By Jeniffer Page and Orien Dental

With so many dentistry supplies on the market, it can be difficult to determine what is suitable to give children whose teeth might still be developing. As we have seen in the media, not every product marketed towards children has the child’s best interests in mind or is even good for them to begin with. Experienced dental suppliers Orien Dental takes a look at some of the most common dental supplies and provides information on how to choose the best products for use by children.

Toothpaste

An essential part of any person’s oral hygiene routine, toothpaste comes in many different colours, flavours and textures. The active ingredients, those being fluoride and a mild abrasive substance – the part of toothpaste that dislodges food from between teeth and polishes the teeth – are typically consistent across the board. The differences between the brands often come down to the various thickeners, flavours and sweeteners that are also found in toothpaste. When it comes to child-friendly toothpaste products, look for those that are sugar-free and low in fluoride (to avoid the onset of fluorosis that’s caused by swallowing toothpaste). In fact, many health care professionals and dental suppliers recommend not giving toothpaste to children up to 18 months old because of their likelihood to swallow it. However, if you would like your child to use a safe toothpaste, then as your dental supplier we would recommend the Paroamin kids toothpaste. This is a child-friendly toothpaste that’s SLS free and is recommended from 0 to 10 years, with a low fluoride content of 250ppm. For children over 10 years, we recommend the Paroamin toothpaste for adults. This has a higher fluoride content of 1250pp and is also SLS free.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash products come in a wide variety of fun colours and flavours, making the temptation among children to try them out as part of their oral hygiene pretty strong. But are they safe for children to use?

Essentially, most dental practitioners will recommend that children six and under do not use mouthwash products. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, they might not be ready to manage the motions of swishing the liquid in their mouth and spitting it out (they might instead swallow it), and secondly, mouth rinses contain fluoride, and too much of this as their teeth are developing can lead to fluorosis. Once the child is at an age that they can manage the rinsing and spitting motions and their teeth have formed, they can move onto a mouthwash product that is free of sugar and alcohol (found in numerous mouthwashes). Between the ages of 6 and 12, children should rinse only under adult supervision, and they should learn that rinsing should complement rather than act as a substitute for brushing and flossing.

H2: Flossing

How early should a child start flossing their teeth? ‘As early as they are able to manage it’ is what many professionals suggest. The benefits of flossing, particularly the dislodgement of food between teeth that might otherwise cause dental problems, and the prevention of halitosis (bad breath), make it a worthwhile practice to get into early. By the age of 8, children should be able to comfortably use floss and incorporate it into their oral hygiene routine.

As one of Australia’s premier dental supply specialists, Orien Dental Supplies is able to provide dental practitioners, hospitals, retailers and other organisations with an extensive range of dentistry supplies for adults and children. Whether you’re looking for dental supplies in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, or elsewhere in Australia, you can trust Orien Dental Supplies to accommodate your needs. Order your dental supplies online today.