In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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Looking to up your child's dental hygiene game with flossers? We tested the 9 most popular kids' flossers on the market to help you determine the right option for your goals and wallet. Our kid testers used each product after brushing twice a day for several weeks to decide which options were their favorites and why. With information on quality, taste, ease of use, eco-friendliness, and more, we have the details you need to find the right flosser for your family.
The EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks are 100% biodegradable and compostable, making them one of the most environmentally friendly options we could find. The adorable giraffe shape was well-liked by testers, and the subtle strawberry flavor was pleasant and not overwhelming. These flossers are straightforward, easy to use, and an excellent shape and size for smaller mouths; plus, the thread held up well during testing without breaking or fraying.
There is much to love about these flossers, and our only real complaint was the significant amount of redundant packaging. While we like a well-packed item and the lack of plastic, this packing includes four smaller boxes inside a larger box and a compostable bag inside each box, making the entire kit feel a bit like overkill. But, despite this, the packaging is biodegradable, and everything feels high quality, making this budget-friendly compostable option a favorite in our book. Another eco-friendly option you should consider is the Eco Dental Floss Picks, which comes in 100% recyclable packaging.
Eco-Frenzy flossers come in a compostable bag and recyclable box and are 100% biodegradable.
The Crayola Kids' Flossers is a simple quality flosser with a grape flavor and three colors. The handle is easy to hold, and the thread space is wide enough for teenagers yet still small enough for most toddlers. The thread is fluoride-coated to help provide potential additional protection between teeth.
These flossers are plastic and give no nod to eco-health or the environment. The flavor isn't offensive, but not all testers liked the artificial grape flavor. However, because these flossers are easy to use and readily available at a reasonable price, we think they might be a good choice for families on a budget, depending on the price. Still, some families may prefer more eco-friendly materials. If this includes you, take a look at the biodegradable and compostable EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks.
GUM kids' flossers are straightforward and get the job done for a reasonable price.
The Crayola Twistables Flossers offer braided threading for more surface area to increase the flosser's ability to clean between teeth. These flossers have a more extended handle for reaching back teeth, and the handle has some flex that makes them more manageable than some of the competition. They also come in three flavors, so there is a flavor for everyone.
None of the flavors were well-liked by users though they tolerated them during testing. If your child likes one but not the others, you could end up with unused flossers, making these a waste of money. The plastic handle is larger than the competition and may not be the best for younger users. Overall, these flossers are not the best option for all kids, but for older children looking for braided threads and a larger handle, this is the only option we tested that provides more than the traditional handle and single thread. Consider the DenTek Kids Fun Flossers if you want kids flossers with a better flavor.
The double-stranded Crayola Twistables give more surface for increased cleaning power between teeth.
The Eco Dental Floss Picks is an adult-centric flosser we included for its environmentally friendly features that are important for many families when selecting products, especially single-use products. This flosser is 100% biodegradable, vegan-friendly, and BPA-free. The packaging is 100% recycled materials, and the straw wheat handle is USDA organic. The thread is thin and wax-covered, making it great for crowded teeth, and it includes a pick end for dislodging food like popcorn and strawberry seeds. It has a subtle mint flavor you may not even notice.
These flossers are not kid-centric and include a sharp pick end that should be monitored when used by younger children. While it isn't colorful and has mint flavor instead of fruit, we think this is a good choice for those looking for an environmentally friendly option with a pick. If kid-centric and environmentally friendly are equally important to you, the EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks are one to consider.
Occasionally, the mint flavor version is unavailable, and we may link to the unflavored option.
The Straw Wheat Floss Picks are a great compromise between an eco-friendly option and a flosser with an included pick.
The DenTek Kids Fun Flossers is a colorful flosser with a light fruit flavor. Kids have three color options, and our testers liked the taste and the handle shape. The handle is narrower than some competition and easier to fit into smaller mouths. The threaded area is also smaller, making this a potential choice for toddlers and smaller mouths.
