Choosing the right toothpaste or floss for children is pretty simple, but there are a few points you may want to consider to make the brushing and flossing routine easier on you and your child.
Look for Fluoride
Fluoride gets negative press sometimes, but the fact is that it’s a perfectly safe part of a dentist-monitored oral health care plan. Fluoride helps strengthen and protect dental enamel, making is a great weapon in the fight against dental decay!
Discuss fluoride toothpaste with your dentist before purchasing, though, because fluoride may be present in your water supply, and too much fluoride can cause dental problems.
Flavour
Children may find the strong taste of regular mint toothpaste a little too harsh at first. And if you’re not accustomed to it, the tingly sensation it causes can even be uncomfortable.
Toothpaste for kids comes in a several different flavours, and you may find it helps to start your child off with something a little milder and sweeter tasting, such as cherry or bubblegum.
If your child is very young, though, just be sure he or she doesn’t try to swallow it!
Floss comes in a few different flavours too, and so choosing something your child likes may sweeten the deal a little when it comes to nightly flossing.
When it comes to floss for children, it’s best to choose a soft, fairly flexible variety that will be easy on their gums. Ribbon floss is often a good choice, as it’s quite wide (which is helpful while children’s teeth are growing in and not very close together yet), but still soft and flexible enough to help prevent bleeding as your child learns how to floss gently.