Table of Contents
- View The Best Baby Toothpaste Below
- 1. Jack n’ Jill Natural Toothpaste
- 2. Rain Natural Baby Kids Fluoride-Free Toothpaste Gel
- 3. Burt’s Bees Kids Toothpaste
- 4. Hello Oral Care Fluoride Free Toddler Training Toothpaste
- 5. Earth’s Best Toddler Toothpaste
- 6. Tom’s of Maine Toddlers Natural Toothpaste
- 7. Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel
- 8. Dr. Brown’s Natural Baby Toothpaste
- 9. Orajel Elmo Fluoride-Free Training Toothpaste
- 10. Colgate My First Baby and Toddler Toothpaste and Toothbrush
- Baby Toothpastes Buyers Guide
You’ll know the teeth are coming before they peek out – your previously contented little one has become a slobbering, irritable mess. Baby’s first tooth will usually show itself at around six months, and you can expect four or five more teeth to erupt in the first year.
While your primary concern will be your little one’s comfort (and your sanity) during teething, there’s more to consider: when do you introduce teeth cleaning, and what’s the best baby toothpaste to use for cavity protection? Since we can’t help soothe your teething infant, we did the fact-finding on baby toothpaste, choosing the top ten best options for your baby’s dental health.
View The Best Baby Toothpaste Below
1. Jack n’ Jill Natural Toothpaste
It’s difficult enough to convince a squirming infant to tolerate the new sensation of a finger brush in their mouth, let alone selling them on an intensely flavored children’s toothpaste. If you’re looking for a genuinely flavor-free paste, Jack n’ Jill makes the best one we found. Babies and toddlers won’t even notice this mild formula.
Pros:
+Safe for swallowing
+Tasteless and made from natural ingredients
+Formulated for six months and up
Why We Like It – Made without abrasives, fluoride, harsh chemicals, or flavoring, this baby toothpaste perfectly simplifies your baby’s introduction to brushing. The ingredients gently clean gums and teeth (or tooth), and it’s also a great choice for older children who can’t tolerate flavored toothpaste.
2. Rain Natural Baby Kids Fluoride-Free Toothpaste Gel
Baby is going to swallow toothpaste when you brush; it’s a foregone conclusion. That’s why Rain uses food-grade ingredients in its baby training toothpaste, and why they’ve left out additives like parabens and carrageenan (which can upset little tummies). The watermelon flavor is mild and tolerable, and may even get your little one to look forward to brushing.
Pros:
+High-quality, food-grade ingredients
+You can use this one for the first tooth on up to six years
+Contains vitamin C to promote gum health
Why We Like It – This smooth gel might be a little on the pricy side, but the tube’s larger than many brands. We appreciated the attention Rain pays to their ingredient choices – what they’ve put in as well as what they’ve left out.
3. Burt’s Bees Kids Toothpaste
Mildly sweet, dye- and preservative-free, and toddler-friendly, this is a children’s toothpaste that fights decay – and that your toddler won’t fight using. Formulated for kids two years old and up, Burt’s fruit-flavored paste is meant for spitting, not swallowing, so it’s one of the best transitional products if your little one isn’t quite ready for uber-minty flavors.
Pros:
+Best for children who can spit, but reject strong flavors
+Affordable, but made with quality ingredients
+Sweetened with natural stevia
Why We Like It – Adult toothpaste can be too harsh for little palates, so Burt’s has created this middle-ground, inexpensive paste with an appealing fruit flavor and without lauryl sulfate and other chemical additives.
4. Hello Oral Care Fluoride Free Toddler Training Toothpaste
A product that’s labeled “training toothpaste” is safe if your children swallow while you’re teaching them to brush on their own. We liked this one for its formulation – it skips chemical additives in favor of plant-based sweeteners- and kids will like it for the organic apple flavor and smooth gel consistency.
Pros:
+Fortified with gum-soothing aloe vera
+Sodium lauryl sulfate, fluoride- and paraben-free
+Clinically proven to fight tooth decay and cavities
Why We Like It – Very young children may take time to grasp the concept of spitting (hey, it’s hard enough for them to develop brushing skills!), so a training toothpaste will give you peace of mind during their progression.
5. Earth’s Best Toddler Toothpaste
What baby doesn’t like bananas? Earth’s Best combines this fave flavor with strawberry for a super-appealing paste that delivers tooth-strengthening calcium lactate. It’s recommended for six months up to three years, so if your little one’s fussy, you can stick to this flavor well into toddlerhood. It’s gentle on sensitive gums, but just a dab on a baby toothbrush will do the job.
