What is the Best Kids Toothpaste?
You only want the best for your child. Something as important as their oral health is not to be taken lightly. So what is the best kids toothpaste?
There are a lot of things to consider here. The formula needs to be effective, but it also has to be safe. They also have to enjoy using it - or getting them to brush their teeth will be an absolute nightmare. A toothpaste can have every clinical backing in the world, but if they refuse to brush, what good is it?
We’re going to help you weigh your options below and find the best toothpaste for kids at every age - from their first few teeth to their teenage years when braces and sensitivity start to become a concern. See why LIVFRESH Kids+ Toothpaste is the #1 choice for all ages.
Best Kids Toothpaste (Fast Facts)
- Fluoride is not recommended for young children because they may swallow it.
- For the same reason, your main priority should be getting a non-toxic kids toothpaste.
- LIVFRESH Kids+ Dental Gel can remove plaque up to 250% better than a leading ADA-approved toothpaste.
- You can explore fluoride toothpaste with your child as they mature and begin to understand things better.
When Do You Start Brushing Your Baby’s Teeth?
You need to start brushing your kids' teeth for them. It’s just a matter of when. We recommend parents begin doing this as soon as the first tooth pops through, which can happen around 6 months of age. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later.
You could technically start getting your little one used to the habit even sooner by wiping down the gums with a clean, damp cloth after feeding them. This will help get them used to the routine so toothbrushing becomes less of a fight down the road.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should begin with a soft-bristled brush and only use a smear of toothpaste - less than the size of a grain of rice.
Plan on doing the brushing for them between ages 1 and 3. You can let them hold a toothbrush and practice the motion, but you have to do the real cleaning. That being said, what is the best toothpaste for kids around this age?
Should Kids Use Fluoride-Free Toothpaste?
What most parents really want to know is whether fluoride should be avoided or not. You’ve probably heard some scary things about it. But the fact of the matter is fluoride toothpaste can be perfectly safe. It’s actually one of the most proven ingredients in oral health. It strengthens enamel, helping prevent decay.
The issue is that younger kids might swallow some of their toothpaste (or all of it). And swallowing fluoride is a problem. Ingesting too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis, which leads to white spots/streaks on permanent teeth.
You can tell your child not to swallow toothpaste all you want. Whether they actually listen or not is another story. Some parents choose to avoid fluoride toothpaste just for peace of mind alone - and that’s perfectly fine! You can always transition to fluoride later on as they get older.
That being said, you need to choose a good toothpaste for kids with clinically studied ingredients since fluoride isn’t in the mix. So what is the best toothpaste for kids, then?
So What is the Best Toothpaste For Kids Under the Age of 6?
The priorities are pretty simple for kids under the age of six:
- The toothpaste needs to effectively fight plaque
- The toothpaste has to be safe in case they swallow it
- The toothpaste must be something they can tolerate
We’ll break down all of these factors below and help you choose the best toothpaste for any child just getting started with oral hygiene.
Targeted Plaque Removal
Plaque builds up on baby teeth the same way it builds up on adult teeth, and plaque is honestly the root of all evil in oral health. It eventually turns into tartar and can lead to real gum damage. That’s why the best kids toothpaste has to be effective at removing plaque.
The problem is most toothpastes don’t actually have any plaque-fighting ingredients. Especially gentle, non-toxic children’s formulas. Plaque removal is entirely dependent on brushing technique - and that can obviously be hit or miss.
All of this is why LIVFRESH’s new Kids+ Dental Gel is the best toothpaste for kids under the age of six - or any age, for that matter. It features an ingredient backed by 40 patents and 40 studies: Activated Edathamil.
This ingredient has been shown to remove plaque 250% better than leading brands. It dissolves plaque on a molecular level, and it leaves behind a negative surface charge on the tooth surface that prevents new plaque from re-attaching at its normal rate.
