- How to choose baby formula - September 4, 2023
- Best amino acid-based formulas 2023 - September 4, 2023
- Best hypoallergenic formulas 2023 - August 30, 2023
From the time those little teeth start to break through your baby’s gums. Thus your little one will need your guidance in helping them to keep the new ones clean.
Since it doesn’t have to be about the simple toothbrushes, there’s no time like the present to start incorporating electric toothbrushes. And when you look at the Nuby Electric Toddler Toothbrush vs. the Little Martin’s Baby Electric Toothbrush, you’re going to see two solid contenders for your little one’s first electric toothbrush.
In a way, using a battery-operated toothbrush for your baby or toddler is a lot easier than using a standard one, and with these particular options, you get a lot of little features that make the chore fun for your child and something to look forward to. Because your toddler is going to have to learn how to properly care for every part of their mouth, as opposed to just their teeth, it’s important to look for a toothbrush that also promoted healthy gum care too.
It should also be reasonably easy to use whichever toothbrush you decide to go with since eventually, your toddler is going to be going at it on their own.
Of course, it’s necessary for you to be there to supervise and even intervene. But once your little one gets the hang of brushing their teeth, there’s nothing wrong with stepping aside so they can learn to take care of it on their own. Both the Nuby and Little Martin’s allow your child to progress to that stage, but first, you have to decide which option is best for your family.
Jump to a specific section
Nuby Electric Toddler Toothbrush
Nuby is already well known for making other trusted baby products like pacifiers and toddler sippy cups. So it should come as no surprise that they’re also in on the toothbrush game, specifically the Nuby Electric Toddler Toothbrush.
It’s meant to act as a two-stage toothbrush, with a head of soft bristles explicitly designed for parents to start to brush their baby’s tender teething gums. Then your child can graduate to the next stage of bristles that attach to the vibrating toothbrush base.
The best part, for your toddler anyway, is that the toothbrush will play music for two minutes straight to help them know how long to brush their teeth. When the music stops, they’ll know it’s time to stop brushing. Plus, the vibration along with the soft bristles help to remove plaque from your toddler’s teeth.
Available in different fun animal themes like monkey, giraffe, an owl, the Nuby also has a hygienic cover to fit over the top when it’s not in use.
Features
- Bristle Head: It comes with two different bristle options — one with soft rubber bristles for parents to use to massage their babies’ gums, and the other is soft bristles for gentle and easy cleaning.
- Age Range: The Nuby can be used for babies and toddlers from ages three months and up.
- Timer: The music on the toothbrush acts as a timer of sorts, in that it shuts off after two minutes, to let your toddler know that it’s time to stop brushing.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon.
Pros
- With the convenient cover for the top of the toothbrush, you won’t have to worry about germs when storing it or to take it on the go with you.
- Most toddlers will enjoy the music that plays as they brush their teeth. It can also take away from some of the fear they might feel with the vibration that comes along with the electric toothbrush.
- You can use the Nuby for your baby too, thanks to the rubber bristles meant to massage their gums even before their teeth all come in.
- It’s easy to use and get used to for little ones and small hands.
Cons
- When you take off the cap, you may sometimes also accidentally expose the batteries. So it can be tedious each time.
- Since it plays just one song each time, your toddler may eventually get tired of hearing it.
- For some kids, the bristles may be almost too soft or gentle.
Reviews
“This toothbrush is excellent for my toddler! She loved the owl design and was ecstatic to find out it played music. It’s the best distraction when we’re brushing her teeth! I also love that it has a cover! It helps prevent dust and such getting on it and makes it super easy when traveling. It has just enough vibration for their small teeth. Glad I purchased this!” – Stacy A. on Amazon.
“We got the monkey toothbrush and our little 2 year old LOVES it. She wasn’t a big fan of brushing her teeth before, but when we got this for her, she now wants to brush all the time. What we love most about this toothbrush is that it plays music while she brushes so she’s constantly dancing while brushing, a great way to get the little ones engaged.” – Matt on Amazon.
“Really nice toothbrush for a toddler. Plays music and vibrates and you can turn off music while it still vibrates. Love that it has a cap to keep it clean while not used.” – Alya on Amazon.
“The bristles of the toddler brush are the right texture for little teeth. The music is a cute addition to helping keep the child focused on brushing. The song is the right volume and not annoying like other brushes or toddler toys. This brush is the correct size for little hands. Our little person now enjoys having her own electric toothbrush like the rest of the house.” – Eric A. Schwartz on Amazon.
