Children’s toothpaste: A guide for parents

In this article of Dr. Pascal Terjanian blog, we talk about children’s toothpaste. A large selection of toothpaste is also available for children in the drugstore. In addition to the flavor, such as strawberry or mint, there is usually information about the age, which ranges from toddlers to 12-year-old school children. Why is that important? First and foremost, it is about the fluoride content in the toothpaste. Fluoride is important in small amounts to protect teeth, as several studies have already shown.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE RIGHT DOSAGE OF CHILDREN’S TOOTHPASTE

Dental associations advise children to brush their teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste after their first tooth has broken through to their second birthday. The toothpaste should contain 500 ppm (parts per million) fluoride. After the second birthday, a fluoride level of 1000 ppm is recommended. If the school child only has permanent teeth, the toothpaste may contain 1500 ppm. A small amount of fluoride protects against tooth decay and hardens the tooth enamel. Important: The fluoride effect only takes effect after about two minutes of brushing your teeth.

THE RESULTS OF THE ECO-TEST

In March 2021, a total of 35 children’s kinds of toothpaste was examined. 15 kinds of toothpaste are unreservedly recommended. In the case of the other pastes, either the amount of fluoride is incorrect, the dosage information has gaps or the products contain controversial ingredients. Three children’s toothpaste failed because of their ingredients. In the case of toothpaste for milk teeth or junior toothpaste, the testers mainly criticized the information on fluoride. Clear indications should ensure that parents do not over-or under-supply their children with fluoride. In terms of ingredients, a total of six products were criticized. Four of them contain polyethylene glycols and related substances that can make the skin more permeable to foreign matter. 

TIP: KEEP CHECK-UPS IN THE DENTAL PRACTICE

Make sure to keep the regular check-ups for your child in your dental practice. The dentist can thus recognize early on whether there is any incipient tooth decay and also answer all questions. In addition, the application of fluoride varnish to harden tooth enamel becomes a health insurance benefit for children from the age of 6 months. This entitlement exists twice every six months, regardless of whether the children have dental caries. By remineralizing the tooth surface, fluoride varnish helps prevent the development and progression of tooth decay.