How to Choose the Best Electric Toothbrush for a 10 Year Old

If you have a 10 year old, you probably already know that they aren’t the best at brushing their teeth.  While it’s normal for kids to not care much about their oral hygiene, it is important to get them into the habit of brushing and flossing properly.

A good way to do this is by having them use an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are great for small hands and are better at removing plaque than manual toothbrushes. Read on to learn how to find the best electric toothbrush for a 10 year old. 

Benefits of Electric Toothbrushes for 10 Year Olds

Plaque Removal

We brush our teeth to remove plaque from the tooth’s surface. If this plaque is not removed, cavities will eventually form.  The main benefit of an electric toothbrush is that it is more effective at removing plaque than a manual toothbrush.  Not only that, those who use electric toothbrushes have shown a reduction in gingivitis – or gum disease.  

This is particularly important for kids, because they tend to not brush as well as adults.  If a 10 year old were to use an electric toothbrush instead of a manual brush, they can reduce their plaque by as much as 21 percent in 3 months. 

Timer

Most electric toothbrushes have built in timers that signal when the user has brushed for the appropriate amount of time.  It is recommended that you brush your teeth for 2 minutes.  

Without a timer, it is likely that kids will brush for much less than 2 minutes.  However, the built in timer of an electric toothbrush makes it much easier for the child to brush for the correct amount of time. 

Mobility

Electric toothbrushes are a must for those with limited mobility, such as carpal tunnel or arthritis. However, they are also very helpful for kids because of their small hands. 

With manual toothbrush, you need to grip the handle and move the brush back and forth over each tooth.  Electric toothbrushes, on the other hand, do almost all of the work for you. 

Better for Braces

If your child has braces, his or her dentist will likely recommend that they start using an electric toothbrush.  The reason is because braces can be difficult to clean, and electric toothbrushes clean much better than manual brushes. 

Fun

If your child dislikes brushing their teeth, a switch to an electric toothbrush may seem fun for them.  Electric toothbrushes for kids often come in fun colors, with characters on them, and even play music.

What to Look For in an Electric Toothbrush

Quality

You may not think that younger kids need high quality toothbrushes, but when looking for an electric toothbrush, quality is important. You should choose a high quality brush, to best care for your child’s developing teeth.  Cheaper toothbrushes tend to have rough, abrasive bristles that can be damaging to your child’s enamel. 

Head Shape and Size

Kids require electric toothbrushes with a smaller than normal head size.  This is so the brush can comfortably fit into their mouths, all the way back to their molars.  

Toothbrush head shape must be taken into account as well.  Diamond or circular toothbrush head shapes tend to be better at fitting into hard to reach areas. 

Bristles

As I mentioned earlier, it is important to look at bristles when choosing an electric toothbrush for a 10 year old. If the bristles are too soft, they will not be effective at plaque removal. However, bristles that are too hard or firm may be too rough on the child’s developing enamel and gums. 

The best electric toothbrush for a 10 year old has medium bristles.  

Power Source

Next you need to decide what power source you prefer for your child’s electric toothbrush.  Electric toothbrushes are charged by either battery or by plugging into the wall.  

I personally like toothbrushes that plug into the wall because then you don’t have to replace the batteries all the time.  However, some people don’t like that because you need to keep track of another part of the toothbrush.  

Either charging method is fine, depending on your own personal preferences. 

Best Electric Toothbrush for a 10 Year Old

Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush with Coaching Pressure Sensor and Timer

What I really like about this Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush is that it has a coaching pressure sensor. So often, kids don’t know how hard or soft they should be brushing their teeth. If they brush too hard, it can damage their gums. But too soft and their teeth aren’t getting clean enough.

This toothbrush solves that problem by including the use of a pressure sensor. It lights up when the child is brushing and also alerts them if they are applying too much pressure.

I also like that the toothbrush has a built in timer right in the handle. It times the child for the dentist recommended 2 minutes of brushing.

The head shape of this toothbrush is ideal for kids because it is a smaller circular shape that will easily fit inside their mouths and get hard to reach areas. It also has a gentle mode which is great for kids teeth and gums.

BriteBrush GameBrush

Sure, a toothbrush that you can play games with sounds kind of gimmicky, but many parents swear that this toothbrush has gotten their kids to actually look forward to brushing their teeth. If your child resists brushing their teeth, the BriteBrush GameBrush might be really helpful to you.

BriteBrush aims to make teeth brushing fun by including music, lights, and interactive games. While that all sounds fun, this toothbrush also helps to teach the child how to properly brush their teeth by utilizing smart brushing sensors, side change recognition, and haptic feedback.

Parents will appreciate the toothbrush’s parent check light so they can check if their child has brushed well each day. The toothbrush head is oval shaped with soft bristles. It runs on 2 AAA batteries.

Oral-B Star Wars Electric Toothbrush

This toothbrush combines the reliable Oral-B brand and kid’s favorite Star Wars. Any Star Wars fan would really appreciate this electric toothbrush.

This brush in particular is great for 10 year olds because it has a smaller, round sensitive brush head. In fact, kids as young as 6 years old can use this toothbrush. The gum pressure control sensor lights up red if the child is brushing too hard and the speed will automatically reduce. This teaches kids proper brushing technique.

The Oral-B Star Wars Electric Toothbrush is compatible with the free Disney Magic Timer App. In the app, they earn virtual stickers when they brush for 2 minutes. This can help motivate kids to brush their teeth regularly.

The Oral-B Pro 100 Cross Action Electric Toothbrush is a good, efficient brush that both kids and adults can use. The cross action brush head oscillates and pulsates, making it particularly good at removing plaque from the tooth and gumline.

This tootbrush features a pressure sensor, so if your child brushes too hard, the toothbrush will automatically stop movement. The handle also has a built in timer. It vibrates every 30 seconds to let you know when to change to a different quadrant. At the 2 minute mark, the toothbrush will vibrate longer as well.

If your child has braces, this toothbrush is compatible with the Oral-B ortho brush head, the preferred brush head for kids with orthodontics. It has one mode – daily clean. Overall, this is a good, basic electric toothbrush that does a great job at cleaning teeth.

Summary

Using an electric toothbrush is a great way to get kids interested in brushing their teeth. Benefits of electric toothbrush are better plaque removal, easier to use for small hands, and they often have timers. When choosing the best electric toothbrush for a 10 year old, take the following into account: the quality of the toothbrush, the head shape and size, the softness of the bristles, and the power source.

My pick for the best kids electric toothbrush is the Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush with Coaching Pressure Sensor and Timer. This toothbrush has everything you would want in a kids toothbrush. It is the ideal size for children, provides a thorough cleaning, and includes a pressure sensor and timer.