Your child may be using too much toothpaste, and that's unhealthy, says the CDC

Does your child use too much toothpaste? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta think this is a possibility.

The organization recently interviewed the parents and guardians of 5,157 children. The questionnaire asked the subjects when their children started brushing their teeth, how often they brushed each day, and how much toothpaste they used.

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After badyzing the results, they found that nearly 40% of children aged 3 to 6 were eating too much toothpaste. Children 3 years old or younger should use a "smear" of toothpaste, which is roughly the size of a grain of rice, and children ages 3 to 6 should only use a quantity of toothpaste from the size of a pea, recommends the CDC.

Why are scientists concerned?

They are worried about the consumption of fluoride. Although it can prevent cavities, eating too much can damage tooth enamel.

"Ingesting too much fluoride while teeth are growing can result in visible changes in enamel structure, such as discoloration," the CDC said in its report. .

To combat this problem, health experts recommend that parents monitor the amount of toothpaste their child squeezes on their toothbrushes.

They also added that parents should brush their child's teeth as soon as a tooth appears. Nearly 80% of the children studied began brushing their teeth later than recommended.

"The results suggest that children and adolescents practice appropriate preventive dental health practices on a daily basis; however, the implementation of the recommendations is not optimal, "wrote the CDC. "Health professionals and their organizations have the opportunity to educate parents and caretakers about recommended brushing practices to ensure children get the maximum preventative effects." . "

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