Best Baby Toothbrushes UK 2026: A Finger Brush for the First Tooth, a Handle by the First Birthday

COMPARISON · SAFE & SOUND

Nobody puts a toothbrush at the top of their baby list. It is a £7 item that gets tossed into the basket next to the nappy cream, and then, somewhere around six months, a tiny white edge appears on the bottom gum and you realise you have no idea how to clean it. UK dental guidance is simple: start brushing as soon as the first tooth breaks through, twice a day, with a smear of fluoride toothpaste. The hard part is not the advice. It is getting anything into the mouth of a baby who has just discovered that clamping their jaw shut is a power move.

That is why this roundup is less obvious than it looks. The five brushes below split into two camps. Finger brushes (Moonkie, Mushie and The Brushies) slip over your fingertip, so you can feel the gum and the tooth and nothing hard goes near a wobbly head. Handled brushes (Liewood and Matchstick Monkey) have real bristles and a grip, and they are what a baby needs once there are more teeth than fingers can sensibly reach. The surprising part of our verdict: the brush most families should buy first is not the one they will be using by the first birthday, and the cheapest option here does one job none of the others try to do.

We looked at what each brush is made of, what the bristles actually are, how you clean it, how long the brand says it lasts, and what parents tell us happens at 7pm when the baby is overtired and the toothbrush comes out. Every product below is in stock with a retailer we work with, and each one gets the same full write-up.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: Liewood Janelle Toothbrush (2 Pack) · 8.5/10 - a real nylon-bristle brush with a baby-sized head and a grip they can hold themselves
• Best Value: Moonkie Finger Toothbrush and Tongue Cleaner Kit · 8.0/10 - the cheapest pick, and the only one that adds a tongue cleaner for milk coating
• Best for Brush-Refusers: Matchstick Monkey Baby Electric Sonic Toothbrush · 8.0/10 - gentle vibration does the scrubbing in the few seconds a toddler allows
• Best for Teething Gums: Mushie Finger Toothbrush (2 Pack) · 7.5/10 - bristles on one side, massaging bumps on the other
• Best for Making Brushing a Game: The Brushies Toothbrush and Book Set · 7.5/10 - a finger-puppet brush plus a picture book that turns the routine into a story

Quick comparison

Brush	Price	Type	Bristles	From	In the box	Rating
Moonkie Finger Toothbrush and Tongue Cleaner Kit	£6.79	Finger brush	Silicone	3 months	1 brush, 1 tongue cleaner
Liewood Janelle Toothbrush (2 Pack)	£9.50	Handled brush	Soft nylon	Around 6 months	2 brushes
Mushie Finger Toothbrush (2 Pack)	£9.99	Finger brush	Silicone	First tooth	2 brushes
Matchstick Monkey Baby Electric Sonic Toothbrush	£12.99	Electric, AAA	Ultra-soft nylon	3 months	Brush, cap, battery
The Brushies Toothbrush and Book Set	£15.30	Finger puppet	Silicone	4 weeks	1 brush, 1 book

How we picked the 5

We started with every baby toothbrush in our catalogue that is in stock with a partner retailer, then dropped multi-packs of disposable wipes, unbranded listings and anything that was really a teether with a toothbrush name. That left five brushes from five different brands, covering the three styles parents actually choose between: silicone finger brushes, small handled brushes and a battery sonic brush.

For each one we checked the brand's own specifications for materials, age guidance and care, read retailer listings for price and stock, and gathered what parents tell us about real use: whether the baby tolerates it, whether it actually shifts plaque, and how quickly it ends up chewed or lost. Ratings reflect how well each brush does its main job for the age it is aimed at, not how cute it looks in the bathroom.

What to look for in a baby toothbrush

Silicone nubs or nylon bristles. Silicone finger brushes have soft rubbery nubs rather than true bristles. They are brilliant for gums, for the first one or two teeth and for getting a baby used to something in their mouth. They are less good at clearing plaque from between teeth once a few have arrived. Nylon bristles, kept very soft and short, do that job properly. Most families end up with one of each.

Head size. A baby's mouth is tiny. Look for a head no bigger than a fingernail so you can reach the back of the gum without triggering a gag. Adult or even standard children's brushes are simply too big under one.

A chunky handle or a finger sleeve. Babies want to grab. A short, wide handle lets them hold it while you brush with a second one, which is why two-packs are so useful. Finger brushes keep your fingertip between the baby's gums and anything they could bite through.

Cleaning. Brushes live in a damp bathroom and get dropped on the floor. One-piece silicone that goes in the dishwasher or steriliser is easiest. Brushes with crevices or hollow handles need drying properly.

Replacement schedule. Silicone finger brushes generally want replacing every two to four months, or sooner if a baby has bitten into them. Torn silicone is a choking risk, so check before every use.

