Alexandra Ramirez
1. Tom’s of Maine
Best Overall Baby Toothpaste
5/5 Product Rating
Their children’s toothpaste is perfect for parents who want their children to have healthy teeth and gums without exposing them to the potentially dangerous chemicals and ingredients that are in regular toothpaste.
This toothpaste uses calcium and silica to clean your child’s teeth gently.
The fluoride-free formula has a delicious fruit flavor that your children will love. There are no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, fragrances, other additives or dyes.
Because there are no harmful ingredients or any fluoride, there isn’t the same worry if your child swallows the toothpaste.
In addition to being fluoride-free, Tom’s of Maine fluoride-free children’s toothpaste is also gluten-free, cruelty-free and is even halal and kosher certified.
– Linda Krantz
2. Earth’s Best
Best Overall Baby Toothpaste – Runner Up
4.8/5 Product Rating
The Earth’s Best formula is fluoride-free and perfectly safe for little ones to use even if they swallow some. Your child 6 months to 3 years of age can use this toothpaste.
It’s a great way to introduce your children to the benefits of tooth brushing so they develop good habits for oral care while they are young.
Other ingredients that are in Earth’s Best include Oat Bran, Beta-Glucan, Vitamin B5 and other all natural ingredients.
Get your child started off on the right foot with this great and healthy strawberry banana toothpaste for Toddlers from Earth’s Best.
– Linda Krantz
3. NUK
4.7/5 Product Rating
Good oral hygiene is something that you want to start early with your child because it is so important to having healthy teeth and gums as they get older.
The fluoride-free tooth and gum cleanser includes 1 finger brush and 1 cleanser.
The soft bristles are gentle enough for a young baby’s gums and will not scratch or injure them in any way. It is recommended for babies age 3 months and up.
The apple banana flavor is a favorite with little ones and much gentler than any regular toothpaste that contains chemicals and harsh ingredients.
All you need to do is use a small, rice-sized amount of the tooth cleanser and use the finger brush to gently massage the gums and clean the teeth of your baby. As they get older you can start teaching them to brush their own teeth to further develop those good habits. This is a great toothpaste to start your baby off with that is safe to use and great for their teeth and gums as well.
– Linda Krantz
Baby Toothpaste Buying Guide
What is a Baby Toothpaste?
Baby toothpaste is toothpaste that has been specially designed for infants, toddlers and children to help them maintain healthy teeth and gums. Baby toothpaste varies from company to company.
There are baby toothpastes that are completely free of all chemicals and then there are regular baby toothpastes that may still have some of the ingredients that your baby really shouldn’t have. The best way to check on the ingredients is to read the labels. Look for baby toothpastes that are fluoride-free, additive-free and fragrance, color, flavor and any other chemical free.
Tooth Brushing Pointers for Any Age
There are many benefits to brushing your teeth and ensuring that your children brush their teeth as well. We have outlined the most notable benefits to brushing your teeth every day.
- Brushing correctly – Teaching your child to brush their teeth for the first time can feel like quite a difficult task. You want to be sure that they know how to hold the brush, how to move the brush in a circular motion. Teach them not to use too much force as this can damage sensitive gums. Make sure they learn to brush the inside and outside surfaces of the teeth, the roof of the mouth and the tongue as well.
- When to Brush – 2-3 times a day is the recommended amount and if possible those times should be after meals. You want each tooth brushing session to last at least 2 minutes long. Egg timers are a perfect way to get your child to brush the allotted amount of time. There are commercial products on the market that assist with helping children brush the recommended amount of time also if an egg timer doesn’t thrill or motivate them, including musical timers, etc.
- Flossing – Another important task to teach children about is flossing. Flossing can actually be easier for kids to learn than brushing. Do not leave your children unattended when they are flogging. Consider getting the easy to hold and maneuver flossing sticks that are a bit easier to handle than string.
- Cleaning after Sweets – If a child consumes sugary sweets and foods and does not clean their teeth properly afterwards, the sugars can damage the teeth and cause cavities. After they have dessert or sweets or a sweet drink, get them into the habit of brushing their teeth. The negative effects of sugar will be greatly reduced if they are in the habit of cleaning the sugar off their teeth and gums after consuming it.