These flossers use plastic handles that are not environmentally friendly. They are also relatively flexible compared to the competition, and while this can make it easier to reach the back of smaller mouths, it can also result in bending and a lack of control. However, this might be a good choice for toddlers with smaller mouths or who can't open their mouths as wide, given the longer and narrower design. If you want an option with easy-to-grasp handles that's more suitable for toddlers and teenagers, the Crayola Kids' Flossers may be a better pick.
The DenTek flossers are easy to use and have a narrower longer handle that makes getting to the back teeth easier.
The FAMILIFE Kid's Dental Floss Picks is a cute giraffe design flosser with thin thread and an easy-to-hold handle. These flossers are flavor-free, so no child balking at a bad taste, and our testers thought the design was super cute. These giraffes appear to be identical to the PRO-SYS Kids Dental Floss Picks, but they have a lower price.
These flossers have a plastic handle and come in plastic boxes wrapped in plastic. If you are trying to reduce your impact on landfills or are worried about your plastic use, it is probably not the right flosser for you as our top winner has a similar design shape and is super eco- and budget-friendly. However, if you like the versatile coloring of these flossers or the travel-friendly box they come in, it could be the right choice for your needs. Still, if eco-friendly is what you seek, another option like the Eco Dental Floss Picks may be a better option.
The plastic travel container on the Familife flossers is handy and prevented spilling in our tests.
The Firefly Kids Flossers are shaped more like fish than fireflies, but they are brightly colored and have small bumps on the handle to help with grip. Testers like the grip help and the lack of flavor, which can sometimes be overwhelming or disliked by kids. These flossers are easy to use, and the thread is thinner, making them suitable for tight teeth.
These flossers have plastic handles and come in a plastic bag. If you are trying to decrease your reliance on plastic or eliminate it, then this isn't the best option in the review for you. However, it is on par with most of the competition as most of them use plastic in their design or packaging. For reducing plastic consumption, check out the Eco Dental Floss Picks. They are biodegradable and come in 100% recyclable packaging.
Firefly flossers have an easy to grip handle and no flavor, so even the pickiest toddler can get on board.
The The Humble Co. Natural Dental Floss Picks is advertised as an "eco-friendly & socially responsible" flosser infused with charcoal that uses "plant-based materials." They come with a pick end for dislodging food from the back teeth, and the handle is easy to hold and use with double threads on the flosser end.
The claim to be "eco-friendly & socially responsible" sounds really good on the surface and is part of why we included them in our kids' flosser review despite not being specific for just kids. Unfortunately, we found the package and website to be somewhat vague on what it means to be plant-based, and it lists the handle ingredients as 40% PLA & 60% PP (Polypropylene). PP is just plastic, so 60% of this flosser handle is plastic, similar to the competition. PLA (polylactic acid) is a "bio-plastic" as it can be derived from plant material such as corn sugar, potato, or sugar cane. What kind is being used here? They don't specify. Again, this sounds better for the environment because it is a renewable resource. Still, some chemists feel that PLA plastic can sometimes be more of a greenwashing plastic due to the circumstances required for PLA to biodegrade, and it seems doubtful to us that these picks will find themselves in a situation where they can do that. It may require temperatures over 138 degrees F and special microbes to degrade. Even the company website says you need to check your local recycling plant to see if they recycle this kind of plastic. So while they can claim it is "eco-friendly," and it marginally is, in our opinion, they don't seem to be telling the whole truth. We aren't big fans of what may be an attempt at greenwashing or what we feel is a lack of transparency with these flossers. While other eco-friendly flossers in this review also use PLA, they at least specify the type and indicate that their products are biodegradable, while this one does not. We recommend checking out the EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks if you're looking for more environmentally-friendly kids' flossers.
We can't figure out the benefit of the infused charcoal in the Humble CO. flossers.
