Training Toothpaste for Kids: is it Better that Regular Toothpaste?

Pediatric Dentist Philippines

(https://dentistry4children.wordpress.com/tag/toothpaste/)

For the longest time, parents have feared the use of regular toothpaste might cause fluorosis among their children. Fluorosis is a condition where mild discoloration occurs on the teeth often caused by excessive intake of fluoride, a mineral present in regular toothpaste. In the Philippines, the said condition is one of the many dental health problems pediatric dentists encounter among millions of students in public schools.

To ease this fear among parents, fluoride-free toothpaste called ‘training toothpaste’ was discovered, instantly finding its way in the market.

However, despite the seemingly great solution, the question remains to haunt meticulous parents as to whether training toothpaste should really replace the regular one or not. To shed light on this problem, let’s dig deeper into the case and hear what the pediatric dentists have to say about the matter.

What is Training Toothpaste?

Training toothpaste, as the name suggests, aides in getting kids familiar with the feeling of a paste in the mouth. Like regular toothpaste, it also helps clean the gums and the teeth.

Since children younger than two tend to swallow the paste when brushing, using fluoridated toothpaste increases the risk of developing fluorosis. However, with training toothpaste, children can brush without the said risk, even if they don’t spit it out frequently. On the other hand, since this type of toothpaste is non-fluoridated, it does little to no help in preventing dental caries or cavities among children.

Experts Weigh In

Despite the risk of fluorosis, the American Dentist Association’s (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs (CSA) still recommends that parents should use tiny smear of fluoridated toothpaste to brush their children’s teeth twice a day. This is according to their new guidance expanding the use of said toothpaste for children below three years old.

In the report published in ADA’s journal, CSA concluded that the use of fluoridated toothpaste is effective in controlling cavities, although the scientific evidence is limited to children younger than six and more robust in older children. It emphasized the use of the said toothpaste in appropriate amounts, and stressed it should be used by children of all ages. The said report was based on CSA’s systematic review of 17 studies.

According to the new guidelines, the use of tiny smear or rice-grain-size of fluoridated toothpaste for children younger than three helps prevent cavities, while it is less likely to develop fluorosis. The council further recommends a pea-size amount of toothpaste for children three to six years old to use.

Furthermore, ADA stressed that children should spit out fluoridated toothpaste as soon as they can. However, their inability to spit should not prevent the use of the tiny smear of the said toothpaste.

Should Be or Should Not Be?

Training toothpaste may not possess the risk of acquiring fluorosis, however, it also does not provide the same effectiveness of fluoridated toothpaste in combatting cavities. That said, it is still better to take the risk and reap its benefits, especially if there are guidelines from trusted organizations like ADA that you can follow to minimize such danger.

With proper guidance from your pediatric dentist in the Philippines, parents like you should never fear for your children’s dental health anymore. Hence, it is time to see your pediatric dentist for instructions, drop the training toothpaste, take the risk and use fluoridated toothpaste to ensure your kids’ healthier teeth today.