The first tooth is an important milestone. When the first pearly white cuts through, it’s usually a great relief for parents and babies who have endured the pain of teething!
But the baby’s first teeth also come with an additional responsibility to focus on proper dental care from a young age. It is a good idea to get your child used to toothbrush and toothpaste brushing so they can become part of your routine and have one less fight during the toddler years.
Technically, you should practice proper oral care with your baby before the first tooth erupts.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), parents or caregivers should start cleaning their baby’s mouth using a clean, damp washcloth or gauze pad within a few days of birth.
But once your baby’s teeth appear, consider using a toothpaste that contains fluoride, says the ADA.
The short answer is yes. As soon as teeth appear, there is always a risk of tooth decay and tooth decay. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), along with the ADA, recommends parents use a fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth appears.
This is because, according to the AAP, one of the most chronic childhood diseases in the United States is tooth decay – the formal term for tooth decay.
Using toothpaste that contains fluoride can serve as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Make sure to use a grain-sized amount of toothpaste.
Baby toothpaste is slightly different from the traditional toothpaste that most children and adults use. Babies and toddlers cannot always spit, and traditional toothpaste contains ingredients that are not intended for consumption.
Most baby toothpastes are designed to be safe to swallow. Keep in mind that you may see conflicting information as some experts still recommend that parents avoid fluoride toothpaste for infants and young children.
Still, there are a few ingredients that you should avoid, namely Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), essential oils, and harsh abrasive ingredients. SLS is a cleanser that has been shown to cause canker sores.
In the meantime, essential oils are often added to toothpaste and advertised as being purely natural due to their natural antimicrobial properties. But babies are still developing their oral microbiome. Therefore, essential oil components can inhibit this production.
Finally, abrasive ingredients normally found in adult toothpaste for whitening should be avoided entirely. These ingredients can damage your child’s tooth enamel.
So what should you prioritize when buying baby toothpaste? Part of this answer depends on whether you want to follow AAP or ADA recommendations. If you do, fluoride toothpaste will be a priority.
However, many baby toothpastes are fluoride-free. If this is your concern, speak to your pediatrician or dentist about whether fluoride is needed. Outside of fluoride, consider the following factors:
ADA seal of approval
The ADA Seal of Approval gives you the peace of mind that you are choosing a toothpaste that has been approved by one of the leading dental organizations in the United States and is safe for your baby’s dental care.
Safe to swallow
As mentioned earlier, babies haven’t learned to spit on purpose. So you need a toothpaste that is safe to swallow. Most baby toothpastes are designed with this feature as a priority.
taste
Compared to adult toothpaste, you will find that mint flavor is not common in baby toothpaste. This is because babies tend to like softer flavor profiles and find stronger flavors like mint too intense. Typically, baby toothpaste is designed to taste like fruit.
Choosing baby toothpaste doesn’t have to be too stressful for your brain, but it may require a little trial and error depending on your tastes and whether your baby likes it or not.
To create our shortlist, we focused on whether a brand has fluoride, flavorings, whether they’re ADA approved, and of course, reviews from real parents.
A note on the price
The toothpastes listed below are sold in tubes of various sizes, some come in multiple packs, while others are sold with toothbrushes. The price per tube is between $ 3 and $ 9 at the time of publication.
Orajel fluoride-free training toothpaste
The Orajel toothpaste was specially developed for the little ones. It is intended for children aged 4 months to 24 months or 2 years old. It’s free from alcohol, SLS, parabens, aspartame, dyes, and sugar. Parents say their little ones like the berry flavor and it’s safe to swallow too.
Dr. Brown’s baby to toddler toothbrush set
This 2-in-1 solution comes with a baby-friendly giraffe-shaped toothbrush that is a great size for removing plaque from small mouths. Another fluoride-free option, this toothpaste is designed for children from newborns to 3 years of age.
Dr. Brown’s toothpaste is also safe to swallow and is made with a strawberry flavor that is free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Radius organic coconut banana toothpaste
If your little one loves the taste of bananas, this selection from Radius is a great choice. The coconut-banana-flavored toothpaste is USDA certified. There are no synthetic foaming agents, chemicals, or GMO-based ingredients and it is rated safe for children 6 months and older.
This BPA-free, dye-free and gluten-free children’s toothpaste is safe to swallow. Note that this is also a fluoride-free toothpaste.
Hello Oral Care fluoride-free children’s toothpaste
Babies prefer sweet flavors, so this watermelon toothpaste can be the crowd favorite. This is another safe to swallow solution that is free from harsh ingredients like SLS, parabens, gluten, colors, and even artificial sweeteners.
If ethical manufacturing is important to you, you will appreciate that Hello is a Leaping Bunny certified brand. Also note that this toothpaste is vegan-friendly and the packaging is BPA-free.
Colgate My First toothbrush and fluoride-free toothpaste set
Toothbrush sets are ideal if you’re just starting to build a good dental care routine with your little one. This set from Colgate comes with a 1.75 ounce tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush with a smaller brush head.
The brush has extra soft bristles to gently reach all corners and edges of your baby’s mouth. The infant and toddler toothpaste has a mild fruit flavor that is safe to swallow. The toothpaste is fluoride-free and also free of SLS, preservatives and artificial flavors.
Jack N ‘Jill Natural Toothpaste
This two-pack of organic toothpaste is a great way to stock up on oral care products. You will like that this toothpaste is vegan-friendly, gluten-free, SLS-free and also certified as cruelty-free. Note that this is another fluoride-free option.
The safe to swallow toothpaste comes in two different flavors – banana and raspberry. These selections include xylitol and marigold, which the brand says have been added to reduce the risk of tooth decay, soothe gums, and fight tooth decay.
Tom’s of Maine training toothpaste for toddlers
If you have a baby who is afraid of pasty texture toothpaste, this softer gel formula from Tom’s of Maine could be a great alternative.
This is another fluoride-free baby toothpaste that is safe to swallow. The mild fruit aroma is free of artificial colors, aromas, fragrances or preservatives. This toothpaste is formulated for babies from 3 months to 2 years of age.
Crest & Oral-B baby toothbrush and toothbrush training set
A mild strawberry toothpaste flavor combined with a complete oral care kit so you can take the guesswork out of finding the right toothbrush for your child.
You get two 1.6-ounce tubes of safe-to-swallow toothpaste and four miniature toothbrushes of Winnie the Pooh. This toothpaste is also fluoride-free, but free from SLS, artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners.
Taking care of your baby’s oral health is important as you teach behaviors that can serve as the basis for healthy habits.
Even if these are your baby’s first teeth – and they will lose them and get their permanent teeth – you want to make sure they learn to take care of their teeth by minimizing the risk of tooth decay and other dental health problems.
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