Dental Products for Children

There are so many dental products available in the stores today that it can be very confusing and challenging to find the appropriate product for your child.  Armed with knowing your child’s needs, age, abilities, and preferences is a start, but increasing your dental IQ can help when selecting the suitable dental aid.  The following products mentioned and described in the following paragraphs are meant to be helpful tools only.  It does not cover all the products on the market, nor is it meant to be an endorsement of any particular product, but is just a sample of what to look for when choosing a suitable product for your child.

Even as an infant, before the first tooth arrives, your child need’s to have his/her mouth cleaned after feedings.  Baby Orajel packages finger cots with non-fluoridated, safe-to-swallow toothpaste in fruity flavors (Mixed Fruit and Apple Banana).  Although these products can make cleaning more fun and colorful, a dampened wash cloth or a 2 x 2 gauze works just fine.  When or if you use a gel or toothpaste for an infant or toddler, make sure it does not contain fluoride.  Fluoride containing products should not be used until your child is able to spit it out, and there is no danger of swallowing the fluoride.

When the first tooth erupts, you can buy a small, extra soft brush and begin brushing.  There are teething rings that have bristles at one end to help familiarize your toddler with brushing.  By introducing toothbrushing early, you are making this a comfortable, familiar habit.  JAW Products (at www.jawproducts.authsecure.com) have some teething rings with bristles for infants and toddlers.  They also have some with oval handles, and some colorful Bite and Clean Turtle toothbrushes.  Orajel also makes some training toothpaste in Berry Blast, Bubble Burst, Fruit Splash, and Tooty Fruity that has no fluoride and is safe to swallow.  Tom’s of Maine makes children’s toothpaste without fluoride in mango and strawberry flavors.

As your child grows and the primary dentition (baby teeth) erupts, it is helpful to remember that a child’s manual dexterity is not developed and therefore, will need parental supervision when brushing their teeth until about the age of 6 or 7.  However, they should continue to be supervised until age 10 or 11 years to make sure they are doing a thorough job.  Look for handles that are larger for very young children as these are easier for them to grasp.  Several brushes also have cushioned, non-slip handles that increases ease of use for young children, such as Colgate-Palmolive Character toothbrushes that feature Shrek, Donkey, Puss in Boots, Dora the Explorer, and SpongeBob SquarePants.  They also have an oval head with soft material to protect the gums as children clean their teeth with  a soft tongue cleaner on the back of the head to encourage good oral health habits early on.  

Proctor & Gamble make some Oral-B Stages Toothbrushes that help take some of the guess work out of which brush to buy as they are marked for use by the corresponding age of the child.  For children 2-4 years of age, Disney Winnie the Pooh and Friends characters are featured with an easy-to-hold-handle and narrow brush head to fit smaller children’s mouths.  For ages 5-7, Disney Princesses, Power rangers, and Cars characters are featured that still have a big soft grip handle for kids just learning to brush, and cup-shaped bristles that are designed to surround and clean the teeth.   Sunstar America (Butler-G.U.M.) feature Sea Friends, Razzle Dazzle, L’il Safari, and Crayon toothbrushes.  And, GlaxoSmithKline feature Dr. Seuss Aquafresh toothbrushes that offer many of the same design features for young children.  The different characters and styles can make brushing more fun for your child and encourage compliance.  Just remember to consider that your child may be small or large for his/her age, and choose accordingly.

There are also battery powered toothbrushes made for children.  They are a good choice for children who have trouble brushing effectively manually, but make sure the brush head is not too large for your child.  Colgate-Palmolive feature Shrek, Bratz, and SpongeBob SquarePants while Procter & Gamble feature Disney Winnie the Pooh, Princess, Power Rangers, and Cars characters that all have soft bristles that are gentle on young gums.  

Flossing can be challenging for children, and will definitely require parental help and guidance.  There is no real need to start flossing your child’s teeth until they touch.  In other words, if your child has spaces between their baby teeth, then flossing may not be necessary.  However, if they fit tightly together, then they should be flossed.  Generally, when a child can master tying his/her own shoes, they can begin learning to floss.  Proctor & Gamble, Sunstar America, and DenTek Oral Care all make flossers that are easier to use because they are ergonomically designed to fit children’s hands, and they come in fun shapes and colors to encourage use.

Last, but not least, is mouth rinse.  Rinsing with an anticavity fluoride rinse is recommended for children over 6 years of age.  Again, the 6-12 year age group should be supervised for minimal swallowing.  ACT fluoride rinse is available in a range of flavors, an alcohol-free formula, and has an easy-to-use exact dosage meter that gives you the right amount.  Rinsing with an anticavity mouth rinse can reduce cavities in children up to 40% more than by just brushing with fluoride toothpaste alone.

Links:
www.gumclub.com/products
www.oralb.com/us/products/kids/stages
www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Products/KidsProducts/Name.cvsp
www.aquafresh.com/
www.tomsofmaine.com
www.actfluoride.com/justforkids.html


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