Little Martin’s Baby Electric Toothbrush
Like the Nuby, the Little Martin’s Baby Electric Toothbrush is designed to be able to use as soon as your baby’s teeth start coming in and their gums begin getting sore.
Because there’s only so much you can do to ease their discomfort and pain during teething, the toothbrush comes with a beginner head that has silicone bristles with gentle massage and clean gums. When your baby is ready to graduate up to the normal brush head, you can then replace the head with the electric toothbrush.
There are no funny sounds or music involved to keep your baby entertained and interested in the tooth brushing process. However, the Little Martin’s does have the option to have a colorful flashing light on to make it fun and also help you get a closer look at your child’s teeth and gums.
It also automatically turns off after two minutes and before that, it will pulse every 30 seconds to alert your toddler when it’s time to switch to another part of their mouth to brush, helping them along.
Features
- Bristle Head: It comes with a silicone brush head to use at first, and then a standard toothbrush head to attach when your toddler is ready.
- Age Range: Since it has a silicone gum massager, you can start using the toothbrush from the time your baby starts to have teeth break through the gums, which can happen around three or four months old.
- Timer: It automatically shuts off after two minutes, but has 30-second interval pulses to prompt your toddler to switch to another part of their mouth while brushing.
- Where To Buy: You can find the toothbrush on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon.
Pros
- The bright flashing lights make the toothbrush fun for little ones and also help you get a better look inside their mouths.
- Its simple design makes it easy to use for children who are just learning how to brush their own teeth.
- The silicone teething attachment is useful for teething babies to help soothe their gums, but also help get them used to the feel of a toothbrush.
- When it vibrates, the Little Martin’s Baby Electric Toothbrush isn’t too strong or loud, so it’s not scary for little ones.
Cons
- If you end up needing a new bristle head, there are no replacement heads available for purchase, so you’d need to purchase an entirely new toothbrush.
- Although it’s meant for both babies and toddlers, your two or three-year-old may grow out of the toothbrush a little early.
- It vibrates for deep cleaning, but no part of the bristles rotate, which can mean that it’s not as effective as other electric toothbrushes for babies and toddlers.
Reviews
“I was looking for a toothbrush for my one-year-old daughter and I came across this electric baby one let me tell you it makes it way easier to clean her baby teeth very gentle (soft) for her it comes with a to clean her gums or tongue. I recommended it.” – Viviana on Amazon.
“I love this little toothbrush! My two-year-old daughter has actively resisted me trying to brush her teeth since the first time I tried. When I gave her this toothbrush, she was excited that it lit up and it made her laugh when I turned it on vibrate mode. She even opened her mouth and let me thoroughly clean her teeth! Highly recommend!” – Melanie E. Carpenter on Amazon.
“I’ve had a hard time getting my toddler to let me brush his teeth but with this toothbrush, he asks to use it. The vibration and lights make it appealing. We are happy with our purchase.” – Alisha T. on Amazon.
“Perfect toothbrush for my son who I haven’t been able to get to brush his teeth at all… maybe like once a week if I’m lucky! But as soon as he saw this brush, he was excited. It was straightforward to set up and it’s the perfect size for him, he didn’t want to stop brushing his teeth but thankfully the timer helped with that.” – Haining Liu on Amazon.
The Verdict
Cost and brand name aside, when it comes to choosing between these two toothbrushes is entirely up to you. But when you look at their most important feature, the bristles, it would seem that they’re very very similar, with both the bristles and the silicone teething massagers.
That being said, the stronger option here is going to be the Nuby Electric Toddler Toothbrush. With a fun design and music with each one, you’ll automatically have fun and approachable toothbrush for your child to enjoy.
It also teaches them how long to brush their teeth each time. It also has an adorable and useful cap to put on to keep the bristles clean and safe from germs while you store it in your bathroom or take it on family trips with you. And yes, it’s also affordable for most families, so if it breaks over time or your toddler doesn’t take a liking to it, it’s not a huge loss.
Final Thoughts
Teaching your toddler how to brush their teeth can be a surprisingly easy task. It certainly beats the stage of potty training your child and in some ways, it’s the first independent task your child will get to do on their own after learning from you.
While no parent looks forward to the day where their baby no longer needs their help, it’s also a moment of pride and excitement when you can watch your toddler handle it themselves thanks to your support every step of the way up until that point.
This is why it’s so important to start brushing their teeth as soon as it’s acceptable to do so, not only getting them used to the feel of the bristles in their mouth, but also starting their teeth and gum health off right. Whether you choose the Nuby or the Little Martin’s is ultimately up to you, but either way, you’re on the right track for your baby’s dental health.
Leave a comment