We all know how to brush our teeth, right? For most people, proper brushing was taught to them by their parents, which was taught by their parents, and so on. Yet, the truth is not quite that spot on. In Missoula alone, we have found that many adults, when asked by our dentist, cannot agree upon the actual amount of toothpaste recommended for usage. After all, we all know how to brush our teeth, so why read the instructions on the packaging or do usage research? Plus, tooth brushing isn’t exactly a common water cooler or dinner table topic of discussion. Here is the definitive answer for children and adults:
Your entire family probably uses too much
This may seem preposterous, but you do not need an overflowing mouth of suds to properly brush your teeth. In fact, using too much toothpaste actually makes it more difficult to effectively brush. From the time that we were very young, many of us have used far too much toothpaste, and continue to teach our children to do the same. Here is how much toothpaste your family should be using:
Adults, Pea-sized
That’s right, that pea-sized amount you’ve likely used to brush your kiddo’s teeth with was actually better suited to your usage. A full-grown adult will never need to use more than a pea-sized portion of paste. This amount allows for the brush to easily do its job, while also providing the right amount of fluoride for oral health. Anything more than this, and you’re just needlessly wasting your toothpaste.
Kids, Grain of rice and up
For young kids, the toothpaste should be much smaller, beginning at only a grain of rice for infants and toddlers. As children begin to have a mouth full or “permanent” teeth, they can gradually add more toothpaste, up to the pea-sized adult amount around the teenage years. Teaching a modest amount of toothpaste at a young age is recommended by dentists for a solid foundation of oral health. This will also help to ensure that your kiddo never ingests too much fluoride.
Don’t fall for the swirl
We’ve all seen the TV ads with the beautiful looking swirl of toothpaste adorning the brush-length squirt on a toothbrush, which probably has a good amount to do with why people often use far too much toothpaste. As we always advise, get your oral health advice from a dentist, and not a TV ad. This is why we at Bitterroot Dental find it important to ensure that supplementary oral health products are always properly used by members of the community in conjunction with regular dental visits. In Missoula, that means visiting Dr. David B. Duke. As your local dentist, he is passionate about improving oral health throughout the Missoula area with the latest dental information and techniques. Be sure to check out our other blog entries for other dental issues pertinent to your family’s oral health.
