Pediatricians advise to teach young children to brush their teeth from the age of six months. But not all parents know that not every children's toothpaste can keep the child's body healthy.
Pediatric dentists recommend starting to brush your teeth as soon as the first ones appear. For the little ones, there are special toothbrushes with soft and small bristles, and you need to clean the first teeth without toothpaste. Closer to the year, you can try to use children's toothpastes, but the process of getting used to them should be careful, comfortable and voluntary, otherwise you can discourage the child from brushing their teeth for many years to come.
To date, manufacturers of toothpastes offer a wide variety of products for the care of children's teeth and oral cavity. When choosing a paste for a child, it is important to look not only at the bright packaging and the smell with which it comes, but also at the composition. Because fluoride, which is very often found in toothpaste, is not recommended for children.
Component features
Fluoride is an excellent whitening and strengthening agent for teeth. However, at the same time, it has a number of side effects, after which white teeth will no longer be so necessary and relevant. First, fluorine is a toxic element. It kills all possible bacteria on teeth and mouth, but it also destroys tooth enamel and prevents collagen formation, which can lead to soft bones and teeth. This effect is especially strong on baby teeth.
Fluoride has long been considered extremely beneficial for teeth and tooth enamel, therefore, in addition to toothpaste, many other procedures aimed at fluoridation have appeared. There was even water saturated with fluorine. However, recent research suggests that only very small amounts of fluoride can be harmless. An excess of fluoride in the body and its ability to accumulate can lead to undesirable consequences.
Terms of use
To reduce the negative effect of fluoride on the child's body, certain rules must be followed. Firstly, in terms of dosage, it is not for nothing that all dentists recommend squeezing a small ball of paste onto the brush. Secondly, even a small part of such toothpaste should not be swallowed. This is especially difficult for children to do, because they are not yet very good at controlling their mouth and swallowing reflex. Although children's toothpastes are produced with a reduced content of fluoride, it is still undesirable to get it into the stomach.
Fluoride-free baby toothpastes are hard to find, but you can try. Then parents will be calm about the process of brushing their child's teeth.
