The American Dental Association (ADA) now says that parents no longer need to wait until a child turns two to start brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. 25% of U.S. children develop cavities before kindergarten and this statistic prompted the study and the change. It may come as a surprise to parents who have long heard that they should wait to use fluoride.
Limit the Amount of Toothpaste Used
Use a rice-grain size smear on a child’s first teeth and move up to pea-size blobs once the child reaches age three says the Journal of the American Dental Association. The review concludes that using small amounts of fluoride toothpaste would help prevent cavities while minimizing the risk of fluorosis – a discoloration that can occur when teeth are exposed to too much fluoride early in life.
Thoroughly Rinse After Brushing
To further minimize risk for fluorosis, children should spit out excess toothpaste and rinse as soon as possible after using toothpaste with flouride in it.
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