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Children's health

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Original poster

When to switch to adult toothpaste?

29 replies

cakedup · 29/05/2016 20:02

I use children's toothpaste (6+) for DS just turned 11 - just wondering when I'm meant to switch to 'adult' toothpaste?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Chinks123 · 29/05/2016 20:03

How odd, just brushed dds teeth and was wondering the same thing

Chinks123 · 29/05/2016 20:04

But to answer your question I think 11 years old is old enough for adult toothpaste

PoppyAmex · 29/05/2016 20:05

I believe the new advice is children should use the same toothpaste as adults.

Doje · 29/05/2016 20:05

DS1 had his 2 year check a week ago and the HV said he can use adult toothpaste now.

PoppyAmex · 29/05/2016 20:05

I.e. the fluoride ppm ratio has changed

booksandchoc · 29/05/2016 20:06

DD is 4 and I use adult toothpaste on her already, have done since she was 2ish. She does have children's toothpaste but it's stuff all the kids in Scotland are given at school/nursery/from the HV so we're using that just now but will go back to adult when it's done.

Passthecake30 · 29/05/2016 20:06

I've used adults since they were 6, the fluoride Is the same. They do use (mild) aquafresh rather than super strong Colgate with ice crystals thou!

insancerre · 29/05/2016 20:06

Children's toothpaste is a con
The advice is to use an adult toothpaste from the start

Toottoot22 · 29/05/2016 20:06

Our dentist says there is no need to use children's toothpaste, it's a marketing gimmick. Mine are 6 and 9 and are now both having "adult" toothpaste.

Olivo · 29/05/2016 20:07

Equally, if you are using a child's toothpaste with 1450 ppm, you don't need to. They could use that forever.....

AuntieStella · 29/05/2016 20:08

As soon as they stop swallowing it.

You might want a lower fluoride one until then.

Lules · 29/05/2016 20:12

Oh I've always used normal toothpaste. That what I was given in the pack from the children's centre. I was only vaguely aware there were different kinds. And I've just googled and this came up www.nhs.uk/Livewell/dentalhealth/Pages/Careofkidsteeth.aspx so I think it's fine

Original poster

cakedup · 29/05/2016 20:16

Wow, I'm glad I asked! Just never thought about changing, I would have probably have waited til he was 18 and presented him with adult toothpaste on his birthday

He is quite a pain in the arse sensitive to strong tastes though so will see if there is something with a mild flavour I can start him on.

OP posts:

ShatterResistant · 29/05/2016 20:20

Yes, I saw a terrifying thing on channel 4 (?) the other day about children's toothpaste being a harmful gimmick (interviews with people who'd had to have all their child's baby teeth removed etc). Mine, at 2 and 3, now use the same toothpaste as DH and me.

Original poster

cakedup · 29/05/2016 20:24

ShatterResistant why was it harmful? Did it contain less fluoride and/or flavour enhancing ingredients that are harmful to teeth?

OP posts:

Ilovewillow · 29/05/2016 20:47

I would ask your dentist, I inly say this because we were advised to and my daughter is 8 as she needs the additional flouride. I would think 11 was fine though!

Ilovewillow · 29/05/2016 20:48

If he doesn't like the ste of taste we were advised to use Oral B Mild mint!

Buzzardbird · 29/05/2016 20:52

Dentist insisted on adult toothpaste from about 3yrs old.

Fairylea · 29/05/2016 20:57

My ds is 4 and has asd and learning difficulties and as a result he has an extremely restricted diet and is under the care of a dietician (only food he will eat is ice lollies and bread and only drinks fruit shoots - sounds utterly ridiculous and awful but that is literally all he will ever eat, he has a prescribed supplement). He is under a specialist dentist and we were advised to use adult toothpaste from age 2 because his diet is sugar rich and the adult toothpaste has higher fluoride etc and is better for teeth. Touch wood, his teeth are great so far.

ShatterResistant · 30/05/2016 10:35

cake it was the low fluoride content (combined, I think, with a lot of fruit consumption. The poor mother was saying, we thought we were doing the right thing by giving the child a lot of fruit.) Now we just use a tiny bit of adult toothpaste, and I feel so much better about it!

ShelaghTurner · 30/05/2016 10:39

Our dentist told us to move dd1 to normal toothpaste at 7. Only three more years and the evil strawberry foulness will be history!

noblegiraffe · 30/05/2016 10:44

I think the children who had to have their teeth removed were using a children's toothpaste that didn't contain any fluoride. IIRC it was a foreign brand that they sell in poundland.

NoahVale · 30/05/2016 10:45

i was going to say 7, and also check with the dentist.
dd did like the childrne's toothpaste we had but she has the worst teeth in the family, coincidence or not?

theendoftheshowshow · 30/05/2016 10:54

Dentist told us as soon as they get their adult teeth coming through.

charliethebear · 30/05/2016 11:51

Most children's toothpaste (apart from baby teeth toothpaste) have the same flouride content as adults so it really doesn't matter which one you use as long as it has 1450ppm flouride. It's mostly taste with children's toothpaste and just a marketing gimmick

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