With the advent of the child's first teeth in front of parents, the question arises - how to take care of them. In the world there is no common opinion about the age at which toothpastes can be used for children. Some experts at first recommend to do with rinsing with useful solutions and use special silicone fingertips for gum massage and removal of plaque. Others argue that modern children's pastes are completely safe for health. Therefore, the standard advice for parents is to consult a dentist. He will examine the teeth, gums and give valid recommendations.
Can children brush their teeth with "older" toothpastes
Advertising of miracle properties of toothpastes, especially when beautiful people with snow-white teeth smile in the whole screen, form in our minds the desire to possess this impeccable product. And children, of course, we want to buy the best. That's just not all parents think about, but is it safe "the most perfect toothpaste in the world" for children?
The society has formed the erroneous opinion that from 3-4 years old children can clean their teeth with toothpaste for adults without damage to their health. The choice of toothpastes affects the variety: saturated with calcium and fluoride, whitening and reducing sensitivity, protecting against periodontal disease and calculus. But, despite the supposed high quality and promised effectiveness, these children can not brush their teeth with these pastes!
The enamel of the milk teeth is several times softer than that of the molars. And the thickness of the enamel is small. Toothpastes for adults are saturated with abrasive elements (especially whitening pastes). Even pasta with so-called "sparing" abrasive elements will spoil the tender teeth of children, even with not too zealous cleaning.
A much greater danger lies in the complex compositions of adult pastes enriched with active chemical additives. For example, almost all conventional toothpastes contain fluoride. But this ordinary microelement for a child's organism is a poison even in small quantities. Children can not fully control swallowing reflexes, especially when cleaning long teeth. And they swallow the paste harmful to them. With regular cleaning, fluoride accumulates, causing serious health problems. In addition to fluoride, there are other potentially unsafe for children additives: triclosan, honey, propolis, plant components, flavors, dyes, etc. They can cause allergies.
What pastes for children are safe
Children should brush their teeth with specially developed baby toothpastes! Tooth powders and pastes for adults are contraindicated for children. But even among children's toothpastes there is a gradation in age. The most gentle pastes are produced for children under 3 years, because they swallow a lot of pasta. They should not contain abrasive components and fluorine. For an adult, such a paste will not be effective, but for a child with a tender enamel of teeth it will come off.
A rare child with pleasure cleans his teeth, considering this procedure is incredibly boring. To develop the interest of children to brushing teeth, manufacturers produce baby pastes in attracting packaging. And what joy the children give to the pasta with brightly colored stripes! It is desirable that the pasta is with a pleasant smell and taste. On the safety of dyes and flavors used in tubes, there is no need to worry. Solid firms monitor the quality of their products. Of course, there is a risk of counterfeit products. But children's toothpastes are less likely to advertise - which means they rarely forge.
After 4 years, children are already independent enough to rinse your mouth yourself. Therefore, fluoride is already added to toothpastes of this age. Nevertheless, the best protection against tooth decay has not yet been invented. Fluoride reduces the permeability of enamel teeth. The amount of fluoride should be minimal. Suitable pastes with a concentration of fluorine 500 ppm (international designation). Do not allow children to swallow the paste, and after brushing your teeth, make them rinse your mouth well.
With inflammation and bleeding gums adults are advised to paste with triclosan. But for children this component is undesirable. It can be less effective, but it is safe with inflammation of the gums to handle toothpastes with extracts of lime, chamomile, mint, lemon balm. Bleeding will reduce the paste for children with vitamins E and A.
When choosing a paste for children, do not be lazy to read the composition. If you see the inscription "sodium lauryl sulfate" - we advise putting the tube back on the shelf. It is a cheap foaming agent used in many household chemicals. Sodium lauryl sulfate for children is a powerful allergen, can cause stomatitis, corrodes the oral mucosa.