With a sweet but mild fruity flavor, natural ingredients, and powerful cleaning capacity, your kid will be happy with Tom's Natural Toothpaste in Silly Strawberry.
Is it possible to strike a workable balance between health, great taste, and killer cleaning power in a toothpaste made for kids? Tom's of Maine says yes, and so does my daughter (not to mention hundreds of reviewers on Amazon). Tom's Silly Strawberry toothpaste was the very first dental hygiene product my daughter ever used, and though we've tested tons more, we keep coming back to it.
The tingly feeling you get from most minty toothpaste can be too strong or "spicy" for kids, and my daughter is no exception. Instead, she loves the little hint of strawberry in Tom's toothpaste. It's gently sweetened with natural flavor but isn't so candy-like that it would make her want to swallow too much, which is a no-no.
Many moms have said that this is the only toothpaste their kids will use. However, some reviewers noted that their kids didn't like the subtle strawberry taste and needed something a bit bolder and sweeter to seduce them to brush.
Personally, I love the lack of harsh dyes and nasty chemicals. Although the ingredients are certified 100% all-natural, the toothpaste does list hydrated silica (a mild abrasive) as an ingredient, which some people find controversial. Tom's of Maine explains why it thinks hydrated silica is safe on its website.
The current guidelines from the American Dental Association recommend using a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste for kids over two, and just a little smidge on the toothbrush for infants under 24-months, since they typically can't spit it out at that age. So, although the Tom's of Maine brand offers an option sans fluoride, our pick is the kind that does contain the classic cavity-fighting ingredient and is therefore approved by the ADA.
Our family's pediatric dentist recommended we go for it starting at my tiny one's very first tooth, especially since we live in Portland, Oregon, where our public water is non-fluoridated.
And finally, Tom's of Maine partnered up with acclaimed children's musician, Laurie Berkner, to create a catchy two-minute song designed to help kids brush for the right amount of time. You can play the song here on YouTube.
Pros: All natural, subtly sweet taste with proven cleaning power, ADA approved
Cons: The flavor is too subtle for some
Buy a 2-pack of Tom's of Maine Natural Silly Strawberry Toothpaste on Amazon for $9.93