Pros:
+Suitable for babies and toddlers
+Kid-friendly flavor
+Infused with oat bran, glycerin and vitamin B5 for a healthy smile
Why We Like It – Go with what they know: banana is a familiar flavor, so we like this one for babies who are suspicious of novelty. Plus, if your picky-palate child accepts it, this is an effective toothpaste for children up to three years old.
6. Tom’s of Maine Toddlers Natural Toothpaste
Minty blast aside, adult toothpaste can alarm children with its foaming action. Forego the foam (and the fluoride) with this Tom’s of Maine gel formula. It’s flavored with natural ingredients and is perfectly safe to swallow. It’ll thoroughly clean teeth and gums (and the mess-free tube opening will help keep the counter and sink clean, too).
Pros:
+Gel formula is easy on sensitive mouths
+Mild but appealing fruit taste
+Suited for babies aged three to 24 months
Why We Like It – Tom’s of Maine is a staunch supporter of eco-friendly manufacturing – and they can be counted on to choose top-quality (and effective) natural ingredients. The no-mess design of this toothpaste tube was an unexpected bonus.
7. Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel
This is a minty toothpaste specifically designed for first teeth – toddlers with more adventurous palates may take to it well, and it also makes for less of a learning curve when it’s time to transition to big-people paste. A little silica provides sufficient cleaning power, and the glycerin and sweet almond oil keep the texture smooth.
Pros:
+Starting a mint-flavored toothpaste early can help your toddler transition
+Formula is made without fluoride and is safe to swallow
+Natural ingredients include fennel, spearmint, and calendula oil
Why We Like It – Minty baby toothpaste options are hard to find, so we loved that this one is mildly flavored with natural spearmint. Even with the addition of silica, this paste still is smooth enough for kids.
8. Dr. Brown’s Natural Baby Toothpaste
The familiar aroma and flavor of pear and apple will draw baby in and allow parents to get through tooth cleaning without hassle. Made without fluoride, artificial colors, or preservatives, Dr. Brown’s toothpaste is safe to swallow and can be used for babies and kids up to age three.
Pros:
+Baby is likely to accept the mild apple-pear taste
+Natural ingredients make it a safe training choice
+Can be used for younger infants and toddlers alike
Why We Like It – Families with a younger baby and a toddler will like the versatility and acceptability of this toothpaste. It’s gentle on sensitive teething-tender gums, and the taste is agreeable to even picky babies.
9. Orajel Elmo Fluoride-Free Training Toothpaste
Watching baby brush teeth for the first time is a milestone moment – don’t ruin it by worrying about swallowing versus spitting. This training toothpaste is safe to swallow, but still effectively cleans teeth and gums. Kids will like seeing Elmo on the tube of this berry formula, which is manufactured without the use of fluoride, aspartame, dyes, and sugars.
Pros:
+Safe to swallow while your toddler is learning to brush
+Kids can brush with Elmo
+Effectively removes plaque
Why We Like It – The sweet berry flavor is super-enticing, so if your child is finicky, this is a good gel to try. The glycerin that keeps it smooth is sourced from non-GMO vegetable oils, a detail we were glad to learn.
10. Colgate My First Baby and Toddler Toothpaste and Toothbrush
As long as you’re shopping for your little one’s first toothpaste, you might pick up the toothbrush as well. Colgate’s starter kit features a fruity flavored gel in a mess-free tube, along with a toothbrush with extra-soft bristles and a slip-free handle that’s equally easy for parents or kids to grip.
Pros:
+You’ll get toothpaste and brush in one purchase
+Paste is free of artificial colors and preservatives
+Brush head is the perfect size for little mouths
Why We Like It – This is a toothbrush baby will accept – the small head size is perfect – and that’ll encourage baby brushing teeth on his/her own. The toothpaste is sweet enough to appeal to the most discriminating taste buds.
Baby Toothpastes Buyers Guide
So what’s the difference between baby toothpaste and formulas made for adults? Fluoride is a major ingredient in the latter – and some people aren’t crazy about the idea of fluoride toothpaste for babies. Past the age of three, you may want to explore fluoride toothpaste formulas, but most infant and kids’ toothpaste brands avoid it, as well as eschewing strong abrasives.
That doesn’t mean baby toothpastes skimp on cavity protection, though – just the simple act of brushing removes plaque and encourages future good habits. To brush baby teeth, you’ll need just a tiny bit (about the size of a grain of rice) of toothpaste formulated for sensitive taste buds, along with a finger brush or tiny toothbrush. Finger brushes are usually made of silicone; they fit over your finger and allow you maximum control to rub teeth and gums.
Once older babies and toddlers are ready to help, look for “training” children’s toothpaste. These products can help in the transition to spitting, and that’s a vital lesson on the way to independent brushing. A kids’ toothpaste that’s safe to swallow should be applied in small amounts, but if your little one ingests the pea-sized dollop, he or she will be fine!
