It’s easier than ever for kids to take toothbrushing into their own hands thanks to an ever-growing array of electric options. The best electric toothbrushes for kids encourage good oral hygiene habits and help achieve optimal healthy teeth and gums, all while making brushing fun. Based on my research of the best-selling, highly rated kids electric toothbrushes (and as a mom of two cavity-free teens who are obsessed with oral hygiene), Philips Sonicare For Kids is the best overall due to its gentle pressure, low noise and ability to make brushing fun. The editor- and mom-approved Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush is my best pick for travel.
To curate this list, I tapped board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Lisa Bienstock for her guidance and answers to frequently asked questions. I also took into account the toothbrushes’ kid-appealing features, functionality and ease of use. Based on my findings, below are the best electric toothbrushes for kids, from those with advanced interactive features to the simple, streamlined ones that get the job done without much fanfare. And if you need one for yourself, we have a story on the best electric toothbrushes—for adults—as well.
Best Electric Toothbrush For Kids Overall: Philips Sonicare For Kids
Best Travel Electric Toothbrush For Kids: Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush
Best Electric Toothbrush For Older Kids: Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush
Best Budget Electric Toothbrush For Kids: Colgate Kids Battery Powered Toothbrush
Best Interactive Electric Toothbrush For Kids: BriteBrush GameBrush
Best Electric Toothbrush For Babies And Toddlers: Dada-Tech Baby Electric Toothbrush
Best Electric Toothbrush For Kids Overall
A Fun, Interactive App (And Stickers!) Encourage Tots To Brush
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Philips Sonicare For Kids
Rechargeable: Yes | Brushing modes: 2 | Timer: Built-in | Age: 3+ | Replacement heads: Yes
Sonicare is synonymous with bestselling electric toothbrushes, and the brand’s sonic toothbrush designed for kids ages 3 and up offers clever features that appeal to young ones. For instance, it interacts with an entertaining app that syncs with your child’s toothbrush via Bluetooth, so a character named “Sparkly” teaches them brushing techniques and encourages a more thorough brushing session.
The toothbrush also features a 2-minute timer and a “Musical Kidpacer” that alerts kids when to switch to brushing a different section of their mouths. Kids can also customize the brush handle with a variety of eight different stickers that are included. The handle of this toothbrush is adult-sized, so be aware that it’s not optimized for the smallest hands.
What parents say: Rose Gordon Sala, Forbes Vetted’s senior baby and kids gear editor, says this is her new favorite electric toothbrush for kids. “It’s fantastic and the timer keeps them all honest,” she says. “It’s gentle enough that they don’t complain, and it is super quiet. They really won’t use the loud, harsh toothbrushes. My 4-year-old loved the stickers that came with the Pet Edition model.”
Best Travel Electric Toothbrush For Kids
A Simple, Lightweight Option That's Also Beginner-Friendly
Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush
Rechargeable: No | Brushing modes: 1 | Ages: 3+ | Timer: Built-in | Replacement heads: Yes
Thoughtfully designed for kids ages 3 and older, the Quip toothbrush has a waterproof rubber-grip handle that’s easy and comfortable for young users to grasp and hold during a brushing session. The small toothbrush head features soft bristles, which, combined with the gentle vibration (without added oscillation), make the Quip easy on gums. Its small size and lighter weight make it both suitable for younger kids and portable enough for travel. Another neat trip-friendly feature is the toothbrush’s travel cover, which doubles as a mirror mount.
Quip’s sonic vibrations last two minutes and are timed so kids learn to switch to brushing another quadrant of their mouth every 30 seconds when the brush pulses. There’s no charger for this toothbrush, but Quip’s replaceable AAA battery lasts for three months.
Notably, Quip is one of a select few electric toothbrushes that earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance. This means “the product is safe and has shown efficacy in removing plaque and helping to prevent and reduce gingivitis when used as directed.”
What parents say: Sala used Quip toothbrushes for each of her three kids over the course of a year. “We really liked them at first. They’re gentle, lightweight and extra quiet,” she explains. “The issue we ran into is that after a certain amount of time they would just die and even fresh batteries wouldn’t bring them back. My kids much prefer these quiet, gentle toothbrushes, so we’ll keep using them but only for sporadic travel so they’ll last longer.”
Best Electric Toothbrush For Older Kids
A Pressure Sensor And Gentle Mode Help Prevent Hard Brushing
Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush
Rechargeable: Yes | Brushing modes: 2 | Timer: Built-in | Age: 6+ | Replacement heads: Yes
The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush has built-in features that ensure kids don’t brush their teeth too hard, which can cause a host of issues. Whether your kiddo needs to learn a lighter touch or you want to encourage proper brushing from the start, this toothbrush has a handy pressure sensor that lights up when kids are applying too much pressure, signaling them to ease up. Plus, the brush heads are circular, which some reviewers like because they fit better in smaller mouths and can reach small nooks and crannies more easily.
When you use the sensitive brush head (one of two brush heads included) and the “gentle mode” option, rest assured that your kid’s tooth-brushing session will be well monitored. Several reviewers say its’ better for slightly older kids due to its relatively strong vibration.
What parents say: “This is definitely a more powerful toothbrush than some other kid models,” says Sala. “My 8-year-old uses this toothbrush, and I feel confident that his teeth are getting clean, but it’s a bit loud for him. We typically run it in gentle mode for him.”
