When should my child start using toothpaste?
When your child is 12 months to 2 years old, you can use a pea sized amount of non-fluoridated, training toothpaste. It also depends on your child's risk of getting cavities. Children who are at high risk for cavities, as determined by a pediatric dentist, can start using a tiny bit of fluoridated toothpaste before the age of 2. This much fluoridated toothpaste should be about the size of a grain of rice, so very little. Let your dentist know about your concerns and we can determine the best regimen for your child.
When your child reaches 2-3 years of age, more fluoridated toothpaste can be introduced. You should supervise your child while he/she is brushing and make sure that your child uses no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on his/her toothbrush. Make sure that your child spits out the toothpaste after brushing so that he/she does not swallow the fluoride.
Doctor Wang, Doctor Perea-Corkish, Doctor Gerodias and the other Doctors of Discovery Pediatric Dentistry make no warranties, expressed or implied, as to any results to be obtained from use of the information on this page. We cannot diagnose or treat patients over the Internet. Information on this site is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal, medical, and/or dental attention or diagnosis. Without all available information about a patient, it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Help and answers are in the form of general ideas. Only you, your dentist, and other necessary and qualified health care providers can make an appropriate treatment decision in an emergency or for everyday care and dental treatment.