The PRO-SYS Kids Dental Floss Picks is another giraffe-shaped flosser in a plastic, travel-friendly box. The giraffes come in various colors, are small enough for toddlers, have an easy-to-use handle, and are not flavored, making them suitable for picky children.
Testers loved these cute flossers, but they are identical to another option in this review that is cheaper and similar to our top-ranked winner, which is eco-friendlier than this option. Overall, we like this product, and depending on sales, it could be a good choice if it is less expensive than the higher-ranking similar products in this review. However, this review has better options depending on the price or your goals. For instance, the plastic Crayola Twistables Flossers come at a fraction of the cost, while the EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks are more eco-friendly.
Pro-SYS flossers appear to be identical in every way (including container) to the Familife option, only the price is somewhat higher.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Other Oral Hygiene Products
Oral hygiene is essential to childhood and building good dental habits. To get your child excited and motivated for the task at hand, create a toolkit that includes either a top-ranked electric toothbrush or a top-ranked baby toothbrush, a tube of the best kids' toothpaste, and more.
We bought and hands-on tested 10 of the most popular flossers on the market to help you find the best options for your needs, goals, and budget.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Why You Should Trust Us
We researched over 20 potential contenders for our flosser review. We considered feature that makes a flosser appealing to child or easy for smaller kids to use. At the same time, we kept an eye out for eco-friendly flossers since this is a one-and-done-use product.
The kids' flosser review is led by Wendy Schmitz, Senior Review Editor and mother of 2. Wendy reviewed and assessed each flossing product with the help of her children and others to help determine ranking and winners. Each flosser was tested with the competition for ease of use, quality, features, and eco-friendliness to help you find a flosser that will meet your needs.
These two flossers appear to be identical in every way but brand and price.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Analysis and Test Results
We bought and tested the top kids' flossers to help you determine which options are the best fit for your goals and wallet.
The GUM Crayola Twistables have longer handles that help users reach further back into the mouth.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Ease of Use
Flossers are essentially the same, no matter which option you choose. They all come with a handle and thread, and about half of them are flavored. Most of them are decent in size for little mouths, and a few include a pick for older kids or teens to dislodge more significant food from back molars. We noticed that not all flossers are the best size for little mouths. Plus, some of the handles flex so much that getting them in and out of tight teeth is challenging. Also, packaging varies, and while perhaps not the main selling point, spilling a bag full of flossers every time you grab one gets old the first time you do it, trust us.
The EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks giraffe on top is slightly narrower than the competition giraffe options making it easier to use in smaller mouths.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
The easiest option for kids to use themselves are the EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks. These giraffe-shaped flossers are small enough for little hands to grip easily, and the handle has enough elevated bumps to prevent wet hands from slipping. The thread is thin and slides between teeth without a hiccup, and little ones like the subtle strawberry flavor, which means no fighting over flossing. We like the smaller width of this flosser. It is great for smaller mouths, and younger testers could use this option somewhat self-driven. The Crayola Twistables Flossers are also easy to use with a longer than average flexible handle, making them ideal for reaching back molars and older children with bigger mouths.
The MinLan Kids Dental Floss is harder to use as the odd shapes make it harder to fit in smaller mouths.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
The DenTek Kids Fun Flossers has such a flexible handle that it bent under pressure, making it difficult to navigate tight or crowded teeth, which may not be an issue for some younger kids still losing teeth but could spell trouble for some teenagers.
Most disposable flossers are plastic and end up in the landfill after a single use.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Eco-health
Traditionally, flossers have been a plastic one-time-use product that you throw away immediately after using them. Many things about this probably give you pause, us too. First, plastic isn't great for developing bodies or the environment. The creation of plastics is terrible for the earth, and landfills are engorged with plastic that will never be recycled and will never have the chance to degrade, even if it is technically biodegradable. In short, these issues are why traditional floss is more of an environmental winner than plastic-handled flossers. However, conventional flossing with younger children has some challenges, and these struggles could leave you skipping floss altogether. Since flossing is a significant part of oral hygiene, we don't think parents should skip this step, so if traditional flossing isn't working because of your child's age, size, or other special needs, then a flosser could be your only answer.