Tolerable Flavor and Texture
A toothpaste can be the most clinically validated in the entire world. But whether it’s Colgate or Crest, it won’t matter if your child can’t commit to a twice-daily brushing regimen.
Unfortunately, though, most toothpastes have really strong minty flavors. A lot of other toothpastes that don’t have fluoride will use abrasives, and the texture can be off-putting for kids.
This is another reason LIVFRESH’s new Kids+ formula is the best kids toothpaste on the market. It’s a wonderful pink bubblegum flavor profile that kids genuinely look forward to. It’s a gel format as well, which makes a big difference compared to traditional paste formats. It doesn’t have that same gritty texture that kids complain about all the time.
A Clean Label
Kids are kids. You can tell them not to swallow their toothpaste until you’re blue in the face. They might even tell you they understand! But they’re going to swallow it. So you better make sure you’re getting a non-toxic kids toothpaste formula. You should watch out for:
- SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate)
- Parabens
- Harsh abrasives
- Artificial flavors
You can enjoy peace of mind knowing LIVFRESH is safe if swallowed. It has no SLS, sugar, gluten, parabens, abrasives, antimicrobials, or triclosan. Foam-free and dye-free. Very gentle.
The Best Toothpaste For Children Over the Age of 6
Your child’s needs change as they get older. Does the best kids toothpaste evolve as well? Should you upgrade their formula the older they get? Maybe. But not necessarily.
The big difference at this point is they should now be old enough to listen to basic instructions, including “don’t swallow your toothpaste.” Thus, fluoride becomes an option once again.
Fluoride or No Fluoride?
Back to the same crossroads we started with! Should you use fluoride or fluoride-free toothpaste? This is one of those decisions that only you can make as a parent.
Most children over 6 can handle fluoride toothpaste without the swallowing risk. The enamel-strengthening benefits are well documented. But if your child is getting good checkups at the dentist, there’s really no need to move away from LIVFRESH Kids+ Dental Gel.
LIVFRESH makes an incredible fluoride toothpaste, which is capable of preventing cavities and helping treat gingivitis, reducing gum bleeding and inflammation 400% better than an ADA-approved toothpaste. But, it should be kept out of reach of children under the age of 12.
So that’s around the time you can start to consider a fluoride toothpaste for your child. If their main problem is plaque buildup, though, the original dental gel is probably a better fit.
What Matters Most: Getting Your Kid to Stay Consistent!
You can spend hours digging into science and weighing your options. It won’t matter if you buy them the best kids toothpaste and they sneakily skip their oral hygiene. The only thing you can really do is work with them to explain the importance of brushing, and warn them about the consequences of poor oral hygiene:
- Cavities (and the painful fillings that come with them)
- Gum disease (and how it’s permanent in some cases)
- Bad breath (and how their friends may not want to be near them)
It’s up to you as a parent to cement the significance of brushing twice daily. Communication is everything. That being said, you should absolutely listen to your child if they tell you that they dislike their toothpaste. The best toothpaste for kids is not one-size-fits-all. There may be some trial and error as you explore formats and formulas.
A Word on Natural Toothpastes For Kids
We totally understand the appeal of natural toothpaste formulas, such as Hello or Native toothpaste. But while your intentions may be in the best place, these sorts of formulas lack any sort of clinical validation. While LIVFRESH’s Kids+ formula can remove plaque up to 250% better than a leading ADA-recommended alternative, natural toothpastes will have claims like:
- Gentle
- Non-toxic
- Better for you
Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for fewer synthetic chemicals in our personal care. But a lot of brands on the market are trying to capitalize on the “natural” trend, selling you products that don’t do anything - on both ends of the spectrum. They may not be harmful. But they’re not effective, either.
How to Get Kids to Brush Better
It can feel at times like getting your child to brush is a never-ending battle. We’ve been there ourselves as parents. Here are some things that worked for us and led to better dental checkups for our children:
- Let them pick the toothpaste: You know what’s best for them, so obviously you want to steer them in the right direction. But give them two options - and let them decide what they want to brush with. A good toothpaste for kids is one they reach for because they think they decided on it.
