As parents, our responsibility is to care for and protect our children, as well as ensure that they have proper hygiene and are healthy. Within it, is the oral health of our children.
In addition to knowing the correct tooth brushing technique for children, it is very important to follow the indications about the type and amount of toothpaste they use, as According to a recent study, many children use more than recommended, and doing so may cause problems with their teeth.
We know that using a fluoride toothpaste is safe and recommended for children, although should be done with caution and in small amounts according to age. But do we really follow those directions?
In a statement published by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many children use amounts of toothpaste greater than recommended, which could be harmful to your teeth.
In Babies and more Toothpaste for young children, do you have to carry fluoride? According to the information he collected through a survey in which data were collected from more than 5,000 American children, About 40% of children between three and six years old used a brush that was halfway or completely filled with toothpaste, despite the fact that the current recommendation is to use a pea-sized quantity.
The fluoride contained in toothpastes and other dental care products is beneficial in caries prevention, however, its excessive use when teeth are forming could damage the enamel and cause the appearance of stains, also known as dental fluorosis, something we had already mentioned previously in Babies and more.
Recommendations of the amount of toothpaste for babies and children
Although the survey was conducted only with children from the United States, it serves as a reminder to keep in mind the recommendations of professionals and avoid excessive or incorrect use of toothpaste in children.
The Spanish Association of Pediatrics recommends until age six use a children's toothpaste, that is, one that is exclusively for children, since they contain less fluoride than adult toothpastes.
In the case of children under two years of age, the recommended amount of toothpaste is size of a grain of rice, while in children older than two years and up to six years of age it must be pea size. After six years of age, an adult toothpaste can already be used and the amount should be from one to two centimeters on the brush
