7 Tips To Choose The Best Toothpaste For Your Kids Written By: Dr. Ankita Shah, April 2020
An exciting and positive brushing experience will make your child care towards their oral hygiene. It can be quite confusing to choose from the wide array of toothpastes available in the market. Toothpastes have different consistencies, abrasives, artificial sweeteners, flavours and contain different amounts of fluoride. Selecting the right toothpaste for your child depends on the age and their ability to brush their teeth. Parents often ask us how to choose the best toothpaste for their child. We are here to help you choose the right toothpaste for your child based on the following 7 tips.
1) IDA AND ADA SEAL:
Look for the IDA or ADA seal on the toothpaste packaging. The Indian Dental Association (IDA) and American Dental Association (ADA) evaluates toothpaste for safety and effectiveness. A toothpaste with the IDA or ADA seal has all the right ingredients to protect your child’s teeth from cavities.
2) HARSH ABRASIVES:
Abrasives used in adult and whitening toothpastes are much harsher as they are designed to remove tough stains. These abrasives are too rough for your child’s teeth. Also look for the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulfate; some kids develop mouth ulcers and are allergic to it.
3) FLUORIDE:
We believe that fluoride plays an essential role in remineralisation and strengthening the tooth enamel. It also helps to reduce the tooth decay causing bacteria. We recommend using just a smear of fluoride toothpaste for children above 2 yrs of age. The American Dental Association also recommends using a fluoridated toothpaste to prevent cavities.
4) FLAVOR:
Tooth brushing should be a comfortable and pleasant experience for your child. Kids often enjoy brushing with fun flavoured and attractive cartoon character toothpastes. Many children often find mint flavour to be “spicy”. Older children are less interested in cartoon characters, but enjoy the fresh fruity flavours. It’s important to choose a toothpaste your child likes.
5) ORGANIC TOOTHPASTES:
Many parents have concerns about additives, artificial colors, and artificial sweeteners. The positive side is that they use naturally occurring abrasives but do not contain fluoride.
6) FLUORIDE V/S FLUORIDE-FREE TOOTHPASTE:
You can start using a toothpaste without fluoride till your child is 2 yrs of age after which you can switch to a fluoride containing toothpaste. Use just a smear of toothpaste till 3 yrs of age. After 3 yrs of age you can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
7) WHEN TO USE AN ADULT TOOTHPASTE?
Children at 9 or 10 have sufficient number of permanent teeth and are also typically more adapted to spitting and rinsing properly. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests switching to an adult toothpaste around 9-10yrs of age.
Lastly, a toothpaste that sits in its cradle does no good. So be sure to buy a toothpaste that your child would actually use. It is also important that your child's toothpaste tastes pleasant and appeals to him/her so that its fun using it every day and night. You may have to experiment with a few different brands available in the market to make the correct choice.
Choose wisely and happy shopping!
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