Children's Toothpaste - Are Fun Fruity Flavours Poisoning Your Kids?

Fluoride is a common additive in toothpastes, to strengthen teeth and to prevent the formation of cavities. Fluoride is now added into city water supplies in many parts of the world, and a common additive in dental products, like mouth rinse solutions and toothpastes. As with most things, too much of a good thing is bad. Young children are especially in danger of excessive fluoride intake, and one unlikely culprit is their fun fruity-flavoured toothpaste!

It's flavours-galore at the supermarket racks. Orange, strawberry, peach, banana, tutti-frutti, milk... you name it... enterprising toothpaste manufacturers have probably something sweet and fun to suit every child's taste buds. Hmm... obscure label warnings, clueless parent, toxic chemical and fun fruity taste. Picture a young kid wielding a toothbrush, with the foaming sweet-tasting contents in his mouth. All these are key ingredients for disaster at home.

Tooth brushing is skill. We don't just thrust a toothbrush and toothpaste onto a three-year old, and expect him to be an instant whiz at it. He needs to master the brushing action, spit the foam from his mouth, gargle and rinse, all without swallowing the toothpaste. That's a tall order for a little person, and quite a bit of the toothpaste actually ends up in his tummy!

Ingested fluoride enter the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, forming hydrofluoric acid which irritate internal organs. In excessive quantities, the fluoride disrupts the body's enzyme systems, and pushes its natural salivation into overdrive. Vomiting and diarrhea are also common symptoms of fluoride poisoning. In severe cases, seizures, multiple organ failures, irregular heart rhythms, breathing difficulties and heart attacks may occur, with deadly results.

Admittedly, such occurrences are rare, but the easy accessible of fluoride is a real and worrying fact. Even ignoring the unlikely doomsday scenario painted above, it is proven that over-consumption of fluoride during childhood causes unsightly pitting, mottling and discoloration of the tooth enamel, and retards healthy tooth development in children. The thought sure is scary, isn't it? Imagine something that's purportedly good for your teeth being directly opposite when overdosed! And studies have shown that the effects can be long lasting, and carry on into adulthood.

How can we protect our kids from fluoride-overdose? Surely, the average consumer cannot be expected to keep abreast of developments in scientific and medical communities, or make sense of the advisory warnings by government regulatory bodies. Some dental product manufacturers list the amount of fluoride in parts per million (ppm), some in percentages (%), and others don't even bother sticking this information on their product labels.

Because fluoride is not considered a drug, toothpaste manufacturers do not need to specify the amount of fluoride contained in their products. Neither are they obliged to warn consumers how much fluoride is "too much". Many manufacturers adopt a maximum recommended fluoride concentration of 1500 ppm, but ultimately, consumers should exercise their own discretion when choosing and using fluoridated products.

Here are some simple steps that parents of kids below 7 years of age can do to limit their exposure to fluoride.

1. Choose non- or low-fluoride toothpastes for children, especially if your city drinking water is already fluoridated.


2. Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste for your child's daily brushing routine.


3. Supervise your child to minimise swallowing of toothpastes.


4. Teach your kids not to swallow the toothpastes, no matter how pleasant or sweet-smelling they taste in the mouth.


5. Avoid fluoride supplements (pills, tablets or drops) for young kids unless prescribed by a doctor.


6. Choose non- or low-fluoride mouthwashes and dental floss for children.

Poisons accumulate quickly in a child's smaller body. A safe dosage for adult consumption could prove deadly for a child. A 10-kg child who ingests 50 mg fluoride (about a third of a 100-ml tube of 1500 ppm toothpaste) will probably have ingested a toxic dose.

Where fluoride is concerned, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set 4 mg/L and 2 mg/L as the maximum safety limits for adults and children under 9 years of age. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that a chronic fluoride intake of 2.0-8.0 mg per day can lead to skeletal fluorosis, a debilitating and sometimes crippling bone disease.

As parents and guardians, we make choices every day on behalf of our children. It is a difficult job, because profit-driven manufacturers may not be upfront about their product facts. Beware of sensational advertising claims, do your own research, practise moderation in all things, and finally, trust your parenting instincts. Good luck!

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