Toothpaste is recommended in small amounts once your child is about three years of age. To determine when they are ready, they should be able to fully spit out the toothpaste, as you don’t want them ingesting large amounts of it. A tiny bead is effective enough to clean their teeth.
Use toothpaste that is ADA approved. Some of the ones we at Grow Well Kids personally recommend are brands like Dr. Bob, and for picky ones, Boka kids and Tanner’s Tasty Paste are good alternatives to get them to enjoy brushing. Ensure any toothpaste that you choose has the ADA logo on it and choose ones that don’t contain artificial color dyes, sugars, or preservatives.
As mentioned, you don’t want your child to ingest large amounts of toothpaste with fluoride in it. If they refuse to spit it out, it is best to go with an option that doesn’t contain fluoride. Fluoride is beneficial to your child’s teeth as it is known for helping strengthen enamel, which in turn helps fight cavities. Thus, we recommend not waiting too long to switch them to one with fluoride.
Regardless of toothpaste, regular pediatric dental appointments for cleanings and development are essential in catching issues early. We look forward to partnering with you and keeping them on track for a healthy life.