I use orajel toddler training toothpaste on my almost 4 year old daughter. I have been brushing her teeth with this since she is about a year old. I brush her teeth and have her just swallow the toothpaste since it is fluoride free. Is this ok to do or should I have her rinse and spit. Is it unhealthy that she is swallowing it?
Thank you all for your responses. I have spoken with my dentist and he said to wait until my daughter is 5 before using a fluoride toothpaste. I do agree, however, that I should start having her rinse and spit the toddler toothpaste to create a good habit for when she begins using a fluoride toothpaste.
I wouldn't let my kids swallow toothpaste, even if it's fluoride-free. It has artificial sweetners like sorbitol and other stuff that's not great for them to consume.
The toddler training toothpaste is safe to swallow however I would be working with your child to teach them how to spit. Also, it is imperative that you talk with your dentist as at that age she should be using a better toothpaste. The toddler toothpaste is to initially get kids used to what it's like to brush teeth it is not meant to be a substitute for toothpaste or using natural methods(baking soda)to clean teeth.
I would check with your dentist. Ours had us switch to a fluoride toothpaste at 2 years old even though he was not spitting, the small amount was okay. Some days I tried to wipe off with a damp wash cloth after brushing. It is great that you are brushing and have been!
Good job setting up a dental routine, but now it's time to teach her to take care of her own teeth like a big kid. That toothpaste is safe to swallow, however you should be teaching your daughter to spit. It's a skill she will need to develop so she can stop using baby toothpaste and use fluoride toothpaste. She should also be learning to brush her own teeth, with you following up to ensure a good cleaning. My 4 year old brushes alone in the morning, we brush at night and then she follows, she uses floride toothpaste, spits, gargles and spits mouthwash and flosses on her own. My two year old spits and brushes after we do, but still sucks the toothbrush, so he's using the training toothpaste.
By 4 she should know how to rinse and spit. It's a lot of fun for them so they do it well. Drop the baby toothpaste and let her have some kid toothpaste. Be sure to show her how to swish and spit by brushing your teeth and the same time.
You really brush her teeth for her? My day care kids could brush their teeth by the time they got in the 4 year old classroom. She's old enough mom.
Practice good brushing habits, including working on spitting.
The use of mouthwash helped in the spitting practice.
It's not necessarily unhealthy, but she should be learning to spit. That's the point of "training" toothpaste... To allow them to learn without the risk of swallowing real toothpaste. My dd was taught from the get-go to spit, and has been able to use 'real' toothpaste since she was 2 1/2. MUCH cheaper (not that training toothpaste is horrendously expensive... Lol.), and she loves being able to use M.'s toothpaste. :)
This is a good time to teach her how to spit. My older son had trouble. I had him us a glass and get some water I his mouth, swish it around and spit. That was easier for him to spit than just the toothpaste.
I don't think swallowing the toddler toothpaste is going to hurt her, but she can do this!
I'm still trying to get our 5 yr old to spit. It kind of dribbles down her chin...so she swallows more than I'd like. Our dentist says she needs the flouride and that we should keep trying to have her spit, but the tiny amount that she does swallow is OK.
