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We all know that we must brush our teeth regularly to prevent the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, but according to a new report from the CDC, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Specifically, a new badysis of the dental hygiene habits of children and adolescents in the United States reveals that nearly 40% of young American children use too much toothpaste when they brush their teeth. Despite what we know about the benefits of fluoride, there is a limit to the amount of toothpaste to squeeze on your brush.
"Older children < three years should use a smear the size of a rice grain, and children aged > Three years should not exceed the size of a pea (0.25 gram) until the age of six, at which time the swallowing reflex is sufficiently developed to prevent any accidental ingestion, "said researchers, led by oral health specialist Gina Thornton-Evans of the National Center for Chronic Disease and Health, explains the new CDC report.
Despite these guidelines, the team badyzed survey data from more than 5,000 children and adolescents who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). She found that about 38% of children ages three to six used more toothpaste than is recommended by the CDC and other professional organizations.
Of all children aged three to six, about half (49.2%) used the correct amount, the size of a pea. But 12.4% used too little (one smear) and the rest, too: 20.6% with a "half-load", as described by the authors, and 17.8% with the "full load".
Nobody needs so much toothpaste. (TomFreeze / iStock / Science Alert)
This may seem like a small thing, but as the researchers point out, "Ingesting too much fluoride during tooth development can result in noticeable changes in enamel structure, such as discoloration and stings (dental fluorosis) ", not to mention the toothpaste. may contain chemicals other than fluoride that are not necessarily good for health when swallowed.
"Fluoride is a great benefit, but it has to be used with care," said Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist who was not involved in research at The Associated Press.
"You do not want them to eat like food, we want the parent to be responsible for the toothbrush and toothpaste."
Of course, as parents of young children will understand, children do not always do what you want – and brushing teeth is no exception.
However, if it's hard to control how children brush their teeth, that's important, say the researchers – not just in terms of toothpaste volume.
The study also found that nearly 80% of children aged 3 to 15 years had started brushing their teeth later than the recommended age – that is, when the first tooth appears about six months later, says the CDC.
In addition, more than one third of the children (34.2%) badyzed in the study only brush their teeth once a day, not twice as recommended to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
"What's really happening is that parents are following the rules of brushing twice a day, but they may not always be present," Alene Marie told Alesio, a pediatric dentist at the University of Toronto. Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, which was not badociated with the study. The New York Times.
Overall, however, as the report concludes, children brush their teeth – something for which we can be grateful. But, as your own dentist might say at the end of your visit, there is always room for improvement, right?
"The findings suggest that children and adolescents engage in appropriate preventive dental health practices on a daily basis," write the authors, "but the implementation of the recommendations is not optimal."
The results are available on the CDC website.
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