The Eco Dental Floss Picks have a pick and a thread end to help dislodge any type of food between your teeth.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
In our quest to find solutions better for the earth, we specifically tried to seek and select contenders giving at least some consideration to the environment either in their production method, material choice, packaging selections, or the product's ability to biodegrade or be compostable. We included three products that claim to offer eco-friendlier versions of traditional flossers. These three options all have similarities in common, but their final eco-health and transparency provide the basis for our feelings about their real environmental benefits or concerns. The EcoFrenzy Kids Floss Picks are constructed from corn starch PLA, a plastic derived from corn starch, a renewable resource. In addition, these flossers are 100% biodegradable and compostable according to the packaging. Users should take care and effort to determine how to properly dispose of the flossers for this to occur, as trapped in a plastic garbage bag under mounds of trash at the landfill will not do the job. However, we like that they are making an effort and being fairly transparent in their marketing. Our second favorite is the Eco Dental Floss Picks, which are 100% biodegradable and made of straw wheat (we assume used to create PLA, but the bag doesn't specify). These flossers come in a bag made of recycled materials and are also vegan-friendly and USDA Organic. Once again, you'll need to do a little recon to determine how best to dispose of these flossers so they can degrade properly or be recycled in your area, but the effort will be worth it if you plan to use flossers long-term.
The Humble Co flossers claim eco-friendliness on the package, but they never really provide information on how the product is better for the environment.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
The last place in the eco-three is the Humble Co. brand flossers. While we assume their PLA is derived similarly to the first two, their handle also includes 60% regular plastic, similar to the less eco-friendly competition. They do not say whether or not their flossers are degradable, only that you'll need to investigate recycling in your area and whether it supports PLA/PP-type plastics. We consider their claims to be sort of "bait and switch," luring yet not fully transparent. While we think they may not even be all that different than the first two, we don't like that we had to go to their website to find out the ingredients, and even then, the details were lacking. Also, we found the disposal information on an entirely separate page from the product page. Additionally, according to their website, the bag they come in is not recyclable and should be disposed of in your household waste. So, while it could be that these flossers are eco-friendlier than the traditional plastic varieties included in this lineup, we were left confused and feeling a little bit like greenwashing was taking place with this brand. In the end, 40% naturally derived plastic is still less than 100%, so they came in dead last in the eco-comparison for this category.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is the practice of claiming that a product or service is good for or better for the environment than other similar products. This marketing tactic includes claims that a product is eco-friendly when it is, in fact, not significantly different than any other product of its type on the market in either its carbon footprint or impact on the environment or human health. A simple example of this is the Humble flossers that say clearly on the front, "Eco-friendly." We assume they say this because 40% of the plastic handle derives from a renewable resource like cornstarch or similar (they don't say what the source is). However, creating this plastic has a similar carbon footprint to regular plastic, and 60% of the product is still regular plastic. Also, to get any eco-benefits, you need to recycle the handle upon disposal, something they don't tell you on the package or the product page on their website.
With so many flossers to choose from it can be challenging to find the right one for your child without some help.
Credit: Wendy Schmitz
Conclusion
Introducing your kids to flossing as part of their daily dental hygiene routine is a smart move and helps create important daily habits for healthier teeth and gums. The pediatric dentists we consulted recommend twice-daily flossing for kids, which might surprise you. For some children, using structured flossers instead of traditional string floss can make the job simpler for new flossers. Allowing kids to participate in the process of oral care when they reach a certain age or ability level engages them in their own healthcare and creates an opportunity for an increase in responsibility. We think there is a flosser in this lineup for every family struggling with string flossing, even those concerned with creating excess waste with one-use products. With our testing and research, you get insider details on kids' favorites and the best option for the environment, your child, and your budget.
