TOOTHBRUSH AND TOOTHPASTES: PROPER CARE NEEDED WHILE SELECTING THEM

Brushing is the most important habit that should be practiced for both adults as well as children. Here is a brief knowledge about toothbrush and tooth pastes.

Types of brushes

Toothbrushes come in two types:
• Manual
• Electric

They are found in all shapes, size and colors.
For children a lot of fancy toothbrushes are available in the market .The choices are many leading to a lot of confusion. But till date the manual toothbrushes are most successful if used under parent guidance and supervision.

Electric toothbrushes are also available in a lot of fancy shapes for children. We do not normally recommend the use of these unless the child is handicapped in one way or another or wearing braces and has been advised by the orthodontist to use the electric brush and the technique is carried out under constant supervision. This does not necessarily rule out the use of rotary brushes totally. The advice regarding this should be sought from the attending dentist.

Care of toothbrush

Taking care of the brush your child uses is also very important. A worn out toothbrush will not clean teeth properly.
One must, thus replace toothbrushes once the bristles begin to spread. Some tooth brushes have an indicator on the bristles and it lets know when to get a new one.
Dentists recommend that you change the toothbrush every 3-4 months.
Toothbrushes must be cleaned thoroughly after use and then stored in a dry and airy place to avoid contamination.
It is also a good idea to change your toothbrush after a sickness or if the bristles get spoilt prior to 3 months.

TOOTHPASTES

Using toothpaste on a child’s new tooth is not that urgent until the child turns 1 year old. Brushing using only a wet brush is also a good option. There are many types of toothpastes available. The main ingredients of all toothpastes are mostly the same. The commonly available toothpastes are:
• Fluoridated toothpastes
• Non-fluoridated toothpastes

We recommend the use of a low fluoridated variety for young children. Since at a young age they tend to swallow the toothpaste which could lead to fluorosis . Dental fluorosis is a condition where teeth get a chalky white to even brown discoloration.
There are lots of toothpastes available in the markets which are especially meant for children.
They come in lots of child friendly colors and with cartoon figures on them.
We recommend the use of any toothpaste that is low fluoridated and non abrasive till the child is 4 years old as use of abrasive paste can wear away the
For young children the amount of toothpaste used should also be monitored.
The rule is usually a pea sized amount should be used on the toothbrush.
Toothpaste must be pressed into the bristles and not just on the top of the brush.
This way it will not get dislodged when you put the brush in the mouth and it cleans all areas of the mouth. Most important is to monitor that the child rinses the mouth and spits properly after brush.
Selection of both tooth brush and tooth paste requires precision. It might appear as small thing bur the effects it causes are worth all the efforts.