One of the things that we hear many parents struggle with is choosing the proper oral hygiene products for their children, toothpaste being a big one. When you go to the grocery store to purchase toothpaste, even in the kid section, there are a lot of choices. It can be overwhelming and hard to understand the differences between the options in front of you. As your family's pediatric dentist, Dr. Casey wants to ensure that you have all of the resources that you need to provide your family with good, lifelong oral health habits.
Here is our guide to knowing the differences between different toothpaste types and why they may benefit your family, or what options may be better. Children under the age of 6 should always be using age-appropriate toothpaste to brush with. Consuming too much adult toothpaste can have negative health consequences for children. This is why recommend only using age-appropriate oral health products and in quantities approved by your family's pediatric dentist. We also only recommend using dental hygiene and oral care products that have the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval.
A Helping Hand
As we all know, children cannot brush their teeth on their own when they're little. They need lots of hands-on help from their parents. In fact, for the first several years the parents are the ones brushing the child's teeth. In the beginning, the skin definitely proved to be difficult at times, as children don't understand especially when they're young the importance of oral care.
Part of the reason is so important to actively help your child is to assist them in getting comfortable with the toothbrush in their mouth, the sensation of brushing, and the taste of toothpaste. As a brand new experience for our little ones, learning to brush their teeth can be an overwhelming one at times. Children may experience a lot of emotions around brushing their teeth, especially at the beginning. It is vital that parents support them in learning, soothing their fears, and eventually helping them learn independence.
It helps to talk to them soothingly, rock them gently before and after, as well as find other ways to make it a positive experience each night. When our children are young, communication isn't always easy. However, there are so many ways that parents have creatively, found ways to help their children enjoy these moments of cultivating healthy routines.
Around 3 years old, children can start participating a little bit more in brushing their teeth. Before a year old, we recommend that the parents are the ones doing most of the brushing in order to show good examples for the child. By three years old, your child should be capable of starting to brush their own teeth, if they aren't already fighting to do so themselves.
Age-Appropriate Portions
When it comes to brushing your child's teeth, the amount of toothpaste that you use is vital to your child's safety. Over time, you will get to ease your child into using more toothpaste and eventually the regular variety. In the meantime, using age-appropriate portions of toothpaste should be a priority for all parents...
- 3 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR: At this age, a child's first teeth should be coming in and parents should start to brush them at least once daily. Some parents start with using just water, while others start with training toothpaste or toothpaste for children in very small amounts. We only recommend starting with a grain of rice-sized swear of toothpaste while brushing once per day.
- 1 YEAR TO 3 YEARS: Our biggest concern for this age group is still ensuring that they are using age-appropriate toothpaste and the correct quantity as well. This is why we still recommend at this age to use children's toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Approval only. They should still only be using about a rice-sized dot of children's toothpaste when they brush, especially if it is fluoride toothpaste.
- 3 YEARS TO 6 YEARS: This age group is starting to become more independent and may start trying to help or "take over" brushing. However, they will still need help from a parent. They should also be using about a pea-sized dot of children's toothpaste now when they brush.
- 6 YEARS AND OLDER: Children ages 6 years and older are able to start brushing on their own with a parent's supervision as they individually gain the dexterity to do so. They are also able to start using adult toothpaste varieties if they would like, however, children's toothpaste is still effective and an option as well. This age group still likes the colors and flavors offered, so they will often choose to continue with the children's toothpaste and that is perfectly fine. They are also able to use an adult-sized amount of toothpaste at this age, as long as they do not have a habit of swallowing it.
The most important part of choosing the right toothpaste is making sure that it is age appropriate and that your child isn't using too much when they brush. Most kinds of children's toothpaste that you find in stores are great options. You can even use the ADA Seal of Approval as an easy way to identify which toothpaste options the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends to parents. Just check the label for their seal!
Character Toothpaste vs Generic?
Around this age is when creative toothpaste containers become more appealing to children. They start to notice their favorite characters and colors on the bottle's designs at the store. This may be annoying to some parents who may prefer a different product or brand but in some cases winning the teeth-brushing battle comes down to making it exciting for the kids each night.
While we do tend to see some price increases in toothbrushes and toothpaste containers that feature characters in compression to more generic designs. However, for some children, the character toothpaste makes them more easily convinced by parents to stick to routine than a generic toothpaste would. While the actual character adds no dental or oral health benefits, it does have a motivational factor that we cannot deny. For some families, this is a deciding factor in the products that they purchase. Being a mother, Dr. Casey fully understands this and why.
Does The Type Matter Beyond "Kids'?"
There are now so many choices in the grocery store for children's toothpaste, how do you know that you're getting the "right one?" Just like the adult toothpaste market, there are children's toothpaste brands that cater to all sorts of needs, varieties, and specialties. Yet, many parents get overwhelmed and "just grab one." While this isn't the most strategic approach to an oral care routine for your child, it is a start
Here is a quick breakdown of the options that brands offer for children's toothpaste...
- FLUORIDE: These days, most toothpaste has some quantity of fluoride in them unless specifically stated otherwise on the packaging. It is a naturally occurring mineral that's usually found in public drinking water, as cities have chosen to add it to improve community health. It is now a popular additive utilized by most large toothpaste manufacturing companies. Fluoride is safe and is known to strengthen enamel, the hard outer layer that protects our teeth. This makes it an essential substance for your child's teeth to stay healthy and strong.
- TARTAR CONTROL: These particular toothpaste formulas are beneficial for patients who are prone to tartar and aim to prevent buildup. The ingredients that they contain are chosen due to their effective ability to break down plaque before it hardens on the teeth. We suggest this type of toothpaste for patients who have trouble preventing plaque buildup over time.
- WHITENING TOOTHPASTE: Almost every brand out there offers some sort of whitening toothpaste, however, it is rare for children to need them. We do not recommend whitening toothpaste for children under the age of 18 years old. We do aim to inform parents that these products often contain harsh materials that are used to gently scrub away surface stains. Some companies even use peroxide in their products to whiten teeth. While popular with adults, whitening toothpaste is known to cause increased sensitivity in teeth and should not be recommended for children under the age of 18.
- SENSITIVITY TOOTHPASTE: These varieties of toothpaste are specially formulated for those with sensitive teeth. They are perfect for individuals that experience discomfort with hot or cold temperatures. Their components are usually less abrasive and contain either strontium chloride or potassium nitrate. These specific compounds aid in reducing sensitivity by inhibiting the passageways that travel from the teeth to the nerves. We only recommend using these kinds of toothpaste if your child's pediatric dentist specifically recommends it to them.
Honestly, most children only need Children's Toothpaste without any special additives or focus. This is great news for parents who get overwhelmed with so many options. As long as you focus on using the right amount of toothpaste and creating a positive experience for your child, you are winning! Like many things in life, the hardest part of an oral care routine is... getting started!
If you are interested in learning more about your child's oral care or dental health, please feel free to check out Dr. Casey Elkin's blog articles or contact our office directly! We are always here to help our patients and their parents in any way that we can. This is why we take the time to inform our patients about the importance of their family's oral health and overall.
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