-Type brush.
Dye after the use of the U-Type brush; you can see there is virtually no difference between the before and after of the photos indicating that the U-Type is not as effective as the competition when it comes to getting teeth clean.
The most disappointing of the group was the U-Type Ultrasonic Electric Toothbrush. This brush showed virtually no change from the before (above left) and after (above right) photos. This test result leaves us concerned the brush may not offer acceptable performance regarding removing plaque and getting teeth clean.
All of the brushes lasted for a month without a hiccup charge-wise, so the real question is do you want rechargeable convenience, or will changing batteries be okay with you.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Battery Life
We used each brush twice daily for the ADA's two minutes of brushing time for a month. During this time, none of the competitors had battery-related problems. Each night, we recharged the rechargeable brushes, but those with disposable batteries all survived for a minimum of a month. If changing batteries or committing to the repeated expense of batteries is a no-go, you should consider the rechargeable options. Woohoo! Plus, it has a red low battery warning light that shines before it runs out of charge.
We tested the top electric toothbrushes for children to find the best options for kids.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Conclusion
Getting children to brush their teeth is often a chore and can even lead to meltdowns and tantrums. An electric toothbrush may be precisely what you need to motivate your child to engage in a twice-daily brushing routine or up their oral hygiene game with less complaint and resistance. Although electric toothbrushes can be more expensive than your standard manual brush, studies indicate they potentially remove more plaque from teeth with each cleaning (it certainly seemed so in our tests). This review includes various electric toothbrush styles (some sonic, some not), and we believe our lineup of impressive options combined with our tester feedback can help you determine the best toothbrush for your child. Happy Brushing!