- Use a timer: Kids are notorious for underestimating how long they’ve brushed their teeth. Our rule of thumb is 2 minutes (twice a day). Set a timer - maybe one with sand since it’s more fun, and making personal care “fun” is ultimately what leads to better compliance.
- Brush together: This might mean changing your routine a little bit, but let’s face it - that’s a small price to pay for getting your child to stop fighting you every morning and evening. They want to be just like you, so show them how “cool” oral care is!
Make sure you’re explaining proper technique to them, too. This might mean brushing for them. You want to go at an angle against the teeth to work bristles beneath the gum line.
Do Teenagers Need a Different Type of Toothpaste?
We mentioned earlier that a child’s needs change fairly dramatically, and what was best for them at the age of 7 might not be the right formula at 15. Everything changes for teens. Braces, hormones, and they might even start to CARE about how their teeth look - so the conversation on whitening will come up. So, what is the best toothpaste for kids in junior high and high school?
Braces-Friendly Toothpastes
We have an entire guide on the best toothpaste for braces. You need something that goes above and beyond at plaque removal because this sticky biofilm likes to hide in all the extra nooks and crannies that exist in your child’s mouth when they have braces.
LIVFRESH’s patented Activated Edathamil is a great option because it doesn’t necessarily rely on aggressive scrubbing. The ingredient itself can spread throughout the mouth and come in contact with plaque that likes to hide, dissolving it on a molecular level.
Sensitivity Recommendations
Your gut instinct when your child asks you for help finding the best toothpaste for sensitive teeth is either Parodontax or Sensodyne. But LIVFRESH can work just as well here as it removes plaque better than an ADA-leading toothpaste - and plaque is ultimately the root cause of sensitivity. LIVFRESH may even help remineralize teeth, beefing up their resilience.
At a bare minimum, you want an SLS-free toothpaste because this foaming ingredient can irritate soft tissue and make sensitivity worse. If sensitivity gets worse, it might be time to have a conversation with your child’s dentist.
What About Whitening?
Most dentists recommend waiting until at least age 14 before introducing whitening products. The reason being, these formulas are notorious for using abrasives to scrub surface stains - and that can cause more harm than good in many cases. It can thin enamel that is still developing.
We recommend reminding your teen that clean teeth are white teeth, and adhering to their oral health regimen is the best way to prevent surface stains.
When Should You Encourage Your Child to Use Mouthwash?
The best kids toothpaste is only one piece of their oral care regimen. Dentists suggest introducing mouthwash when a child can swish and spit without swallowing. That could be after their 6th birthday. Maybe it’s their 8th birthday. Or later. You know your child best. This is one of those parental judgment calls that only you can make based on how your child develops.
A mouthwash is a really important part of their oral care regimen, though. It gets all the buildup that brushing and flossing miss. LIVFRESH makes a clinically proven plaque-removal mouthwash if you’re looking for recommendations.
Don’t Overlook the Role of Regular Dentist Visits!
You can have the best toothpaste for kids at every stage of life - but nothing replaces recurring dental checkups. This is when a professional can assess your child’s oral health and look for stuff that might be getting missed. A hygienist will remove tartar (which can’t be done at home).
The ADA recommends scheduling a child’s first dental visit by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth poking through. From that point forward, once annually is the bare minimum. Twice annually is ideal.
Bottom Line on the Best Kids Toothpaste
There you have it - everything you need to know to get your child the best kids toothpaste at any stage of life. The CliffsNotes are below:
- Fluoride is not recommended early on
- You need a non-toxic kids toothpaste formula in case they swallow
- Plaque removal is of the utmost importance
- Finding a toothpaste they are willing to use twice daily matters most
LIVFRESH’s Kids+ Dental Gel checks every box. It’s the best toothpaste for kids at any age, with patented, clinically studied ingredients and countless dentist endorsements. Learn more about the formula today!
