Should Your Child Use Fluoride Toothpaste?

Dental decay and cavities are the most common diseases among children and adults worldwide. Fluoride helps strengthen teeth and prevent cavities for both children and adults. That is why so many towns and cities put fluoride into the municipal water supply to encourage better dental health in their area. Of course, fluoride toothpaste has stronger effects and contains more fluoride than the trace amounts of it in our water. But it is also known as being unsafe for children under a certain age. So you may be wondering whether or not you should get fluoride toothpaste for your son or daughter. Generally, we recommend that you only get fluoride toothpaste if your dentist recommends it to you, but here is a quick guide to the pros and cons of fluoride toothpaste.

What Are The Benefits of Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride is a mineral that can be added to toothpaste or water in order to promote dental health. Specifically, it helps strengthen weakened tooth enamel and reverse early onset tooth decay. It also limits the growth of bacteria in the mouth and keeps your tooth enamel strong by slowing down the degradation of enamel through mineral loss. All of these benefits work together to improve cavity resistance for both children and adults. That is why dentists will recommend fluoride toothpaste to patients if they are dealing with tooth decay issues.

Is Fluoride Toothpaste Dangerous

Although fluoride has many benefits, like many components, too much fluoride has negative effects. Dental fluorosis is a condition that is observed in children young than 8 years old. When a child gets more fluoride than they should it will cause permanent staining of the teeth. This issue is mainly cosmetic and does not present any further medical concerns. However, swallowing large amount of fluoride toothpaste can be more dangerous. As long as you or your child is not using more than the recommended amount of fluoride toothpaste when you brush, there shouldn’t be an issue. That is why instructions always tell you to use less than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste when using fluoride toothpaste. However, in large amounts fluoride can be very dangerous. If your child consumes are large amount of fluoride toothpaste you should call poison control. They will be able to get an idea of how much your child has had and recommend what next steps you need to take. Too much fluoride can cause anything from an upset stomach to causing a loss of calcium and magnesium in the body.

Set Up A Dental Visit for Your Child in Revere

Contact All Pro Dental to set up a dental appoint for your son or daughter. Our dentists can answer any questions you have about tooth decay, cavity prevention, and fluoride toothpaste.