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

I had no idea and I'm pretty clued up about most things like this. My HV was utterly useless.

My elders two have fluorosis. We lived in a fluorided area when they were babies. Although it was unsightly when they were kids, as adults it has been completely remedied by whitening, and they don't have any filings either.

Interestingly both have an inherited neurological condition Toomuch2young. Wonder if it is the same as yours?

I did know about using adult toothpaste. The 'designed to smile' people do regular workshops in the area.
I always use the free OHP toothpaste they give out for the children. It's very mild mint.

Brush baby is 500. Bye bye brush baby

Thanks for posting this. I had no idea that you were supposed to use adult paste and have deliberatly been buying the 'correct age group' one. I've just had a look and they're both 1000ppm so not bad but I will be swapping tonight to normal adult paste and will be checking and changing if it's not 1400ppm. I have a prescribed 5000ppm at the moment but I won't be using that one him! The dentist has spoken to me about brushing and general dietary advice but just asked if I was using a standard type of paste as opposed to a specially labelled low fluoride one. DS has seen lots of health care workers - paediatricians, nurses, drs, dentist, increased HV input and no one has ever said anything about toothpaste. I've just had a google and found you can buy no fluoride toothpaste marketed for children

I work in a health visiting team in the midlands which has a high rate of tooth decay. We recommend a toothpaste of over 1000pm. The pm is in such small print on all tubes you need a magnifying glass to see it. A lot of baby toothpastes are so misleading. Also NEVER get your children to rinse !!

the 'no flouride' ones are great for letting small ones learn to brush themselves. or where the tap water has flouride in it.

Thought I would repost that link again as it's hard to find now the thread has moved on.

The guidelines are on pages 20-21. And explain what to do for 0-3 and then 3+

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367563/DBOHv32014OCTMainDocument_3.pdf

0-3 and 3+ years old I mean.

Must admit I'm completely sceptical about the benefits of fluoride in both water and also in toothpaste. I think it's excessive.

Even if my health visitor and dentist had recommended using adult brand toothpaste for children, I still would have looked for a child friendly brand. I use Lidl at the moment and will happily stick with it.

Personally, I think diet is important and also that your gene heritage plays a huge part in how your body (inc. teeth) ages.

I was advised the opposite by dentists and HV a few years ago - to be careful with the amount of fluoride in toothpaste when they were little, and that they should not be using an adult toothpaste, but one designed for babies/children. Only recently when DD2 (7) had a cavity in a baby tooth, the dentist said she could now use adult toothpaste. I said she uses age 6-12 Sensodyne and he said this was fine, it was just the "under six" toothpaste that wouldn't have enough fluoride for her now.

Just checked, this stuff is 1450pm so DDs (10 & 7) will be using that for a while, as they prefer the milder flavour to the adult versions.

Yes crushed I haven't a single cavity and have had over my fair share of sweets in my life (mid-30's). I think genetics are a big player in it, mums teeth are brilliant and she's in her mid-60's.

Amused by toothpaste angst because an awful lot of kids don't brush teeth regularly at all. With anything.

Both children have new toothpaste and are very happy. I'm happy it contains a sensible amount of active ingredients

Let's hope I can get both children to adulthood without a full set of dentures awaits a sanctimonious nitwit to come and explain to me that I should have higher expectations for my children

I think it depends where you live though - some places have fluoridated water, some don't.

map here

I doubt your toothpaste is the issue TBH. I also don't get the fluoride obsession and am completely against fluoridation of water.

I deliberately buy low fluoride toothpaste as a result. Or no fluoride.

I think teeth issues are, as a PP said, often genetic. Or, and I'm not saying this applies to you, because kids spend the entire day sucking on juice.

If anyone's still reading this and is interested in the "dodgy German toothpaste" angle I've just been down the supermarket here in Germany and I had a look. They have 0-6 years toothpaste all with 500ppm fluoride, and 6+ years kids' toothpaste all with 1450ppm fluoride. A quick look on Tescos website tells me that in the UK you now have 1000ppm for 0-3 years and 1450ppm for 4 years and up.

Probably of very little interest to anyone but me. I will ask the dentist his opinion next time we go though!

Interesting thread.
We used Boots smile age 2-6 for DS(3) which is 1000ppm for a while but since he was about 3 we use aquafresh little teeth for ages 3-5. This one is 1450 ppm.
It's usually only a £1 in supermarkets.

OP, YANBU. I was given an almighty bollocking by the HV for using kids toothpaste - she told me lots of parents are gullible and are sucked into buying expensive kids toothpaste with low fluoride levels. I wouldn't have minded, but I was using kids toothpaste because the health visitors had been giving it away for free along with toothbrushes at the clinic for months.

Health professionals giving out free samples of products really shouldn't be allowed

I give out free samples because it's nice! But I agree that if they do give samples, they should be appropriate for the demographic at which they are aimed.

I don't mind a free sample but it should be of sufficient quality.

I had a reply from Lidl. They're treating it as if it's a quality control issue with a rogue batch rather than just their actual formulation. They want batch details, purchase date blah blah blah. I'm going to snap a photo and tell them to have a look on their shelves. I can't decide if am just dealing with a numpty who thinks I've forensically tested the toothpaste (ffs) or they're trying to be as difficult as pos to make me go away