5 Best Kids Mouthwash Review (Dentist Recommended)

Dentist Tested and Reviewed

Matt Hannan, DDS
Updated: March 25, 2024

Cavities can be a real pain, especially for kids. It’s one of the leading causes of school absences.

Also, if primary teeth are prematurely lost, crowding may ensue, preventing adequate room for erupting permanent teeth.

Fortunately, dental knowledge and expertise have significantly advanced over the years to avoid “sugar bugs” from wreaking havoc on children’s teeth.

As an experienced dentist with years of experience, I’ve tested and evaluated 250+ dental products. I strive to find the best products for achieving excellent oral hygiene, so let’s take a closer look at the Best Kids Mouthwash from a dentist’s perspective.

Buying Guide

1. Best Overall: TheraBreath for Kids Anticavity Oral Rinse
2. Best Bubble Gum: ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse
3. Best Anticavity: Solimo Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse
4. Best Alcohol-Free: Tom’s Children’s Anticavity Fluoride Rinse
5. Best Berry Flavor: Listerine Anticavity Kids Smart Rinse

Evaluation Criteria

I test each product for 7-14 days, detailing its pros and cons, and rate it from 1 to 5 in four key areas.

• Effectiveness: Does the mouthwash treat the advertised need? How effective were the results?
• Comfort: Are you able to swish for the recommended time? Did it sting or burn? How did the mouth feel afterwards?
• Taste: How was the overall taste? Was it tolerable? Did it alter your sense of taste?
• Likeability: Is the product likable and enjoyable to use? Are you able to use it as directed?

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• Best Kids Toothpaste Review 2024
• Best Kids Electric Toothbrush Review 2024
• Best Electric Toothbrush Review 2024 + PROMO Code
• Best Dental Floss Review 2024

1. Best Overall | TheraBreath for Kids Anticavity Oral Rinse

Best Overall

TheraBreath for Kids Dentist Formulated Anti-Cavity Oral Rinse

This anticavity mouthwash is vegan, gluten free, and made with certified organic flavor.

With that in mind, TheraBreath Kid Mouthwash contains active sodium fluoride to help support strong, healthy teeth and reduce the formation of cavities. It's the same sodium fluoride the dentist uses for your child's fluoride treatment. The alcohol-free formula doesn't burn or irritate and works instantly. 

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Dentist Review

TheraBreath products are known to be gentle on gums, and this one is no different.

The mouthwash was effective at clearing away loose food particles while bathing all surfaces of the teeth. It’s comfortable to swish with no burning, stinging, or altered taste.

The certified organic grape flavor was surprisingly sweet and enjoyable; however, lasting fresh breath was minimal. Nevertheless, kids should have no problem using this regularly unless the unique gorilla grape flavor turns them off.

Best mouthwash for sensitive gums with sweet grape flavor.

2. Best Bubble Gum | ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse

Best Bubble Gum

ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse

$4.48 ($0.27 / Fl Oz)

Kids love it. Cavities don't. ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse is formulated with fluoride to help prevent up to 40% of future cavities.

This bubble-gum-flavored mouth rinse motivates kids to rinse and help keep their pearly whites healthy. Just swish for 60 seconds once a day for full protection. The bottle is designed with an easy-squeeze, kid-friendly cup for accurate dosing.

Kids love the tastes; you'll love knowing they're using an effective cavity-fighting tool. Pair with ACT Kids Fluoride Toothpaste for a healthy dental care routine.*

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04/25/2024 09:10 am GMT

Dentist Review

ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse effectively eliminated plaque and cleared loose food particles.

The bubble gum flavor was moderately intense and provided lasting fresh breath. After rinsing, slight taste alteration and bitterness may be problematic for some children.

Bubble gum is the most popular flavor; however, ACT offers pineapple and watermelon. Lastly, this mouthwash features the ADA-accepted approval seal to prevent cavities.

Best for patients that desire multiple benefits with non-burning benefits.

3. Best Anticavity | Solimo Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse

Best Fluoride

Amazon Basics Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash

$5.94 ($0.18 / Fl Oz)

Amazon basics seeks to improve oral hygiene care.

Amazon has done an excellent job of enhancing products while making them more affordable. They offer many oral rinse products, including whitening, anticavity, dry mouth, tartar control, and kids rinse.

Although it’s not one of the top oral healthcare companies, they are carving out a space in this industry.

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04/26/2024 11:15 pm GMT

Dentist Review

Solimo Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse featured exceptional bubble gum flavor, providing lasting fresh breath.

