Choosing the Right Toothpaste for Your Child's Age
Toothpaste isn't one-size-fits-all for kids — the right fluoride level actually changes by age, and using an adult formula (or the wrong kids' one) too early or too late is a real, common mistake. Here's what's actually recommended, by age.
Under 2 years: a smear, not a squeeze
The NHS recommends starting as soon as the first tooth appears, brushing twice daily with just a smear of toothpaste for children under 3. Aquafresh Milk Teeth Toothpaste (0-2 Years) and Colgate Kids Toothpaste 0-2 Years (Strawberry) are both formulated specifically for this earliest stage.
2 to 6 years: pea-sized, and worth supervising
From around age 2, a pea-sized amount of a slightly higher-fluoride kids' formula is the standard recommendation — and the same NHS guidance recommends a pea-sized amount, used under supervision, for children aged 3 to 6 (kids this young reliably swallow more toothpaste than they should without supervision). Colgate Kids Toothpaste 3+ Years (Mint) and Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste (Strawberry & Mint) both fit this stage, and a flavor kids actually like is genuinely part of getting them to brush consistently.
6 to 8 years: closer to an adult formula, still their own paste
By school age, kids can typically handle a slightly stronger formula and are better at spitting rather than swallowing, but a dedicated kids' toothpaste (usually milder in flavour and lower in abrasiveness) is still the better fit than jumping straight to an adult tube. Colgate Kids Toothpaste 6+ Years (Mild Mint) and Aquafresh Big Teeth Toothpaste (6-8 Years) both bridge that gap.
The habit matters as much as the formula
Whatever the age-appropriate toothpaste, the bigger factor is actually brushing twice a day, every day, supervised for as long as your child needs it. The right formula makes that easier — a flavor they like, an amount they won't fight you over — but consistency is what actually protects their teeth.
Browse the full range in Toothpaste, and follow us on Facebook for new arrivals.