No fluoride, too little fluoride, a controversial dye: Many children’s toothpastes in the test are not well composed. Toothpaste for milk teeth must reliably protect against tooth decay. You need fluoride for that. The toothpastes should also not contain titanium dioxide: this controversial coloring agent is unnecessary. Only 3 out of 21 products in the test fulfill both. With our results you will find the best toothpaste for your child.
Why the children’s toothpaste test is worthwhile for you
- Testergebnisse. The children’s toothpaste test by Stiftung Warentest offers quality assessments of 21 toothpastes for children up to 6 years of age. Brands such as Elmex, Odol-med-3, Karex and Weleda as well as products from Aldi, Lidl, Rossmann and dm are included in the test. Prices range from 60 cents to 7.90 euros per 100 milliliters.
- The best children’s toothpaste for you. Two products perform very well. In addition to these two test winners, another children’s toothpaste is good. We only rate all others as satisfactory or poor.
- background and tips. In an interview, a dentist explains the consequences of tooth decay in children and says why parents shouldn’t look at the clock when cleaning.
- Magazine article as PDF. After activation, you will receive the test report from test 8/2022 as a PDF for download.
Children’s toothpaste: For all children up to 6 years of age
Anyone who becomes a mother or father cannot ignore the topic of children’s toothpaste: it is used from the first little tooth until the child’s 6th birthday. Children’s toothpaste contains less fluoride than adult toothpaste. Accurate dosing is to avoid fluorosis. These white enamel stains on permanent teeth form when young children ingest excessive amounts of fluoride.
Tipp: Even before unlocking, you can see content from the table – for example, a list of all children’s toothpastes that are included in the test.
Nine toothpastes do not meet the recommendation for fluoride
Toothpaste for children should have a fluoride content of 1,000 ppm (parts per million). This uniform recommendation from paediatricians and dentists applies from 2021. Nine products in the test, however, do not comply. The effectiveness of fluoride against tooth decay has been scientifically proven. Fluoride-free children’s toothpaste, on the other hand, does not provide sufficient protection against tooth decay. That’s why the Stiftung Warentest rated children’s toothpaste with too little or no fluoride as poor.
Titanium dioxide in children’s toothpaste strictly evaluated
Every second children’s toothpaste in the test contains the coloring agent titanium dioxide. The controversial ingredient will be banned in food from August. It may damage the genetic material (details in FAQ on titanium dioxide).
Titanium dioxide is unnecessary for the care of the teeth. Since small children swallow toothpaste in whole or in part, we advise against toothpaste with the pigment out of preventive consumer protection. There were 10 children’s toothpastes without titanium dioxide in the test, including the two very good test winners and a good toothpaste.
The right toothpaste for school children
When the first permanent tooth erupts around the age of six, it is advisable to switch toothpaste: from the extra children’s toothpaste to the family toothpaste. Because children with permanent teeth can definitely take a universal toothpaste without zinc. But there are also special junior toothpastes. They often taste milder than products for adults, but usually cost more. They are not necessary.
Video: Kinderzahnpasta im Test
Test results for 21 toothpastes for children
Fewer checks than adult toothpaste
Young children do not yet eat or drink foods that stain their teeth, such as coffee or black tea. Even exposed tooth necks are not an issue with milk teeth. That’s why we don’t check children’s toothpaste – unlike in the toothpaste test for adults – how well they can remove discoloration, nor do we determine the abrasion.