What is the best cavity prevention toothpaste for children??

Question

My daughter is 9 y/o and her teeth seem to be horrible. She brushes her teeth but I think maybe she just is not hitting them really good. I have bought the different mouth washes and tried making her swish with those after brushing but she acts like that is the worse thing. I do try and watch her sugar intake but she already has a baby tooth that has been capped in the back and now she just showed me another tooth that has a huge cavity in it causing her pain. What should I use to help turn this around?? The last time she went to the dentist about 6 months ago she had 7 cavities!!!

I do make her swish with the Mouthwash the dentist recommended and I do fuss at her alot about her teeth. I feel bad after fussing but I cant seem to make her understand the importance of good brushing. She wants to use all the children toothpastes like Sponge Bob, Bubblegum flavored and such and I think she should use something else like what I use which is Colgate but then she fusses that it is "too hot". This morning when she showed me her new cavity I pulled up pics on Yahoo Images and showed her major tooth decay. I know this sounds mean but I dont know what else to do to make her understand what I mean. I think this may have sunk in some as she started crying and brushed her teeth again. I have tried the games and stuff and rewards and that dont help!!

Answer 1

Hi- The basic elements of proper dental hygiene are brushing and flossing. This should be done daily, three times a day (after every meal). Brushing should be done with a soft bristle toothbrush without applying too much pressure, otherwise the toothbrush can't do its job the way it was design. Brushing should take place all around all the teeth, from different angles so as to remove all the place.
Flossing is also crucial, and some argue it is even more important than brushing because it removes the plaque and bacteria between the teeth and between the gum and the tooth. This is critical since there is were the bacteria colonies organize, grow and do a lot of damage to the tooth and the gum (gingivitis).
In addition to brushing and flossing, a mouthwash that can kill bacteria is recommended, specially at night before going to sleep (since that is when most of the bacteria will grow in a warm, dark and humid place {your mouth}) and in the morning.
This is the right way of brushing any teeth. But none of these techniques work for children if they have no 'adult' supervision and the discipline to do it three times a day, every day.
Another important factor is the sugar intake. Minimize it. Commercial sugar is the worst thing for teeth and for the human body in general. Calcium's nd fluoride is crucial for strong bones and teeth.
Did the water that your daughter drank while her teeth were forming, contained the proper mouth of fluoride?
Otherwise, she might have weaker teeth and therefore her need for basic and advance teeth cleaning techniques would be more important.

Answer 2

toothpaste: any fluoride toothpaste would do the job even if it's the cheap dollar store brand


Mouthrinses: they give the patient a false sense of security/cleanliness yet there hasnt been any study i am aware of that says they prevent cavities. I dont recommend them, except the new Listerine Agent Blue (which contains disclosing solution... and i'll tell you why in a sec)


Sugar intake: the is the number one reason (that is within our control) that we get cavities. Monitor what she eats and look at the back label of everything to check for the number of grams of sugar--you'll be surprised when you start looking more into it



Disclosing tablets: these are pink/purple pills that kids/adults can chew and it will tell them all the areas they missed--it is the ultimate lie detector test of toothbrushing...........SO randomly pop one of these in her mouth after she claims she has "brushed" and show her the areas she missed. It works really well.


Hope this has been helpful


RA DDS

Answer 3

If she has seven cavities, changing toothpastes isn't going to do anything! You can try to get your dentist to prescribe Prevident, which is an extra strength paste you get at a pharmacy.

Sooo.... geez, I gotta wonder - she went 6 months ago and she had 7 cavities. Please tell me you got them fixed! Reading b/t the lines kinda made it sound like maybe you hadn't...?

Anyway, the other thing I wonder about is the statement "she acts like that is the worse thing" about the mouthwash. If she were 4-5 yo I'd understand having a hard time, but she's NINE. Tell her to put it in her mouth twice a day and swish it around. If she doesnt' like it, tough, get over it!

And you can watch her sugar intake all you like but unless you RESTRICT it you're gonna just be spending more time watching your dental bills go up.
The problem is more complicated than finding some magic bullet toothpaste, dear!
good luck!

Answer 4

Not crest whitening, but colgate regular formula, i promise im 19 years old and have had only one cavity in my life. Colgate is really good for cavity prevention and with any toothpaste your teeth will become more white in two weeks of solid brushing. Colgate has a really strong tarter formula and a good floride protection film that blocks most other tarter build up during the day. Its the original just remember that. Good luck.

Answer 5

As long as your toothpaste has flouride - I don't think there is much difference between one and another. The trick is getting your child to brush well and frequently. I taught my children to try to count their teeth as they brush. . .it sort of made a game out of it. Other than braces we have been very lucky with their teeth so far (both are teenagers now).

Answer 6

Yeah you can use it. Children's toothpaste is just like adult's toothpaste except less "powerful" and more fruity flavored. I actually like it better than adult's toothpaste because IT TASTES SO GOOD.

Answer 7

you need to make sure that she is brushing at least two time a day mainly at nite before bed and nothing to eat or drink after wards you might also but a radio in the bathroom and make her brush to her favorite song this is at least two mins. get a florid rinse act at any drugstore this is more up to you than her and if she is not taught to take care of her teeth now she will be doomed forever

Answer 8

Make sure you have fluoride in your drinking water. If you don't - she might need a flouride treatment.

Continue to limit her intake of candies, soda and other sweets

Have you asked your dentist this question?

It also might be hereditary.

Answer 9

any tooth paste with flouride

Answer 10

colgate tarter control.