Best Budget Electric Toothbrush For Kids
An Under-$10 Way To See If Your Tyke Likes Electric Brushes
Colgate Kids Battery Powered Toothbrush
Rechargeable: No |Brushing modes:1 |Timer:None |Ages:3+ | Replacement heads: No
If you’re not sure your kid will even want to use an electric toothbrush, Dr. Bienstock says cheaper single-use options (ones without replaceable heads that are disposed of after three months) are a good place to start. “That way, you can see if your child likes it and will tolerate it, because it may take time to adjust to the vibrating and oscillating feeling,” she says.
For less than $10 you can test the waters with Colgate’s battery-powered toothbrush that’s geared for little ones and comes in a variety of fun characters like a Minion, Batman or a unicorn. Other little kid-friendly features include a slim handle designed for small hands and a small, soft-bristled brush head that is gentle on gums. Plus, because the handle lays flat, there’s no danger of it rolling over after your tyke loads it with toothpaste.
What parents say: Rachel Collins, Forbes senior data analyst, says, “I like that the vibration is not too harsh, as my daughter is not yet 4, and the bristles are soft enough for her age.Also, the characters on the toothbrush helped when we were first starting the transition to a ‘big kids’ toothbrush to get her interested in brushing her teeth.”
Best Interactive Electric Toothbrush For Kids
Games And Haptic Feedback Make Manual Brushing Fun
BriteBrush GameBrush
Rechargeable: No |Brushing modes:None (manual) |Timer:None |Ages:5+ | Replacement heads: Yes
The BriteBrush GameBrush turns teeth-brushing into a fun event for kids ages 5 and older. The lively brush is equipped with seven games kids can choose from, such as soccer pinball, dance star, race car rally and space attack (which makes actual “pew pew” sounds like the Asteroids game of your youth). Each game has four sections, one for each quadrant of the mouth, and kids end with a “score” of stars they collected during the session. (Note that each game lasts one minute, so kids need to play two games to brush for the full two minutes that dentists recommend).
The brush also features music and lights, and it’s equipped with smart sensors to track and guide brushing endeavors, as well as audio that tells kids to change sides so they don’t miss any teeth. Note that the head does not vibrate or oscillate and is meant to teach kids how to properly brush their teeth manually.
Best Electric Toothbrush For Babies And Toddlers
Super-Soft Bristles And Sized Perfectly For Baby's Grasp
Dada-Tech Baby Electric Toothbrush
Rechargeable:No |Brushing modes:1 |Timer:Built-in |Ages:0-3 | Replacement heads: Yes
Babies and toddlers—even kids well under 3—can reap the benefits of using an electric toothbrush with the Dada-Tech Baby Electric Toothbrush. Since young babies may not yet have sprouted teeth through their sensitive gums, the sonic technology of this toothbrush is a gentle vibration and there is no rotation of the bristles.
Additionally, the short, easy-to-grasp silicone handle and the soft nylon bristles on the brush head make this toothbrush safer for little ones to use. Plus, some parent reviewers say the LED light and the clear bristles are very helpful for seeing into all the corners of their little ones’ mouths. Furthermore, 30-second pulse reminders teach young kids (or help caregivers keep track of) how much time to spend in each quadrant of the mouth.
MORE FROMFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
For this piece, I drew on the expertise of Dr. Lisa Bienstock, a board-certified pediatric dentist in the Phoenix, Arizona area; she is also the vice president of the Arizona State Dental Board. I also relied on my own experience as a mom of two kids who have used electric toothbrushes since they were toddlers; I know firsthand which toothbrush features parents tend to look for to aid in the brushing endeavor.
Furthermore, Rose Gordon Sala, senior editor of baby and kids gear for Forbes Vetted and parent of two elementary school-aged children, shared her firsthand experience with products in this piece and thoroughly reviewed and edited it. This story is regularly updated for relevancy and accuracy. It was last updated in September 2023 by Fran Sales, Vetted’s kids and baby gear writer with years of experience covering lifestyle products.
How We Chose The Best Electric Toothbrushes For Kids
After speaking with Dr. Bienstock and researching recommendations from the American Dental Association, I pored over copious reviews and best lists to arrive at the bestselling and most highly rated electric toothbrushes for kids. I also spoke with parents on the Forbes team to get firsthand recommendations. For example, senior baby and kids gear editor Sala shared her firsthand experience with several of our top picks, including the Philips Sonicare For Kids and the Quip Kids Electric Toothbrush.
I ensured that each toothbrush recommended is age-appropriate as well as safe, effective and easy to use, keeping in mind features like each one’s size and weight (both the handle and brush head), how each brush head moves, whether they’re rechargeable or need their batteries replaced and extra features like built-in timers, interactive games and multiple brushing modes.
What Should I Look For In An Electric Toothbrush For Kids?
When it comes to which key features to look for while shopping for an electric toothbrush for kids, Dr. Bienstock says that it all comes down to your child’s preferences. “The vibrating and oscillating features may have minor differences, but they seem to be pretty uniform. Find one that fits your child’s comfort level and needs,” she explains. For instance, keep in mind whether your child is able to maneuver a thick or tall electric toothbrush, or if a smaller or slimmer one is best. “And, of course, many have games, lights, and other bells and whistles, so it really depends on what you and your child like,” Dr. Bienstock adds.
Is It Better For Kids To Use An Electric Toothbrush?
Yes, according to Dr. Bienstock. “Electric toothbrushes clean the teeth and gums better than manual toothbrushes. As busy parents who do not always have time to monitor every time our kids brush their teeth, electric toothbrushes can give us peace of mind about our kids’ dental hygiene.”