Electric toothbrushes for children: our selection of the best products

Children's oral hygiene is key to having healthy teeth for life. It's crucial to teach them to brush their teeth as early as possible, and electric toothbrushes are a great tool for teaching them good habits.

Nutrident details everything you need to know about electric toothbrushes for children and offers two models to try.

The importance of brushing baby teeth

Milk teeth have a limited life span, but it is essential that they are healthy. Of course, they are not spared by bacteria that can dig cavities in them that become cavities. These infections can spread to other teeth, but also damage the gums.

The worst happens when cavities in baby teeth infect the underlying permanent teeth that will grow in already damaged. All this is very painful for your child who will have to undergo dental treatment.

You need to make your child aware of the importance of having healthy teeth , which also affects his or her entire body. The smaller you make it, the more automatic brushing will become, linked to the pleasure of having clean and smooth teeth.

At what age should your child be offered an electric toothbrush?

The electric toothbrush is much more effective at removing plaque before it calcifies and turns into tartar. It reaches the most inaccessible corners of the mouth and its timer helps to ensure that the necessary brushing time is respected.

Here is a video that reminds you how to use an electric toothbrush:

However, it is imperative that children learn to brush by hand. In any case, the child should be able to use a manual brush for the rest of his life. Electric brushes require children to be old enough to hold the handle and direct the brush.

Dentists generally recommend the use of an electric toothbrush from the age of 5. At this age, their dexterity is sufficiently trained to master this type of brush, taking into account their weight, the size of the handle and the size of the brush. The manufacturers have therefore adopted the ergonomics and dimensions for children aged at least 5 years.

Why choose an electric brush for children?

The electric toothbrush is more effective against plaque, which is true at any age. The other advantage is to have a better control of the timing. For an adult, it is already difficult to evaluate the time spent per jaw area, so for children, the task becomes insurmountable.

Indeed, in order not to miss any area of the mouth and not to brush one area more than another, you must spend the same amount of time on each of your jaws and the same amount of time on the inner side as on the outer side.

The electric brush timer keeps track of these sequences and tells you when to change zones.

What are the criteria of an electric toothbrush for children?

The electric brush for children must be adapted and this starts with its handle which must be thin enough for small hands. The weight must also be reasonable.

The size of the brushes should also be reduced to fit the size of the mouth. The bristles must be particularly soft so as not to damage the young and fragile gums, as well as the enamel.

The decoration and colors of the children's brush are often more playful to encourage use.

How to teach your child to use an electric toothbrush?

Start by teaching your child that there's no need to overdo it with toothpaste. A dab is enough. The brush serves as an indicator: the paste must cover it, possibly slightly exceeding its surface, but not more.

The child must put the brush in his or her mouth before starting, otherwise your bathroom walls will be plastered with toothpaste! He should hold the brush firmly in his hand, positioning the brush perpendicular to the face of his teeth.

The child must proceed methodically and brush successively the 4 areas of his mouth, in any order: two areas per jaw, the inner side and the outer side. If the brush is equipped with a timer, it tells the brush when to move from one area to another.

When brushing is finished, stop the brush before taking it out of the mouth, for the same reason as when you started, otherwise the rapid movements of the brush will throw the remaining toothpaste mixed with saliva around the child!

No need to rinse your mouth, as is too often advised. The child must spit out what is in his mouth, but why rinse the toothpaste? You might as well extend the benefits of this product by a few minutes in contact with your teeth. The saliva is responsible for rinsing them. Toothpastes taste good and there is no risk in swallowing such a small amount.

The selection of electric toothbrushes for children by Nutrident.fr

The two models we have selected work with oscillating-rotating technology and therefore offer round brushes, sized to fit the mouth of children. These brushes are from Oral-B, the market leader in this technique.

They also both have timers that allow you to control an even brushing between each area for the recommended two minutes.

Finally, both models are rechargeable. There are battery-operated toothbrushes, but they are less convenient and less environmentally friendly.

Oral-B Junior 6+ electric toothbrush

This brush features an ever-trendy solid purple tone with extra soft bristles. The battery holds the charge for about ten days.

The brush has a pressure sensor that alerts if your child is pressing too hard on the brush, which is bad for gums and teeth.

The Oral B Disney Princess electric toothbrush

This brush has the same characteristics as the previous one, but with a more playful look that is more suitable for the little ones, featuring characters from Disney animated films.

The timer is not built-in, but must be paired with a mobile app, the Disney Magic Timer.

Conclusion

Faced with the success of electric toothbrushes, brands quickly put on sale products exclusively for children. There are brushes for all ages. In order to appeal to the little ones, these dental hygiene tools often have a design and colors reminiscent of the world of childhood.

Aestheticism and efficiency. Just like adult toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes for children are ideal for removing plaque and preventing cavities. If the biggest brands all offer quality toothbrushes for children, the Nutrident.fr team recommends the Oral-B brand products.

FAQ

Which electric toothbrush to choose for children?

The best electric toothbrush for children depends on the age of your infant. All brands now offer brushes for every stage of childhood. Oral-B and Philips Sonicare offer products recommended by healthcare professionals.

At what age can you use an electric toothbrush?

According to dentists, children can use an electric toothbrush from the age of 5.

Which toothbrush should I buy for an 8 year old?

Every child under the age of 10 should have a small toothbrush that reaches all areas of the mouth, even the bottom.