When should you introduce toothpaste to a child?

Dental care for toddlers may seem unnecessary, but it has several important benefits for children. A healthy mouth can improve their appearance, make eating more comfortable and improve their speech.

Even though keeping a child’s mouth healthy is especially challenging at a young age, your efforts are likely to pay off in the long run. As a result of brushing, permanent teeth can develop properly and emerge in the right position, making them more likely to erupt in the correct location.

But at what age should your child start using toothpaste for brushing? And what is the importance of using toothpaste for kids? Well, if you are seeking answers to the same question, keep reading the article to know more!

Why should your toddlers or children use toothpaste?

Before jumping onto anything else, let us see why your child should use toothpaste in the first place. Toddler toothpaste makes routine brushing more enjoyable for parents and children alike. As soon as you see your child developing a few teeth, you must consider using good-quality toothpaste.

It is essential to introduce dental products into your child’s oral care routine because it will help prevent tooth decay and promote healthy gums. Apart from these, there are many other advantages, like the prevention of plaque build-up, infections, and bacteria, if you introduce oral care products into your child’s daily routine as early as possible.

At what age should your child use toothpaste?

It is impossible to tell the exact age at which your kid should use dental products. However, it is recommended that for your child to use toothpaste, you should wait until he or she is at least 18 months old. 

If your kids are under four years old, you can give them a pea-sized amount of product to brush their teeth from. Brushing twice daily is essential for instilling healthy dental habits in your kids right from the start. 

Keeping an eye on them while they brush will prevent them from swallowing the toothpaste. It is also important to monitor them in order to ensure they are brushing properly.

What to do if your child does not brush or use toothpaste?

It is likely to happen that your toddler makes it a challenge for you to get their teeth brushed. So, here are some tips which might help you: 

• Reward your kid: Parents often reward their children after a great brushing routine. Alternatively, you could praise them or give them a high-five for brushing their teeth nicely.
• Find creative ways to make the time go fast: Children have trouble staying focused for more than two minutes, so try setting a video or music to make the process fun. They can even brush while you read to them.
• You can all go toothbrush shopping together: Give your kid the opportunity to pick out a toothbrush with a fun character design or a color they love.
• Establish a family brushing routine: The best way to teach children to brush with them is to establish a family brushing routine. Kids will learn to brush properly while seeing their parents do the same.

As a final step, your kid will need to visit the dentist six months after implementing all these practices. A major milestone of your parenting role is to ensure your children’s dental health. So, don’t forget to have fun with your little ones and encourage them to follow good oral care habits from the beginning. 

Lastly, we hope after reading this article, you have gotten all the information regarding when to introduce toothpaste in your kid’s dental routine.