Flouride toothpaste is definitely best for children

ITS very confusing for parents to know which toothpaste to choose for their child, especially as different companies use different concentrations of fluoride in their toothpastes aimed at children.

Researchers found that toothpaste that contained fluoride concentrations less than 1,000 parts per million were not really effective at preventing tooth decay. The study, carried out by the Cochrane Oral Health Group, found that children who used a fluoridated toothpaste had fewer missing adult teeth or teeth with holes or fillings (regardless of whether their drinking water was fluoridated).

Brushing twice a day increased the benefit by reducing dental decay by 24 per cent. Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay. Supported by more than half a century of research of relatively high quality trials, the benefits of fluoride toothpastes are firmly established and show that fluoride toothpastes are effective at preventing tooth decay.

So for children aged up to three they can use a small smear of toothpaste with a fluoride level just above 1,000ppm (parts per million). After three years of age, children should use toothpaste with a fluoride level of between 1,350-1,500ppm. The level of fluoride can be found on the packet.

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Start brushing as soon as your baby gets their first tooth and its best to supervise brushing until seven years old. Discourage eating or licking toothpaste from the tube and encourage them to spit out excess toothpaste but not rinse with water.

There have been some concerns that fluoride may be linked to a variety of health conditions. People who are against fluoridation claim they have firm evidence that fluoride added to water is harmful. However, scientific analysis has not supported their claims.

Excessive fluoride can cause the teeth to have white/brown spots or a pitted surface  this is known as fluorosis. Fluorosis that might be of concern from an aesthetic perspective is rare in the UK because levels of fluoride in water, both natural and added, are carefully monitored.

Children would have to swallow a lot of toothpaste, over a long period of time, to get the severe brown mottling on their teeth, as opposed to the more typical mild white patches. The benefits of using a fluoride toothpaste that prevents pain and the emotional and physical problems associated with tooth loss are not to be underestimated.