How Safe are Tasty Toothpastes for Kids?

Some taste like bubble gum, while others are candy flavored. Then why do toothpastes meant for kids carry a label on the box advising use under supervision of adults? That’s because of the presence of fluoride in these toothpastes. Fluoride is actually good for the teeth, and these toothpastes are regarded as safe for use. But fluoride content in children’s toothpaste is much higher than the required daily amount.  
We get fluoride from water and other water based beverages we drink. The presence of fluoride in drinking water is many times lower than that of fluoride in toothpastes. Children’s toothpastes contain 1,000 to 1,100 parts per million of fluoride, an amount that’s equal to adult tooth pastes. 

Children love using more and more paste while brushing teeth, because they like the flavor. The funny cartoon characters on the boxes, and the magical sparkles in the paste induce kids to squeeze out more paste. This may be good news for the manufacturers, but not as good for kids' teeth. Children below the age of 3 years swallow paste invariably as they do not yet have complete control over their swallowing reflex. They cannot spit out properly. Then, there are kids that love to eat flavored toothpaste. 

All these lead to an excess intake of fluoride, which is harmful for the teeth. Teeth keep growing up to 16 years. Excess fluoride causes fluorosis and harms the growth of healthy teeth. Most of us suffer from mild fluorosis in the form of white little specks. Severe fluorosis is caused by regular excess intake of fluoride and it appears in the form of brown deformities in the teeth.  

To avoid fluorosis, parents should supervise children’s brushing activities and can take these steps to do so.

• Avoiding fluoride-based toothpastes are not the answer. Fluoride is helpful in the proper development of teeth. It prevents the formation of dental cavities. The idea is to use a small amount of paste for children. A pea sized amount is enough.
• Parents should be physically present when their children are brushing teeth, and guide them.
•  For kids under the age of 3, parents should brush their kids’ teeth using proper techniques.
• For children between the ages of 3-6, both parents and children should participate in the brushing process. Parents should allow kids to brush on their own so that they get used to brushing properly. Then parents should brush the kids’ teeth in case they are not properly cleaned.
• Parents’ supervision should end at age 7, but may continue till the child learns proper brushing technique.
• Always follow the instructions mentioned on the package of the toothpaste.

 
So if higher levels of fluoride in children’s toothpaste are bad for them, why can't we have toothpastes with low level of fluoride?

That's because research has established that 1,000 to 1,100 parts per million of fluoride prevents dental cavities and the Food and Drug Administration approves this. No study has been done to establish the usefulness of lower levels of fluoride in preventing dental cavities. That’s why manufacturers haven’t considered lowering fluoride levels. In 2001 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention persuaded toothpaste manufacturers to conduct research on the effectiveness of low fluoride content toothpastes. There has been no further development on this matter.