Should Children Use Toothpaste with Fluoride

Recently, toothpaste with fluoride is well received by the public because it has the function of preventing from decayed teeth. But some people are arguing that children should not use this kind of toothpaste. Dentists tell us that toothpaste with fluoride is not suitable for all children.

First of all, children who are under the age of three are not allowed to use toothpaste with fluoride. Scientific research has indicated that fluoride has two sides. Although it can strengthen the teeth, it would lead to relevant diseases if there is too much fluoride in the human body. Toothpaste intended for children usually have special flavors like fruit or candies. Most of the time, children under the age of three would swallow the toothpaste unconsciously. Though the amount of fluoride in the toothpaste is tiny, the chemical would accumulate in the organs and even cause poisoning in the long run.

Secondly, children from the age of three to the age of six should are advised to use little toothpaste with fluoride. A two-month-long survey in Shanghai investigated 200 children. It has showed that the fluoride in the toothpaste influences the balance of fluoride in the body. The degrees of the influence probably have much to do with the age. Since children at different ages would swallow toothpaste to a different degree, the influence of fluoride varies to some extent. Therefore, the amount of toothpaste with fluoride used by young children should be under control by their parents. Some people argue that it would not affect the development of teeth in the long run because teeth of these children are not permanent. But in fact, it destroys the base of permanent teeth and would lead to severe dental diseases.

Then what kind of toothpaste should children use? Since children are easy to get decayed teeth, most of toothpaste on the market chooses to add fluoride. Sodium monofluorophosphate is often seen in the ingredient lists. According to the advice of dentists, children under the age of three would not find suitable toothpaste on the market at all. To solve this problem, dentists suggest that children could use adult toothpaste without fluoride instead. The most important thing for these children is to have a reliable toothbrush. A well-designed toothbrush and a correct brushing method can ensure the health of teeth and the oral cavity. Dentists also advocate that manufacturers should take the health factors into consideration when they are designing toothpaste for children. They hope there will be a variety of suitable toothpaste intended for babies and children on the market in the near future.