Excess toothpaste can lead to tooth decay in kids: Study

As kids our parents always monitored how much toothpaste we used to brush our teeth. While that was meant for just for disciplining the child, there could be another reason, according to new research. The new study says that young kids who use toothpaste more than needed are at an increased risk of dental fluorosis when they get older. Fluorosis is a condition that affects the teeth caused by overexposure to fluoride during the first eight years of life.
However, the study showed that when teeth are forming, too much fluoride can lead to tooth streaking or spottiness or dental fluorosis. In addition, the study found that although experts recommend no more than a pea-sized amount, about 40 percent of kids aged three to six used a brush that was full or half-full of toothpaste."Fluoride is a wonderful benefit but it needs to be used carefully," Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentist in Chicago.
Although the researchers did not determine how many kids developed streaked or spotty teeth as a result of using too much toothpaste, they recommended children under three are only supposed to use a smear of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice, reported Daily Mail.
Kids aged three to six should keep it to a pea-sized amount. Young kids may push for independence in brushing their teeth, but kids' toothpaste tastes sweet, according to the team."You don't want them eating it like food. We want the parent to be in charge of the toothbrush and the toothpaste," noted Hayes.