Aibu to warn you to check your children's toothpaste?

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

One of my dc has developed tooth decay. I'll put this straight out there so as not to drip feed. We have been quite careful with dental health and hygeine and couldn't understand why it had happened.

So I checked the kids' toothpaste. It's Dentalux for children 0-6 years, bought in Lidl and it has only half the recommended minimum amount of fluoride for children at 500ppm. NHS say for children between 3-6 years it should "contain more than 1000ppm fluoride".

I'm really cross about this. I think if a product is on sale it should meet at least the minimum standard

So please go and check your children's toothpaste now so you don't end up feeling as shit as I do.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/fluoride

Well, I was recommended to just use adult toothpaste from the start, and we always buy Colgate, so I was feeling pretty smug, but I went and checked anyway and the toothpaste we usually use (Colgate, standard, from Tesco) only contains 450ppm.

So thank you OP, it's worth checking the small print (it is tiny) I'd made an assumption based on brand.

Thanks OP, I'd never heard of this.

Just to be explicit, you absolutely don't have to use adult toothpaste. Aquafresh little teeth/big teeth is probably the most widely available children's toothpaste and that has as much fluoride as adult toothpaste. Of course it is somewhat more expensive per dose than bog standard adult toothpaste, but my teenager still uses Big Teeth because she likes the taste (that's why I know the ppm off the top of my head - I wanted to check whether she needed a more adult dose, and she doesn't).

AFAIK most (?all?) of the major U.K. brands of children's toothpaste are the same - 1,000ppm for under 3s and 1,450ppm for over 3s.

is it kids toothpaste? If it's adult stuff check whether there is a different type of fluoride listed at 1000ppm as some have 2 different types but they add up to 1450ppm

Thanks OP I had no idea. Good to know

Colgate says: Monofluorophosphate (1000 ppmF~), Sodium Fluoride (450 ppmF~) - both are sources of fluoride so the total is 1450ppm

Neither of mine can stand the floavour of adult toothpastes. My daughter likes the Aquafresh My Big Teeth (age 6+) one which has 1450 levels of flouride. We had a massive problem with toothbrushing when she about 3-4. She became impossible to brush, wouldn't open her mouth and when she did it was all we could do to get the brush in. I got a letter from nursery saying she wouldn't let the dentist look at her mouth. I was mortified but I really was trying my best. Ultimately she did get a small filling when she was about 5 (and I'd finally managed to get her into a dentist a couple of times). We'd moved to a new practice and I called ahead and explained to the dentist about her nervousness etc. The dentists were great with her and I now get her to use the disclosing tablets and she has a kids mouth wash we use as well, not every night, but we go through periods of using it, then we fall away and go back to it again.
My son is 3 and brushes his teeth if we stand over him and constantly battle, brush in the back, get these bits at the front, etc. Its easiest to let him mainly do it himself and then go in afterwards otherwise he just clamps shut. And that kind of battle is so hard when its bedtime or on the way to school and you have to be on time. He's easier now but just a year ago he ended up with banging his head on the hard floor because I was physically brushing myself and he was pulling away from me. It can be so hard.

But the only toothpaste he will tolerate is the Sanderson OHP stuff that childsmile give out - I need to see if I get some somewhere as we are actuallly running low. Best go do that now actually..... I'm assuming that has the correct fluoride. I wish there were more flavour choices, I tried the Morrisons berry ones but they were rejected as well, the purple colgate children's one, I think I've tried most of them.....

Mine hate the taste of mint, so, having been advised by dentist to use 1400+ppm fluoride, they always use Tesco Kids Strawberry Ice Cream Flavour toothpaste, which has 1450ppm fluoride.

Thank you both for helping me decipher a tube of toothpaste, yes it does have both types

Still briefly added some drama to my afternoon

OP, I agree with you. Mine don't like mint toothpaste. There are plenty of flavoured ones out there but trying to find ones with enough fluoride in is really hard! (And I only knew about the fluoride because my best friend is a dentist, not because of HVs) I can't believe how many rubbish ones there are on the market.

I've never had a dentist discuss toothpaste with me. I grew up in an area with fluoridated water. Is the advice different in these areas?

Slightly off thread but I grew up in an area with heavily fluoridated water and as a result have fluridosis which the dentist diagnosed which is white marks all over my teeth and looks very unsightly. I also have a neurological condition and the conspiracy theorists are determined is a link with neurological disorders and fluoride poisoning .
I would say good brushing technique for at least 2 mins twice daily, flossing, and healthy diet with no sugary drinks and sweets were arguably a better way to protect teeth. But I am no dentist.

I was just about to post the same as Dorsetmum1 that if your dc will only have strawberry (like my 6 year old) then the best I have found is Tesco own brand strawberry at 1450 ppm fluoride.

Lots of other strawberry ones have much less fluoride. It's a minefield!

Yup, 6ft, 14 year old - "just hop onto mummy's knee until I do your teeth..."

😂😂

My dentist told me it didn't matter what toothpaste you used. Brushing techniques and very few sugary drinks were more important.

This link seems to suggest that lidl toothpaste contains the full amount of fluoride

www.thelocal.de/20130221/48105

Well I had no idea - thanks for posting OP!

My dentist told me to keep brushing my son's teeth until I would be happy for him to brush mine which makes sense when you think about it...

Sigh it's printed on the tube shamonts. I wouldn't have started the thread if it wasn't something that I had discovered. That link is about adult toothpaste any way.

Yet another grateful punter, OP, who has to use children's toothpaste because DS can't deal with mint. Will stock up from Morrisons now because of this post.

Really kind of you to try to help other families because your own has suffered. Thank you.

Oh, and I am twenty-ninthing the comment that this is clearly anything but common knowledge.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367563/DBOHv32014OCTMainDocument_3.pdf
This is meant for dental health professionals but might help.
Under 3 - 1000ppm fluoride
Over 3- 1450ppm fluoride
Most leading UK brands eg Colgate, follow these in the childrens' toothpastes.
IME it's more about diet and sugars and frequency.

I had no idea, thank you for posting this.
I'm annoyed, we spent a lot of time trying out toothbrushes, it never occurred to me I was buying the wrong toothpaste.
I had the kids teeth sealed and it helped all but one tooth, that was the one that was forming when DS1 broke his leg as a toddler. Its a lot weaker than the others and he needed a filling.

I don't think you should feel shit OP. Tooth decay is not the end of the world.
I took my dc to the dentist recently and one admitted to the dentist that she didn't always brush her teeth in the morning . Due to time I asked how come she has time to straighten her hair then So now she has a filling and I'm damn sure I'm not blaming anybody. She is 15 btw.

Op your post of 16.30 was unecessary and rude. It didn't come across as "gallows humour" and when i am confronted with parents saying this on a daily basis just before their children have 10 or 12 teeth removed under GA it gets a bit much.

So much for trying to help

But you carry on

Thanks OP. I didn't know. common knowledge my arse I thought toothpaste was toothpaste. Tend to buy whatever is on offer. Will make sure I get a decent one in future.

I've always known this, his dentist mentioned it at his first and subsequent check ups and told me the minimum amount of fluoride it should contain. I do see why you wouldn't think to look otherwise, you would assume that toothpaste is toothpaste - it's a shame they're allowed to sell and target to specific age ranges without having the recommended amount.