- Be an Example – Your child will learn a lot from your example, so if they see you taking care of your teeth on a daily basis, they will develop the habits as well. You may need to get them started but since you are showing them that it is important by doing it yourself, that lesson will be learned much more quickly.
- The Dentist isn’t Good Enough – Even if your child goes to the dentist on a regular basis, that doesn’t replace the need to have good oral care on a daily basis. The dentist should be in addition to daily care not instead of.
Things to Look for in Baby Toothpaste
When it comes to choosing the right toothpaste for your baby, you need to look out for several things. We have outlined the points of importance that come together to make good quality toothpaste.
- Fluoride-Free – There is probably plenty of fluoride in the drinking water your child drinks so it doesn’t really need to be in their toothpaste too. A lot of baby toothpaste is fluoride-free which means you don’t have to be worried if your child swallows some of the toothpaste.
- No Additives – Colors, flavors, fragrances, sweeteners, dyes and more are all ingredients that a baby does not need to be exposed to. Even older children will benefit from baby toothpaste that is free of all of those things listed. Look for natural flavors as well. Many baby toothpastes have natural fruit flavors which babies and young children love.
Foods that can cause Tooth Decay in Babies
There are certain foods that a toddler or child can eat that can contribute to the formation of cavities. If your child eats these foods, try to serve them at mealtime so they can be rinsed away by serving them with water, and also because your child can and should brush their teeth after meals.
- Dried fruit
- Juice
- Peanut butter
- Jelly or jam
- Breads
- Crackers
- Pasta
- Pretzels
- Cookies
- Cake
- Pies
- Chips
- Soda
- Ice cream
- Pudding
- Candy
You want to minimize your child’s exposure to sweets the above and instead give them fresh veggies like carrots, green pepper strips, cucumbers, etc and if they do have the sweets, make sure that you give them water and help them brush their teeth afterwards.
Preventing Your Child from Eating Toothpaste
With flavors like candy, bubblegum and fruit, getting your child not to eat the toothpaste can be a real challenge. Swallowing a small amount of toothpaste, while not preferable, is typically not dangerous. If the child swallows too much toothpaste, they can get stomach aches and even more serious problems like possible intestinal blockages. Below we have listed some suggestions on how you can help to break your children of eating the toothpaste at tooth brushing time.
- Keep the tooth paste out of reach – If your children are young, parents should be a part of the tooth brushing process. Once you put the pea-sized amount on your child’s toothbrush and gotten them started brushing, make sure you put the tube up high and out of reach so they can’t get into it.
- Show your child how to spit – This may sound like an odd statement, but one of the ways to prevent your child from eating too much tooth paste is to show them how to spit while they are brushing. You also want to have a cup there, ready to rinse their mouths out with water. The best way to teach them to spit and rinse is to show them how to do it. Just telling them can be confusing, but if you’re doing it a long with them, it makes it fun for them and they understand the process as well.
- Patience goes a Long Way – Fortunately, eating tooth paste is usually just a phase that a child goes through when they are younger. They typically outgrow this habit so if you just continue to show them the right things to do and as they get more used to brushing their teeth.
- Mint is less likely to be Eaten – If the problem doesn’t seem to be correcting itself, you can try to switch to a stronger mint flavored toothpaste rather than candy or gum flavored. This can discourage the child from trying to eat the toothpaste during brushing time. You should only try this particular tip with older children because a young child can hate the strong mint flavor so much they may end up stopping tooth brushing altogether.
- Brush Your Teeth with Your Child – Just like with showing your child how to spit, showing them how to brush can have the same effect. Make brushing your teeth a family affair and have fun with it by having spitting and swishing contests and other little things to encourage your child not to eat the toothpaste but to spit it out and then rinse. Children love to mimic their parents, so this method has a very good success rate.
Conclusion
With all of the different choices parents have available for baby toothpaste, it can be confusing trying to decide on the right one for your child. The information in this guide is to help you choose the right toothpaste for your family. We also help you identify a few points to look for and help with teaching your child how to brush with tips and strategies that they will respond to.
Oral care is very important throughout a person’s life and it starts with learning to brush teeth properly as a baby or young child. Parents may have to take care of it themselves at first, but soon enough the child will be copying their parents and doing the same things they do. For this reason, make sure that you are giving the right example as well.
