Posted by John Liu, DDS on January 25, 2021 · 2 Comments
Just because a child doesn’t like one type of toothpaste doesn’t mean she’ll refuse them all. Many kids hate the minty taste of traditional adult toothpastes — but might love a berry or bubblegum flavor.
By five or six, kids should be able to spit out the foam rather than swallow it. If your daughter hasn’t mastered this skill yet, teaching her how to do so can make brushing more pleasant for both of you.
If your daughter still refuses to use toothpaste, have her brush with a wet toothbrush and no paste, and then follow up with a fluoride rinse. Many studies prove that topical fluoride helps prevent cavities, so this step is critical if she’s not using toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Even though your daughter probably still has mostly baby teeth, keeping them healthy is essential. If she loses them too early because of excessive decay, her permanent teeth can drift, which increases the odds that she’ll need orthodontia. Instilling good oral hygiene habits early will benefit her for the rest of her life.
Great Article as always! I am a huge tooth nut as you already know! I wrote an article for Pediatric Safety as a matter of fact on Baby Bottle Syndrome. I just found a great toothpaste for My Little Guy. It doesn’t foam up, is grape flavored and is color changing. I tried it and it is fabulous. It doesn’t contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, an unnecessary foaming agent that may burn gums and lead to painful canker sores. the good news is that this great toothpaste is fluoridated and My Little Guy is brushing with ease now!
Leslie
Baking soda works well as a toothpaste, too. I had to use that when I had braces when I was younger.