The 5 Best Toothpastes for Kids

News, Oral Care

In this article we look at the best toothpaste for kids to help you turn your child’s tooth brushing time from a hassle into a bit of fun!

For many parents there’s an ongoing struggle to get their kids to brush their teeth that can feel like a never-ending battle. Well, we have great news, it doesn’t have to be this hard, and there may be a simple solution to help make the teeth cleaning process an enjoyable one for both you and your child – find a toothpaste they actually like!

We’ve taken the time to outline some of our most popular, delicious tasting and of course kid and tooth friendly toothpastes that will be sure to get your youngsters into the routine of brushing.

Our Criteria

We started by seeking feedback from our customers, our team and most of all, kids! We coupled this with professional advice from our resident dental practitioner and evaluated toothpastes based on three criteria:

Flavour: The best kids toothpaste needs to taste delicious, so you can say goodbye to traditional mint and hello to a range of yummy alternatives. From our experience, particularly young children found that mint was not palatable, even in its mildest form.

Price: Some toothpastes can get expensive, however, all of the recommendations are under $9 and toothpaste alternatives being under $23.

Effectiveness: On top of tasting good and not breaking the bank, we made sure our selection included a mix of fluoride, fluoride free and other beneficial ingredients that will make sure to keep your kids smiling long into the future.

How to Choose a Children’s Toothpaste

Does it Strengthen Teeth and Prevent Decay?

Toothpaste not only assists in removing food, bacteria, stain and plaque from the teeth and gums but also assists in strengthening the teeth which helps prevent cavities (holes) forming. This is usually achieved through ingredients such as Fluoride. Therefore, using a toothpaste that contains ingredients proven to strengthen and remineralise your child’s teeth is important.

Many of the children’s toothpastes containing fluoride have clearly indicated age ranges (based on the Australian Dental Associations Guidelines) to ensure your child is receiving just the right amount of fluoride for their age, that is, not too little or too much. The amount of other ingredients including Xylitol, Calcium etc are usually determined by manufacturer and are brand or toothpaste specific – there are currently no set guidelines relating to inclusion of these in toothpastes.

How Much Toothpaste?

Using the right amount of toothpaste for your child’s age is important. This is usually determined by your child’s age and the fluoride content in the toothpaste:

Under 18 months: don’t use toothpaste, unless advised by a dental practitioner. Simply wet the toothbrush with water.

18 months to five years: brush your child’s teeth with a small pea-sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste – usually labelled as a children’s toothpaste.

6 years and older: use a regular strength fluoride toothpaste (adult toothpaste), look for a toothpaste that has at least 1,000 parts per million fluoride concentration.

Does it Prevent Other Dental Problems?

Using a toothpaste that helps to clean and strengthen will also help control bad breath and the colour of your child’s teeth. Therefore, brushing with a children’s toothpaste appropriate for your child’s age is equally important as brushing the teeth themselves. Of course, this should always be coupled with the following daily oral hygiene practices for kids:

Drink well – make sure your child drinks plenty of water and limit added sugar such as fruit juices, cordials, soft drinks, flavoured milks, and sports drinks.
Eat well – great nutrition supports healthy teeth. Eating a balanced diet and avoiding snacks which are high in sugar help support the development of strong teeth.
Clean well – brushing should start as soon as the first baby teeth appear with parents completing this until their child’s coordination develops, that is, roughly 8 years of age.

Our Top Children’s Toothpastes

We’ve compiled our best children’s toothpaste into five separate categories:

Best Value Toothpaste

Maxam Kids Toothpaste Strawberry

Maxam Kids Toothpaste Strawberry ticks all the boxes with a fluoride containing toothpaste that is strawberry flavoured. The special formula helps to protect against cavities, maintain healthy gums and freshen breath whilst being delicious at the same time and not breaking the bank!

Best Tasting Toothpaste

Jack n Jill Strawberry Toothpaste

Australian owned Jack n Jill hits the jackpot with the most delicious tasting toothpaste we’ve ever tried! Available in six different flavours including: not your youngsters will not only have fun selecting their flavour but will look forward to brushing morning and night. Packed with 25% xylitol you can be sure the toothpaste assists tooth health and development. With six delicious options, it was hard to pick a clear flavour winner, however, on this occasion, Jack n Jill’s Strawberry Toothpaste finished across the line first, just!

Best Toothpaste Alternative

Jack n Jill Toothpaste Sparkles

Toothpaste has been turned on its head with Jack n Jills Toothpaste Sparkles. These innovative and fun chewable toothpaste tablets are as simple as chewing and swallowing after meals. The chewing effect helps remove surface stains and plaque whilst xylitol and calcium help strengthen and support the teeth and bones. This is a fun and yummy way to introduce children to good oral health practices and can be used in conjunction with regular brushing.

Best Toothpaste for Younger Kids

Piksters Junior Vanilla Flavour Toothpaste

Piksters Junior Vanilla Flavour Toothpaste is an affordable and delicious tasting toothpaste for children 2-6 years. This toothpaste is a top pick among our customers and available in two tube sizes (25g and 45g) allowing you to trial the toothpaste before committing to a larger tube.

Best Habit Improving Toothpaste

Piksters Plaq Glo Toothpaste

Piksters Plaque Glo Toothpaste and torch system helps instil great tooth brushing habits by allowing children to visually see the plaque on their teeth before they brush. Plaque Glo assists children by staining harmful plaque which is then made visible by shining a LED torch (included) onto the teeth. Children then use the delicious tasting tropical toothpaste to clean away the plaque.

Oral Health Advice and Assistance

Do you have questions about the products recommended to you by your Dental Professional or need help selecting a product suited to your child’s needs? One of our Dental Professionals will be more than happy to help – Contact Us today.