Best Electric Toothbrush for Kids

Not a lot of options for kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics says electric toothbrushes can be especially helpful to those with limited dexterity and hand coordination, such as children.  There aren't a lot of options available that are designed specifically for children's smaller mouths.

The Philips Sonicare for Kids (*Est. $60) is the only rechargeable electric toothbrush for kids that we came across in reviews. It's designed to get kids excited about brushing their teeth. Parents, for the most part, say it works. The toothbrush comes with three interchangeable panels to change up the look of the toothbrush and plays musical tones whenever it's time to move to a different area of the mouth. Reviewers say it's gentle, too. The brush heads are shaped to fit comfortably in children's mouths, and they have soft bristles. There is an easy start function that gradually increases brushing time and intensity for new users.

Parents say their kids are excited about using the toothbrush and love the built-in two-minute timer. Some say that the handle is heavy and very cumbersome -- it's nearly as big as an adult-sized toothbrush -- making it awkward for young users with small hands. We also found several complaints about durability. The Sonicare for Kids has a two-year warranty, however, and most say the company is very good about honoring it.

Oral-B also offers battery-operated electric toothbrushes for kids, but we didn't find any reviews for them. A standard electric toothbrush, such as the Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean Precision 4000 (*Est. $100) or the Philips Sonicare FlexCare (*Est. $120), is also an option but the features are more complicated for children, and the brush heads may not be as comfortable for young mouths.