However, the flavor may be too intense for some children, and it did have a slight stinging sensation. Also, there was taste alteration after rinsing, along with a generalized dry mouth feeling.

We were hoping for a more comfortable mouthwash experience with this Solimo product.

Best bubble gum mouthwash with intense flavor.

4. Best Alcohol-Free | Tom’s Children’s Anticavity Fluoride Rinse

Best Alcohol-Free

Tom's of Maine Children's Anticavity Fluoride Rinse Mouthwash

$36.87 ($0.38 / Fl Oz)

Tom's of Maine uses naturally sourced, naturally derived ingredients to create personal care products that work. This natural mouthwash is a fluoride mouthwash trusted by parents, and has a Silly Strawberry flavor that kids will love.

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04/25/2024 09:35 am GMT

Dentist Review

Tom’s developed an excellent strawberry fluoride rinse for kids that’s alcohol-free and made with real strawberry fruit juice.

The mouthwash was effective at bathing all surfaces of the teeth and removing loose food particles. The strawberry flavor was mild but slightly tart, leaving an altered taste after rinsing.

Children will enjoy this strawberry-flavored rinse because it’s comfortable to use, and we experienced no stinging or burning. Lastly, this anticavity rinse features the ADA-accepted approval seal to prevent tooth decay.

Best strawberry-flavored, alcohol-free, anticavity rinse.

5. Best Berry Flavor | Listerine Anticavity Kids Smart Rinse (Best Berry Flavor)

Best Berry Flavor

Listerine Smart Rinse Kids Alcohol-Free Mouthwash

$31.70 $25.37 ($0.25 / Fl Oz)

Help protect and strengthen your child's teeth with Listerine Smart Rinse Berry Splash Kids Anticavity Mouthwash.

For children six years and older, this ADA-accepted children's mouthwash provides oral care for kids by helping strengthen teeth, cleaning the mouth beyond brushing alone, and preventing dental cavities - even in hard-to-reach places.

In a lab study, this alcohol-free mouthwash with sodium fluoride and acidulated phosphate offered two times stronger teeth for better cavity protection with brushing. The kids' oral rinse also freshens breath and tints food particles and debris so kids can see immediate proof in the sink of a cleaner mouth.

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04/25/2024 08:50 am GMT

Dentist Review

Listerine Anticavity Kids Smart Rinse effectively removed food particles and provided lasting fresh breath.

The pink lemonade flavor was unique, leaving our mouths dry and bitter. It was comfortable to use; however, the potent pink lemonade flavor and altered taste sensation may be too much for some children.

Lastly, it features the ADA-accepted approval seal to prevent tooth decay.

Best pink lemonade mouthwash with lasting fresh breath

Overall Champion | TheraBreath for Kids Anticavity Oral Rinse*

Best Overall

TheraBreath for Kids Dentist Formulated Anti-Cavity Oral Rinse

This anticavity mouthwash is vegan, gluten free, and made with certified organic flavor.

With that in mind, TheraBreath Kid Mouthwash contains active sodium fluoride to help support strong, healthy teeth and reduce the formation of cavities. It's the same sodium fluoride the dentist uses for your child's fluoride treatment. The alcohol-free formula doesn't burn or irritate and works instantly. 

Buy Now

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Final Thoughts

TheraBreath for Kids Anticavity Oral Rinse slightly edged Tom’s Children’s Anticavity Fluoride Rinse to secure the top spot.

Both products have unique flavors (grape and strawberry) that are attractive for kids and hopefully aid in patient compliance every night. Also, both rinses are effective at food removal, comfortable to use, and feature minimal aftertaste issues.

In addition, TheraBreath is slightly more enjoyable and gentle on gum tissue, while Tom’s provides longer-lasting fresh breath.

Lastly, Tom’s features the coveted ADA Accepted seal of approval for preventing tooth decay. All five products contain sodium fluoride to repair weakened enamel tooth structure and protect it from future acid attacks.

Final Rankings

1. TheraBreath for Kids Anticavity Oral Rinse 19/20
2. Tom’s Children’s Anticavity Fluoride Rinse 18/20
3. ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse 16/20
4. Listerine Anticavity Kids Smart Rinse 16/20
5. Solimo Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse 15/20

* My Dental Advocate product reviews are based on individual experience and your results with the products may vary.

Need a second opinion? We can help! Learn more. Knowledge is power when cultivating healthy dental habits. The more informed you are, the better positioned you'll be to prevent avoidable and potentially costly dental procedures for you and your family. Watch for future blog posts, where we'll continue sharing important information, product reviews and practical advice!