Toothpaste. Whatever brush you choose, use only a smear of fluoride toothpaste for under-threes and do not rinse after spitting. Finger brushes hold less paste, so put it on the bristle side rather than your fingertip.

1. Moonkie Finger Toothbrush and Tongue Cleaner Kit / 10 · Best Value

Moonkie is best known for silicone teethers, and this kit is a natural extension: one finger toothbrush with soft silicone nubs, and one separate tongue cleaner with a flatter, ridged surface designed to lift the white milk coating that builds up on a baby's tongue. At £6.79 it is the cheapest brush in this roundup and the only one that treats the tongue as its own job.

Both pieces are one-piece food-grade silicone, free of BPA and PVC, and the brand says they are dishwasher, microwave-steriliser and freezer safe. That last point is not a gimmick: a chilled finger brush doubles as a gum soother on teething days, and parents tell us it is often the thing that gets a reluctant baby to open up in the first place.

What parents love

• Starts before the teeth do. Suitable from 3 months, so you can build the habit of wiping gums and tongue long before the first tooth appears.
• The tongue cleaner earns its place. We hear repeatedly from parents that the separate cleaner shifts milk coating that a cloth just smears around.
• Nothing to come loose. Both pieces are moulded in one go, so there are no bristles to shed and no joins to trap water.
• Cheap enough to keep one in the changing bag. At under £7, a second set for nursery or grandparents is easy.

What to know before you buy

• Silicone nubs are not bristles. Once several teeth are in, it will not clean between them as well as a nylon-bristle brush.
• Biting fingers. The sleeve is thin, so a baby with a few teeth can still give you a nip.
• Replace regularly. Like all silicone finger brushes, check it for tears before each use.

Best for

• Babies from 3 months who are not teething yet
• Formula or breastfed babies with a milky tongue coating
• Families wanting the cheapest sensible starter
• Changing-bag and grandparent spares

2. Liewood Janelle Toothbrush (2 Pack) / 10 · Best Overall

The Liewood Janelle is the one brush here that looks and works like a proper toothbrush, just shrunk. The head is tiny and set with soft nylon bristles, the handle is chunky silicone with textured ridges for gums, and the whole thing is about 10cm long, short enough that a baby cannot push it too far back. It comes as a two-pack in muted Scandinavian colours with small animal details on the handle.

Two brushes is the point. Parents tell us the trick that works is to hand the baby one to chew and wave about while you brush with the other, and the Liewood is sized for exactly that. Retailers list it from around 6 months, which is about when most babies have their first tooth and can hold an object steadily.

What parents love

• Real bristles, baby-sized head. Soft nylon clears plaque from tooth surfaces and along the gum line far better than silicone nubs.
• A grip babies can manage. One parent told us: 'The grip is good for baby, the head size is ideal and you can do a real brushing motion.'
• Two in the box. One for baby, one for you, which turns a fight into a shared job.
• Gum ridges on the handle. The textured silicone gives teething babies something to chew that is not the bristles.

What to know before you buy

• Not a newborn tool. It is designed for when teeth arrive, so you may want a finger brush for the gums-only months.
• Bristles wear. Nylon splays faster when a baby chews it, so expect to replace the pair every few months.
• Mostly sold online. Liewood is a Danish brand with limited high-street presence, so stock up rather than relying on a quick shop.

Best for

• Babies with their first few teeth, roughly 6 to 18 months
• Parents using the two-brush, one-each method
• Anyone wanting one brush that lasts past the first birthday
• Families who like a nursery that matches

3. Mushie Finger Toothbrush (2 Pack) / 10 · Best for Teething Gums

Mushie's finger brush is a double-sided design. The front has rows of soft silicone bristles for teeth, and the back is covered in little bumps meant for massaging sore gums. It is sold as a pair in two-tone colours, with the idea that one lives in the bathroom and the other goes in the changing bag, or that the baby holds one while you use the other.

It is a calm, well-made piece of silicone, and the double-sided idea makes most sense in the months when teeth are coming through in clusters and a baby wants to chew more than be brushed. Retailers describe it as dishwasher safe and advise replacing it every three to four months.

What parents love

• Two jobs in one. Bristles for the teeth that are through, bumps for the ones that are not.
• Soft enough for sore days. We hear repeatedly from parents that babies who refuse a handled brush will accept a fingertip they can bite down on.
• Two per pack. Handy for keeping one at home and one out and about.
• Easy to keep clean. One-piece silicone that goes in the dishwasher.

What to know before you buy

• Same limits as any silicone brush. It will not reach between molars the way nylon can.
• No case. Unlike some finger brushes, it does not come with a cover, so the changing-bag one needs a pouch.
• Slightly pricier than Moonkie. You pay about £3 more and lose the tongue cleaner.

