Choosing the Right Toothpaste for Your Children

Back in the old days, everyone used that same flavor of toothpaste. Do you remember it? It was a weird peppermint flavor that caused you to hold your nose as a kid. You got used to it with age, but subjected your kids to that same weird flavor years later. However, was that toothpaste the best one for your kids?

The right toothpaste is essential to improving your oral hygiene. This especially rings true when picking a toothpaste for your children, as there are certain types of toothpaste that are right for children of a certain age. Before purchasing toothpaste, make sure the toothpaste you want is approved by the American Dental Association.

Some children are not yet old enough to be able to spit out their toothpaste. For those children, you should purchase toothpaste without fluoride. Toothpastes from Arm & Hammer, as well as Tom’s toothpaste, are good toothpastes to start. Once your child can spit out their toothpaste, you can start using one that has fluoride.

If your child has sensitive teeth, desensitizing toothpastes such as Sensodyne or Crest
Sensitivity contain compounds which help decrease sensitivity to cold/hot areas and block sensitive areas of their teeth where the root is exposed.

It is not recommended that you use teeth whitening toothpaste for your children. Teeth whitening contains such bleaching materials as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which may not be the safest for your children. Also, adult teeth tend to be a few shades darker than baby teeth, which may be alarming for parents as their child goes through this teeth transition.

For more information on the right toothpaste to use for your child, schedule an appointment with our pediatric dentist Dr. Kari Blakenship.