At present my 8 year old son is using a novelty electric toothbrush to try and encourage him to brush his teeth without any hassles. Before this though, until quite recently I always purchased the Colgate Smiles Toothbrushes for him and I have recently purchased another one of these to take on holiday with us next week.

The Colgate range of toothbrushes is quite extensive, so the precise one I purchase for my son is the one aimed at children aged 6+. There are three toothbrushes in the Smiles children's range, with this one being the largest of the three.

The main reason I first purchased one of these for my son was because I thought the bright colours and picture would appeal to him more than a bog standard, plain toothbrush. The colours are quite vibrant and unisex as they do a purple one and a green one.

I am really impressed with the shape of the toothbrush. The handle is a decent size and really easy for a child to grip, the neck is quite long and thin and the head itself is a perfect size in my opinion. It is substantial, yet small enough that your little one will be able to get into all places in their mouth. The bristles aren't too harsh, but seem to do a good job.

I take my son to the dentist every 6 months, and the dentist is really pleased with his teeth and said they look clean and healthy which is just what I wanted to hear. Some of the praise for the positive remarks must go down to the toothbrush. I also chose from the Colgate range because Colgate are a leading brand in the dentistry world, so I trust that their products are going to be of a high standard.

You are obviously advised to change your toothbrush once every few months anyway, which I do but only because it is advised and not because it is really needed. These toothbrushes stand up to the test really well. The toothbrush still look as good a couple of months later as it does when you first purchase it. The bristles don't look or feel distorted and the colour and picture are still perfectly bright and intact. I obviously clean the head regularly to keep it looking clean and fresh, but I do think that this would last much longer than other toothbrushes anyway due to the quality of it.

The added bonus on this toothbrush compared to the younger versions is that you get a tongue cleaner on the back of the handle. This is a ribbed section that you rub over your tongue to keep it clean. I wondered what the idea behind this was, but after reading up on it, I have found that apparently bad breath is caused by your tongue rather than your teeth and so I think for all round, good dental hygiene, it is important to make this part of their daily brushing routine, and I think this is a good age to start them at so for me, Colgate have got it right again.
Obviously there are cheaper children's toothbrushes than these on the market, but I doubt they would be of the same quality. This toothbrush is generally marketed at around £1.69 which I think is quite good value for money. There is a Colgate Smiles toothpaste range too which is pretty good.

Overall, there is nothing bad I can say about the Colgate Smiles Toothbrushes. They are well priced, of a good standard and easy for your child to use. The brush head size is spot on and the tongue cleaner is an added bonus. As they are from Colgate, they are readily available from most supermarkets, chemists etc and they come with a high recommendation from me.