Types of toothpaste
Overview
Choosing the right toothpaste can be hard because there are so many to pick from. Families often have to try a few different ones to find the best fit, and that can take time and cost money.There’s no one perfect toothpaste. It depends on what feels best for your child, especially if they have sensory needs. The most important thing is to make sure the toothpaste has the right amount of fluoride, which helps make teeth strong and stops decay. Look on the ingredients list for something that says “ppm F-”; this tells you how much fluoride is in it. We recommend using toothpaste with 1350–1500 ppm fluoride, which is the amount in most adult toothpastes. You will probably already know a lot about your child’s sensory likes and dislikes, and you can use this information to help you prepare for introducing toothpaste. Start by noticing what your child seeks or avoids during play, mealtimes, bath time, getting dressed and other activities. Think about textures, colours and temperatures. You can use your observations to help your child feel safe and comfortable when brushing their teeth. In this section, we will provide an overview of the most common toothpaste used by parents and discuss how these may be suitable for your child based on their needs and preferences.
Mint flavoured toothpaste
Can be useful if:
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Your child likes the cooling sensation of mint and enjoys spicy flavours
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Your child enjoys sensory feedback as some mint toothpastes have gritty texture
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Your child prefers a smoother texture but still enjoys the flavour of mint
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Your family includes more than one child
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You want a familiar and widely available toothpaste
Recommended by families
Tell us what works for you! Do you have a favourite toothbrush or toothpaste? Is there a brushing routine or trick that helps make things easier at home? We’d love to hear your ideas, your tips could help other families.
Key messages
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Jump straight to what parents and early years professionals have said about different types of toothpaste.
