Many children are not using the right amount of toothpaste when they brush their teeth, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 40 percent of children ages 3-6 use more toothpaste than the amount recommended by dental professionals. Young children swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can experience dental fluorosis, or teeth discoloration, which only affects teeth developing under the gums. Parents should be squeezing no more than a pea-size amount of toothpaste on their children’s toothbrushes, according to the CDC and American Dental Association.
For children under the age of three, parents should squeeze a tiny smear of toothpaste, around the size of a grain of rice. Because young children are less capable of spitting out toothpaste in the sink, they are more likely to injest it. While fluorosis does not affect overall dental health, it can lead to streaks on the teeth.
The study indicated that the public doesnt understand how to properly apply toothpaste, Jonathan Shenkin, DDS, MPH, Dental Association spokesman and pediatric dentist in Augusta, Maine, said on Saturday.
While the dental association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry offer conflicting advice on when exactly to begin brushing your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste, it is most important to ensure that you are using the right quantity so that your child won’t swallow too much, according to Dr. Shenkin.
