How much fluoride is safe?

wannabe_sybil

Coldstreamalways - the paediatrician referred to 'typical two year old oppositional behaviour'. His favourite word is 'no'. This is normal. That does not mean that he gets his own way, but I do choose my battles. I think teeth are worth battling about. I do not battle about him sleeping in his welly boots.

Fork86 - thank you, I had no idea where to start, so I started by asking the kind people here. He does eat his toothpaste, and I have had to crack down on him eating the toothpaste off the brush and then asking for more. He will be three in a few weeks time.

I know it is silly, but I can't get it out of my head that I will hurt him if I give him adult toothpaste. I will try him with a little tiny bit of sensodyne and see if that helps. In fact, I may shop around and see if I can find a flavour he doesn't like :rolleyes:

I really appreciate all the help and advice. I wouldn't know where to start if I couldn't come on here.

Fork86

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

Fork86 - thank you, I had no idea where to start, so I started by asking the kind people here. He does eat his toothpaste, and I have had to crack down on him eating the toothpaste off the brush and then asking for more. He will be three in a few weeks time.

I know it is silly, but I can't get it out of my head that I will hurt him if I give him adult toothpaste. I will try him with a little tiny bit of sensodyne and see if that helps. In fact, I may shop around and see if I can find a flavour he doesn't like :rolleyes:

I really appreciate all the help and advice. I wouldn't know where to start if I couldn't come on here.

As Toothsmith quite rightly says, kids toothpaste is rather naff as not only is it quite ineffective, the 'tastiniess' makes it harder to prevent them from ingesting it and changing to an adult toothpaste.

But the sooner you change the toothpaste, the better. Don't worry about him eating it. As long as you only smear a very very thin layer (butter thin) onto the bristles of the brush head, there wont be dangerous amounts of fluoride. Just make sure that you keep the tube away from him.

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda Original Cool Mint is rather nasty tasting and contains the correct Sodium Fluoride concentration till he is just over 3 years old. After that, you can move him onto Sensodyne Pronamel, which has a slightly higher fluoride concentration, and isn't the most pleasant toothopaste either. Make sure from 3 till 6 you only now give him a 'pea-sized amount'.

Hope that helps.

coldstreamalways

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

Coldstreamalways - the paediatrician referred to 'typical two year old oppositional behaviour'. His favourite word is 'no'. This is normal. That does not mean that he gets his own way, but I do choose my battles. I think teeth are worth battling about. I do not battle about him sleeping in his welly boots.

ROFL :rotfl:

Do kids do that? Brilliant. You sound like a great mum! (you are a mum and not a dad I take it?)

wannabe_sybil

coldstreamalways wrote: »

ROFL :rotfl:

Do kids do that? Brilliant. You sound like a great mum! (you are a mum and not a dad I take it?)

I am a mum, tearing her hair out with a toddler with an ear infection. Who needs to take medicine with food. And won't eat. And is being a bit fussy about a drink of milk. Normal for little ones. :rolleyes:

A much cherished memory, when he was really attached to the welly boots, is him crossly stumping out of the bathroom after a battle with the bath, wearing only welly boots, goosebumps and a grumpy expression. :rotfl:

Fork86 - thank you. I will get some of the Arm and Hammer. He is 3 on the 29th, so I think if I switch to that and then go for the Sensodyne it will help.

Thank you so much for the advice, I really am grateful. It is a subject where I would not know where to start!

lostinrates

Not child related: but I wanted to ask if the floride paste Gel Cam or similar are really beneficial? (or outweigh risks). I find it hard to go a full half hour without drinking water....and use it at most once a week for this reason.

Buttonmoons

I asked my dentist about changing my DD (3) toothpaste to a higher fluoride one and mentioned that someone told me that they should be using adult toothpaste at that age and he told me no? He said 500pm (or whatever the fluoride thing is) is more than enough and seemed shocked when I said most kids toothpastes had at least 1000 in them anyways! He doesn't seem very clued up about kids teeth at any rate!

So do I start giving her my toothpaste or let her use the 1000 stuff she has?

coldstreamalways

lostinrates wrote: »

Not child related: but I wanted to ask if the floride paste Gel Cam or similar are really beneficial? (or outweigh risks). I find it hard to go a full half hour without drinking water....and use it at most once a week for this reason.

If you have a high caries rate then these are beneficial. I recommend it for people who do lots of sport to counteract the effect of their sports drinks. Think of it like a vitamin supplement, it's no substitute for a good diet but if you are deficient then extra vitamins in the form of tablets etc are better than nothing.

Why don't you use it before bed then you won't be drinking water?

What time do you use it now? What times do you brush?

lostinrates

coldstreamalways wrote: »

If you have a high caries rate then these are beneficial. I recommend it for people who do lots of sport to counteract the effect of their sports drinks. Think of it like a vitamin supplement, it's no substitute for a good diet but if you are deficient then extra vitamins in the form of tablets etc are better than nothing.

Why don't you use it before bed then you won't be drinking water?

What time do you use it now? What times do you brush?

I eat a low cal diet, with vit/min supplementation. I have medical problems which mean I cn't eat a ''normal'' amount of calories, and even less now because I am dieting. My teeth have suffered a little, but they are not horrendous.

I drink a LOT of water, even through the night I wake up and drink, and I get really thirsty before going to sleep! Wht I do ATM is brush teeth in the evening after a big drink (usually a while before sleeping) and then put on the gel cam on and try and not think about water for half an hour....:o

coldstreamalways

Sounds like you're doing about right! It can be very hard but you are halfway there just realising that you need to do something extra.

Toothsmith

Buttonmoons wrote: »

I asked my dentist about changing my DD (3) toothpaste to a higher fluoride one and mentioned that someone told me that they should be using adult toothpaste at that age and he told me no? He said 500pm (or whatever the fluoride thing is) is more than enough and seemed shocked when I said most kids toothpastes had at least 1000 in them anyways! He doesn't seem very clued up about kids teeth at any rate!

So do I start giving her my toothpaste or let her use the 1000 stuff she has?

Current thinking is that kids should be on adult toothpaste (but literally a 'smear') from 2-3. Personally I would say from day 1 of brushing.

Kids 'low fluoride' toothpastes were toothpaste manufacturers response to a 'problem' that never existed.

I agree that it can be disconcerting if your 'professional' doesn't seem to keep up to date.