Children's Toothpaste

OHP 1450 is the one often used in many oral health programmes. It is very mild mint with a family level of fluoride. Anyone sensitive to foaming ingredients (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate SLS) should try OraNurse toothpaste. OraNurse was originally developed for use by autistic children. It now comes in two fluoride strengths 1000ppm and 1450ppm. ppm = parts per million.

Brush-Baby toothpastes come in Applemint 1000pm with xylitol and Tutti Fruitti 1350ppm with xylitol. Why add xylitol? Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and it has been shown to increase the benefits of fluoride  in preventing tooth decay. Find out more about xylitol here on our tips page under sugar.

Everyone will benefit from using fluoride toothpaste at night time and one other time every day.

Twice a day use increases the benefit. 

Spit toothpaste out after brushing but don’t rinse – let the ingredients work!

The recommended level of fluoride for children’s toothpaste is based on two things. Age and risk of tooth decay and/or tooth wear.

Recommended level of fluoride in toothpaste –

0-3 years use a smear of paste with at least 1000ppm fluoride (small children should not lick or eat toothpaste from the tube)

3 years and over a pea sized blob of paste 1350 -1500ppm fluoride

All children upto the age of around 7 or 8 need help to brush their teeth properly. It’s not easy to clean every surface of each tooth and beyond 8 Growing Smiles recommended supervising brushing and assisting as is necessary. Between 8 and 16 a lot changes in the mouth – baby teeth fall out, permanent teeth erupt and it can get very complicated to clean everything well! Toothbrushing will take time – often something we are in short supply of so a toothbrush timer or powered toothbrush with a timer can really help. Using a smart brush like the Playbrush can really increase the length of time spent brushing – 2 birds with one brush so to speak – toothbrushing and a video game! Find out more about Playbrush here