Which Toothpaste is Best?

Which toothpaste is best?

At Smiles for Kids Pediatric Dentistry, we get the question on which toothpaste to use on a daily basis. The answer is that is all depends. Here’s why.

AGE

For infants that are less than 2 years old, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends using a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste to brush baby teeth.  The smear of toothpaste should be about the size of a grain of rice. At about 3 years old, you can start using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

TASTE

Most kids have a preference when it comes to flavor. Usually, the fluoride toothpaste comes in a kid-friendly flavor like bubble gum. Where it gets more challenging is if your child does not like those flavorings. Fortunately, now, many companies make other flavors. You may have to experiment with them until you find the right one. For those that have trouble with all flavoring, there’s toothpaste called OraNurse which is flavorless but still has the benefit of fluoride.

The main thing to remember is that Dr. Lindhorst, Dr. Jadav and Dr. Theriot recommend using fluoride toothpaste. As long as you have that active ingredient in there, we’re happy with any brand of toothpaste that you choose to use.

RISK FOR CAVITIES

Some of our patients are at higher risk for cavities. This could be due to enamel hypoplasia, crowding, history of decay, oral hygiene, or having braces. For these patients, Dr. Lindhorst, Dr. Jadav or Dr. Theriot may recommend toothpaste with a higher concentration of fluoride. We have these available at our office for the patients that need them. Using this specific toothpaste can help strengthen areas that may be getting weaker or help prevent cavities on those teeth that are just more prone to them.

Happy Summer!

Dr. Urvi Jadav

Smiles for Kids Pediatric Dentistry