Dental hygiene is important for keeping the teeth safe and to keep bacteria and pathogens away. Proper dental hygiene will ensure happier and healthier smiles, especially for kids, who are more prone to suffering dental ailments due to their young tender age and their inability to practice dental care often due to their restless nature. Toothpastes form an important aspect of dental care, and we take a look at things to keep in mind while looking at toothpastes for kids.

There is a need to provide kids with their own specialized form of toothpaste as more than often normal toothpastes contain chemicals in amounts that may be unsuitable for kids. Plus, normal toothpastes have a taste that may be unsuitable for kids, and would lead them to dread brushing their teeth and turn them away from maintaining proper dental care. Infants are more likely to swallow their toothpastes than to spit it out, so toothpaste formations with lower chemical amounts are needed so that they may cause no harm to the body when ingested. For example, while fluoride is an important ingredient and helps in building and protecting the enamel of the teeth, too much of fluoride can cause reverse effects including damaging your teeth.

It is recommended to buy natural toothpastes for kids as they have lower or non-existent chemical levels in it. But even then, care must be taken to read the labels before purchasing the toothpaste, as some toothpastes have been found to contain some dangerous nature-based chemicals and must be avoided as they can cause some serious health complications. Popular ingredients in natural toothpastes suitable for kids include calcium carbonate, which is basically the scientific name for chalk. Chalk helps to whiten the teeth as well as give it support and protect it from bacteria and other germs. They also consist of glycerine which helps to moisturize the teeth and gums and they also act as a protective layer against the acids produced by bacteria. Other ingredients present in toothpastes include aqua which is just water. Some other chemicals in natural toothpastes include sodium lauryl sulphate, which is used as a foaming agent, with its origins both being in petroleum as well as in plants. Sodium lauryl sarcosinate is also present as a foaming agent, and is obtained from creatine or caffeine, which may raise some concerns. Sorbitol is another ingredient present in toothpastes as a sweetner, and it has some serious side effects and in general should be avoided along with xylitol. Children’s toothpastes can also contain trace amounts of silica, carrageenan and esculin along with fluoride, which have their share of uses as well as side effects and their consumption levels should be monitored.

A good children’s toothpaste is the one which provides all around superior protection and has low levels of chemicals. They must also have a taste which is suitable for young kids so that proper dental habits can be inculcated in them and they perform their oral hygiene duties with interest and enjoyment. NC Pediatric Dentistry aims to make dentistry an enjoyable experience for kids with their professional and supportive team providing state of the art treatment against dental ailments.