A recent study uncovered that many kids across America are using toothpaste incorrectly.
No, they’re not putting it on the toothbrush wrong or eating it intentionally. According to the CDC, they’re using too much – and you may be, too.
The findings apply to people of all ages, but it becomes a safety concern with children using too much.
For children under 3 years old, they should not use an amount in any larger than a grain of rice. After 3, they can use up to the size of a pea, but a large portion of kids aren’t doing that.
According to a report by the CDC, around half of children aged 3-6 are using the correct amount. However, almost 40% are using too much, completely covering the toothbrush with what the CDC calls a “full load.”
Toothpaste in large quantities is bad for 2 reasons in particular. First, it contains chemicals that are harmful if swallowed, and children under 6 are likely to do this accidentally.
Second, according to the dental professionals, too much toothpaste can harm early development of teeth. High amounts of fluoride can damage the enamel structure, causing discoloration and pitting.
These are visible changes that everyone wants to avoid.
What the study also found was that children are starting to brush their teeth later than normal. It’s recommended that when the first tooth forms at around 6 months of age, kids should start brushing. Although, toothpaste containing fluoride should not be used until age 2.
The CDC found that a staggering 80% of children in the study had started brushing too late. Additionally, over a third of the children analyzed only brushed their teeth once a day.
According to the authors of the study, it’s not the notion of proper dental care that’s problematic, it’s the implementation.
“The findings suggest that children and adolescents are engaging in appropriate daily preventive dental health practices,” they explain. “However, implementation of recommendations is not optimal.”
The hope is this study will push people in the right direction for optimal tooth care.
Are you using too much toothpaste? You might be able to stretch the contents of that tube quite a bit further by using less. Plus, you’ll save money that way, too.
