TOOTHPASTE FOR KIDS. DON’T DO THIS WHILE BRUSHING YOUR KID’S TEETH

INTRODUCTION

Toothpaste for kids is different from toothpaste for adults. But many parents do not understand the use of special toothpaste for their kids.

Once I met a mother with a three-year-old kid. She complains that her kid eats paste instead of brushing. So she will be using paste twice or thrice to brush his teeth. I asked her about the toothpaste.

I was surprised to hear that she is using regular toothpaste. A standard toothpaste for kids? Parents, being selective in every aspect of their kid’s life, don’t know how they missed out on this point.

How many of you are in a similar situation? Do you use the same paste for your kid and yourself? Kindly comment below, so that I can reckon some stats.

Take the first step to a better Oral health!

Get tips on Oral health and discover ways to improve your Dental health. Sign up today

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


AN IDEAL TOOTHPASTE FOR KIDS?

The typical adult toothpaste contains high fluoride (1000 to 1500 PPM), which helps in reducing enamel demineralization. Usually, 90 to 95% of toothpaste sales around the world fall into this category.

But to use such high concentrations regularly, the teeth have to complete their growth. The risk of getting enamel fluorosis is much higher in children with developing teeth.

Children under five years have teeth in various developing stages. The permanent dentition is still in the novice stage. In such conditions, regular use of high fluoride-containing toothpaste (or adult toothpaste) is not advisable.

WHAT IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR BRUSHING KID’S TEETH?

Kids tend to swallow some part of their toothpaste while brushing. Hence use of adult toothpaste while brushing can cause some problems in kids.

The best solution for it is using low fluoride-containing (600 PPM) toothpaste. Recently we have seen many launches of fluoride-free kinds of toothpaste exclusively for infants and neonates.

The amount of fluoride on every toothpaste will appear in PPM (parts per million) on its tube. Standard toothpaste with 1000 to 1500 PPM is usually available over the counter. But high-fluoride-containing toothpaste (>2500PPM) is available only on prescription.

Pastes with fluoride concentration below 600PPM are best for children under five years. Hence use of toothpaste with less fluoride content (when compared to adult toothpaste) is always advisable. Today there are many brands of pediatric toothpaste available on the market.

WHEN SHOULD I USE HIGH-FLUORIDE-CONTAINING TOOTHPASTE FOR KIDS?

High-fluoride-containing toothpaste is advisable for kids who have a high caries risk. Usually, these pastes contain extreme concentrations of fluoride (higher than 1500PPM of fluoride) and are used only under the supervision of a dentist.

Your dentist will check the child’s caries risk status and then decide on whether to advise high-fluoride toothpaste or not.

HOW MUCH AMOUNT OF TOOTHPASTE FOR KIDS IS ADVISABLE FOR BRUSHING?

The New Zealand guidelines for the use of fluoride recommend using “a smear” of toothpaste for children under five years. They also recommend the use of toothpaste as soon as the teeth erupt, which can decrease early childhood caries to some extent.

I recommend all my patients use

  • A smear of paste if they are below five years
  • A pea size (covering only the first half of bristle surface) of toothpaste for children between 5 to 10 years
  • A band or ribbon of paste, which includes the entire surface of tooth bristles, for children above ten years.

THE X FACTOR

Children don’t get used to toothpaste usually. To use something, they require some X-factor in it, which attracts them the most. The pediatric pastes come with such ingredients which will draw kids’ attention. They come with many admirable cartoon characters attracting the kid. Moreover, they come in many flavors, where a kid can opt for a paste of his/her interest.

CONCLUSION

At times I have seen parents complaining that his / her kid is eating paste instead of brushing. Such things are endurable if they are using pediatric toothpaste. Using adult toothpaste for children can have a theoretical risk of dental fluorosis. Further, it is not advisable for children who have a habit of eating paste. Parents should be cautious while brushing their kids. The AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION insists on training your baby to spit out toothpaste after use.

Too much of anything is not advisable.

The premium pricing of pediatric toothpaste over adult toothpaste has an insightful influence on many families. Being priced higher, many of us do not show interest in buying kids’ toothpaste.

It can be the main reason why most of us still use the same pastes for kids and adults. The decision whether to use them (pediatric toothpaste) or not is yours.

THE TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

  • The use of Fluoridated toothpaste for young is still conflicting. There are many studies that support the risk of fluorosis in these children. At the same time, there was an equal number of studies supporting the use of fluoride toothpaste for kids.
  • An ideal toothpaste should be providing full caries protection with limiting the risk for dental fluorosis. Fluoridated toothpaste is ideal for kids with a high risk of caries.
  • A smear of paste is the recommended quantity of toothpaste to be used in kids below five years.
  • A pea size (covering only the first half of the bristle surface) is the quantity of paste recommended for children between 5 to 10 years.
  • A full band or ribbon of paste, which covers the entire surface of bristles is advisable for children above ten years.
  • Fluoridated toothpaste should be used only after your dentist’s recommendation.

If you find this article to be exciting and meaningful, please share it with your friends. Do you have any questions? Let me answer it. Kindly post your query in the comment section.

These are a few top picks in toothpaste, recommended for kids

Between 3-24 months (below 2 years)

Tom’s Toddler Training Fluoride Free

The paste comes with no artificial flavors and is completely fluoride free. It is entirely safe even if swallowed. This is a better alternative to regular toothpaste, as it is completely organic. Made up of glycerine (from vegetable oil), corn, hydrated silica, Xylitol, and cassia oil. Go green….
[buy now]


Colgate My First Baby and Toddler Toothpaste

Colgate is a trusted brand for years in the toothpaste industry. Added to it, the paste is completely fluoride free. It does not contain artificial colors and preservatives. Comes in bubble fruit flavor and is completely organic.
[buy now]

Above 2 years

Tom’s of Maine Fluoride Free Children’s Toothpaste [FLUORIDE FREE]

Children above 2 years with no known prevalence of caries can opt it. They are fluoride-free pastes. Parents who are more prudent about the fluoride content in toothpaste can go for it.
[buy now]


Tom’s of Maine Anticavity Fluoride Children’s Toothpaste

For children with teeth with more caries. Contains fluoride to prevent cavities. Contains sodium mono-fluro-phosphate for fluoride release.
[buy now]

Dr. Kiran

3 thoughts on “TOOTHPASTE FOR KIDS. DON’T DO THIS WHILE BRUSHING YOUR KID’S TEETH”

  1. Pingback: HOW TO PREVENT TOOTH DECAY IN YOUR BABY ? A CARIES GUIDE TO PARENTS - DENTA DIGEST

  2. Pingback: TARTAR ON TEETH. HOW DO I MANAGE DENTAL CALCULUS? - DENTA DIGEST

  3. Pingback: FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE | WHEN TO USE AND WHEN TO AVOID | DENTA DIGEST

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top