One of many parents’ top concerns is how to develop a good habit of brushing teeth for babies and children. However, it appears that they may not be doing a very good job considering the recent revelation that the rate of dental cavities has been climbing.
According to the latest report released by National Health and Family Planning Commission, incidences of decayed teeth in five-year-olds have reached 70.9 percent, which is 5.8 percent higher that of 10 years ago. Incidence of decayed teeth in twelve-year-old has risen from 26.7 percent to 34.5 percent.
Seems like it’s high time for us to pay close attention to this issue. So, how about we start from picking the right toothpaste? Here are a few tips.
1. Don’t turn your back on fluoride toothpaste.
Fluoride Toothpaste seems to have a bad reputation since many mothers believe that fluoride is bad for babies’ health. Actually, that’s not the whole truth. As a necessary element to human body, fluoride can strengthen the teeth from inside as long as the babies can spit out the toothpaste.
2. Foaming bubbles are not that important.
Some parents may believe that the more foaming bubbles produced, the better the toothpaste is. However, the amount of bubbles is determined only by the amount of foaming agent. In other words, too many bubbles are bad for babies’ health.
3. Don’t choose toothpastes with strong smell and flavor.
Given that babies’ taste and smell are far more sensitive than those of adults, some toothpaste we prefer may be too suitable for kids (i.e. mint). Once they‘ve tried it, they may find it off-putting and refuse to use that toothpaste again. Therefore, try to pick the toothpaste with a mild smell and flavor.
4. Don’t choose toothpastes with good smell or flavor.
Since strong-smelling toothpaste doesn’t work out for kids, some parents may seek the help of good-smelling ones. However, think twice before you do that. If the toothpaste smells too good, babies may take it for food and swallow it. Once again, stick to the mild-smelling ones.
[Images via The Paper]
