Fluoride Toothpaste is Recommended!
Use a small smear of paste that is about the size of a grain of rice on the toothbrush until your child has the ability to spit after brushing, which is typically around age 3. When choosing a toothpaste brand, consider a brand with a child-friendly flavor.
Children aged under 6 years should use a low fluoride children's toothpaste, while children aged 6 years and above are recommended to use full adult strength toothpaste, IF they are able to spit out.
Use children's fluoride toothpaste containing no less than 1,000ppm of fluoride (check label) unless a dentist advises family toothpaste containing between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride. Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Spit out after brushing and don't rinse – if you rinse, the fluoride won't work as well.
CDC, AAP, AAPD, and ADA recommend that children aged 3–6 years brush their teeth twice daily using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Excessive exposure to fluoride in a toddler can result in a condition called fluorosis. This causes small white dots or marks to appear on the child's permanent teeth when they erupt later in childhood. Sometimes, fluorosis can cause more obvious yellow or brown tooth stains along with noticeable pitting.
Parents and caregivers can minimize the risk of swallowing too much fluoride by purchasing toothpaste designed for each child's current age. Fluoride amounts are limited in toothpaste designed for younger children. You can also reduce the risk by purchasing fluoride-free toothpaste for kids.
Sensodyne toothpaste is not recommended for use by children under the age of 12. Sensitivity is rarely a problem in children that young.
Children over the age of 6 years: Use as you would an adult toothpaste. This product is specially recommended for children over 6 years. However, your dentist may recommend a 1450 ppm fluoride toothpaste for children aged 6 years and under if they are at risk of cavities and/or acid erosion and need extra protection.
Demineralization can cause problems like cavities and tooth decay if it occurs at a faster rate than remineralization. In other words, if your tooth enamel can't keep up with the damage it is sustaining, there may be trouble on the horizon.
For children age 3 and younger, use a children's fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. Again, you can use a non-fluoride version, if they tend to eat or not swallow it. For children 3 to 6 years old, the amount should be pea sized, and they may be ready for adult toothpaste.
Since dentin has a natural yellow appearance, your child's teeth may look yellow and unmatched if several of their permanent teeth come in at different times. The good news is that this is an entirely normal occurrence. Adult teeth will eventually lose their yellow shade, brightening and whitening over time.
At around age six, it's fine for children to begin using adult toothpaste as long as they are able to spit properly. You don't want your child swallowing a bunch of fluoride toothpaste, so if your child isn't able to spit well yet, or swallows their toothpaste, practice spitting.
While more grown up children can develop dental fluorosis, little children in the age of tooth development run the risk of enamel fluorosis if the intake of fluoride through toothpaste is high. This could cause discoloration of the teeth, white teeth turn brownish or black.
Suitable for children over the age of 6 years.
For their safety, do not have your child switch to fluoride toothpaste until they are able to spit. While there isn't a specific age or a hard deadline to switch, many children are ready to switch toothpaste around age six.
Can I use Sensodyne toothpaste every day? Yes. Sensodyne is a daily toothpaste specially formulated to relieve and protect against tooth sensitivity* and is the #1 dentist recommended toothpaste brand for sensitive teeth. Use it every day to help relieve tooth sensitivity and to also keep it from returning.
Pronamel for Children is a daily anti-cavity toothpaste specially formulated in collaboration with dentists to help strengthen tooth enamel and help protect children's teeth from acid erosion as well as tooth decay.
Most dentists agree that regular toothpaste with whitening ingredients are okay for children to use, but only in small (pea-sized) amounts and when they learn to brush properly, i.e. not too hard!
Fluoride treatment is important for both children and adults because it is a preventative treatment that protects tooth enamel. For kids, fluoride is especially important because it helps with proper tooth development.
fluoride in toothpaste is good. the medical community recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.