Best for

• Babies in a heavy teething phase
• Parents who want bristles and gum massage in one tool
• Two-home or nursery families who need a spare
• Babies who chew rather than open wide

4. Matchstick Monkey Baby Electric Sonic Toothbrush / 10 · Best for Brush-Refusers

Matchstick Monkey made its name with a teether shaped like a little monkey, and its sonic toothbrush carries the same playful look: a small handle shaped like a giraffe, lion or similar animal, with a baby-sized head of ultra-soft bristles. Press the button and it hums with a gentle vibration rather than a full adult-style buzz.

It runs on a single AAA battery, which is included and easy to swap, and the head is designed for babies and toddlers from 3 to 36 months. The bristles carry an antimicrobial treatment the brand says limits microbe growth, and there is a cap for travel. Replacement heads are sold separately. At £12.99 it costs about the same as two finger brushes.

What parents love

• Does more in less time. Parents of toddlers who allow about ten seconds of brushing tell us the vibration gets more done in that window than a manual brush.
• The novelty works. We hear repeatedly from parents that a buzzing animal brush is more interesting than a plain one, which is half the battle at bedtime.
• Long age range. One head covers 3 to 36 months, so it is not outgrown quickly.
• Travel cap included. Keeps the head clean in a washbag.

What to know before you buy

• Some babies hate the buzz. Try it on their hand first; a few find the vibration too strange and refuse it entirely.
• Not washable whole. Being battery-powered it cannot go in the dishwasher or steriliser like the silicone brushes.
• Heads add up. Replacement heads are an extra cost, and stock can be patchy.

Best for

• Toddlers who clamp their mouth shut after a few seconds
• Families wanting one brush from first teeth to age three
• Children who love anything with a button
• Parents planning to move to an electric brush later

5. The Brushies Toothbrush and Book Set / 10 · Best for Making Brushing a Game

The Brushies are finger-puppet toothbrushes: a soft silicone character (Chomps here is a dinosaur) that slips over your finger, with a small patch of silicone bristles where its mouth would be. The set comes with a picture book that introduces the whole cast and includes brushing tips for grown-ups. The brand says they were created by a dentist and a child psychologist and are suitable from 4 weeks to 4 years.

This is the most emotionally clever product here. It does not claim to clean better than anything else. It claims to make a baby want to brush, and for families stuck in a nightly wrestle, that matters more than bristle count.

What parents love

• Soft and easy to feel your way. A parent shared that the silicone is 'soft on gums and lets you feel where you're brushing'.
• Easy to grip and clean. Parents we hear from regularly like that it is one piece and stays on the finger.
• The book is the secret weapon. Reading it before brushing gives the routine a beginning, a character and a reason.
• Protects your fingertip. The puppet body is thick enough to soften a bite.

What to know before you buy

• Small cleaning area. One parent told us: 'There's only one small patch of bristles, and after a while my toddler stopped wanting it.'
• Most expensive per brush. At £15.30 you are paying for the book and the character as much as the brush.
• Novelty fades. It works best as a starter and a bribe, not as the only brush into the toddler years.

Best for

• Babies who scream at the sight of a toothbrush
• Families who like a bedtime story routine
• Gifts for a baby shower or first birthday
• Younger babies from a few weeks old

What about Brush-Baby, Jordan or Nuby?

Brush-Baby's FirstBrush and the Jordan Step 1 brush are both well-known in UK chemists, and Nuby makes a cheap silicone finger brush. We have left them out of this roundup because we cannot currently link to them in stock through a retailer we work with. They are all sensible choices; if you pick one up in a supermarket, use the same checklist above: a tiny head, very soft bristles, and a handle short enough that a baby cannot push it too far back.

How to choose

Moonkie Finger Toothbrush and Tongue Cleaner Kit is the one to buy first if your baby is under six months or has no teeth yet. It gets them used to something in their mouth, deals with milky tongues, and costs less than a coffee and a cake.

Liewood Janelle Toothbrush (2 Pack) is the brush most families should have by the time two or three teeth are through. Real bristles, a tiny head and two in a pack make it our best overall, and it carries you well past the first birthday.

Mushie Finger Toothbrush (2 Pack) suits babies in the thick of teething who want to chew rather than open wide. The bumps on the back give them something to do while the bristles on the front do the cleaning.

Matchstick Monkey Baby Electric Sonic Toothbrush is the rescue option for the toddler who allows ten seconds of brushing and not a second more. Test the buzz on their hand first.

The Brushies Toothbrush and Book Set is for families where the toothbrush has become the enemy. Read the book, put on the puppet and treat it as a way in, then move on to a bristle brush once brushing is no longer a battle.

Add it to your Nest

A toothbrush is easy to forget until the first tooth appears. Add your pick, plus a spare, to your free BubsNest registry so it is waiting in the bathroom before you need it, and browse more honest comparisons in our community hub.