Can Children Use Toothpaste? Is it a Hazard?

Why do people keep telling me that children should not use toothpaste?

by Author

How should we as parents take care of our children's teeth?

Let's find out. 

What is in your toothpaste? 
 

These are several common ingredients in the daily-use toothpaste:

Anti-cavity - sodium fluoride/stannous fluoride
Anti-hypersensitivity - amorphous calcium phosphate
Anti-plaque - triclosan, etc
Anti-stains - calcium carbonate, silicates
Flavoring/sweetener - saccharin, sorbitol

The main active ingredient in toothpaste is Fluoride. Dentists recommend to use fluoridated toothpaste to prevent getting tooth decays.

What is Fluoride? 

Fluoride is a mineral naturally existing in the water and other sources. It is able to remineralize our tooth loss, ie. strengthen your tooth when it is at the initial stage of decay.

Fluoride has been introduced in toothpaste for ages and is proven to reduce the incidence of decay. Fluoride is also available in the form of gel, mouthwash, water fluoridation, and salt.

Is Flouride Harmful?

A condition called dental fluorosis where white patches form on the surface of teeth may happen due to excessive ingestion of fluoride (by swallowing toothpaste). This condition only affects the children under 8 years old who are still undergoing teeth development.

Children aged 8 years and below are advised to use kids toothpaste which contains significantly lower amount of fluoride than the adult ones at the right proportion.

With that said, children of 8 years and above will not have fluorosis by using fluoridated toothpaste.

​Why are people against fluoridated toothpaste?

Some of the possible adverse effects from excessive fluoride are skeletal fluorosis, thyroid problems, poor cognitive functions and fluoride poisoning which only occur upon accidental industrial spill and water contamination in large amount. They DO NOT happen while using fluoridated toothpaste.

In general, fluoride doesn't harm the teeth and provides more benefits than its potential harms if applied according to the guidelines.

How much toothpaste should my child use?​

Depending on the age of your child:

From 0–3 years old: You can wipe the first baby teeth with a wet cloth to clean them. 

As soon as the teeth come out, feel free to bring them to the dentist to get them used to it ( a good way to cope with dental fear). 

You can apply a very thin smear of toothpaste on the brush if they allow you to brush their teeth.

From 4–8 years old: Your child may have learned to brush on his/her own, apply a pea-sized toothpaste on the brush and supervise him/her. 

Only use children's toothpaste at this stage and do not use fluoride mouthrinse before they reach >6 years old.

From 9 years old onward: Tooth development should have completed and there is no need to worry about dental fluorosis. 

They can continue to use children's toothpaste until they are able to switch to adult toothpaste (when their adult teeth start coming in).

**If you follow the instructions, toothpaste would never harm your children.
Instead, the teeth would be strengthened and protected from decay.


Start them from young!