Nowadays, there are many toothpastes produced for children of all ages, which are also said to relieve different complaints. It is possible to meet new brands appearing on the shelves every day and to see new products categorized according to patients' expectations. There is only one question in the minds of parents trying to choose from this variety of products: 'Which toothpaste should I choose for my child?' Pediatric Dentistry Specialist Dt. Nurgül Demir answered this question.
Tooth Brushing Habits
“The most important thing that our children in the age group, who have just started to acquire tooth brushing habits, care about when choosing toothpaste is the packaging and taste of the toothpaste; “Our priority is its content and fluoride concentration.” Pediatric Dentistry Specialist Dt. made the statement. Nurgül Demir continued her words as follows: “The main determining factors in the decision phase are the child's age and caries risk status. In line with the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists; "Fluoride paste should be used after the first milk teeth start to appear, and it is sufficient to use toothpaste the size of a grain of rice until the age of 3, and a pea size toothpaste from the age of 3 to 6."
Which type of toothpaste should be used?
Underlining that fluoride has an indisputable importance in preventing the formation of tooth decay and stopping its progression, and stating that it is included as a basic ingredient in most toothpastes, Demir said, “The concentration of fluoride that the toothpaste should contain, depending on the child's age and caries risk status, should be determined by the pediatric dentist. . Among the many toothpastes produced specifically for different complaints, the most important for us to be used in our pediatric patients are special pastes produced to strengthen the enamel structure. "During the period when teeth develop within the bone, due to insufficient mineral content, the teeth may erupt with white opaque spots or a brown soft structure," he said.
Pastes that strengthen the enamel structure should be chosen.
"In such special cases, which we frequently encounter in our clinics and which parents mistake for caries, we may need to choose special pastes to strengthen the enamel structure," said Dt. Nurgül Demir continued: “The ingredients in these pastes, such as fluoride and calcium, repair damaged enamel and help strengthen it; It also protects teeth against risk factors that may cause caries. Children should be given the habit of brushing their teeth twice a day, using the recommended amount of toothpaste for the child's age. Teeth should be brushed under parental supervision until young adulthood; At the end of tooth brushing, the paste should be spit out or, if this is not possible, the paste should be wiped away from the tooth surfaces. It should be emphasized that only the 'correct' and 'adequate' use of the products recommended professionally by a 'specialist physician' according to 'the patient's caries risk status' is harmless, especially for our infant and child patients.”
5 Things to Consider When Choosing Toothpaste
1-Teeth should be brushed under parental supervision until young adulthood.
2-In order to get optimum benefit from toothpaste, it is important to brush your teeth with the correct technique.
It is sufficient to use toothpaste the size of a grain of rice until the age of 3-3, and a pea size toothpaste from the age of 3 to 6.
4-Fluoride paste should be used after the first milk teeth start to appear.
5-For patients in the infant and child age group, a pediatric dentist should be consulted to choose toothpaste.
