3 Reasons You Should Never Let Your Child Swallow Their Toothpaste
Children's toothpastes are often flavoured like bubble gum or some other tasty treat, so it isn't rare for them to want to swallow it down instead of spit it out. Unfortunately, this can lead to several complications.
You might think that toothpaste is fine to ingest since your children are already using it to clean their mouths, but this is not the case. Toothpaste almost always contains fluoride, which is great at keeping teeth healthy. However, swallowing it, especially night after night, leads to a spike of fluoride in the blood supply. Here are just three problems that can occur as a result.
1. Sickness
It's not unusual for a little bit of fluoride to trickle down into the stomach after a child has brushed their teeth, but swallowing every last drop of toothpaste will mean that there is more fluoride in the system than your body is comfortable with. This can lead to feels of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
None of these are things you'd ideally want to cope with. If your child is showing signs of sickness that you think may have been caused by ingested toothpaste, try giving them something that contains calcium – this will bind with the fluoride and help neutralise its effects.
2. Dental Fluorosis
Have you ever noticed how some children, or even adults, have off flecks of pure white on their teeth? This is a sign of dental fluorosis, which is a condition caused by the regular ingestion of fluoride during the formation of tooth enamel.
It's usually nothing to worry about--most children will only see themselves developing very faint white lines and spots. However, more severe cases can show larger mottled patches, and extreme fluorosis can cause brown discoloration and brittle, pitted enamel.
3. Fluoride Poisoning
Regular ingestion of toothpaste can lead to the problems listed above. However, it is also possible for a child to enjoy swallowing it so much that they eat it straight out of the tube. When such an excessive amount of fluoride is taken in, it can lead to fluoride poisoning.
Alongside signs of general sickness, your child may experience intense gastric pain and dizziness, so this is something that demands a trip to the emergency room.
To keep your child from swallowing their toothpaste, make sure you keep reminding them that it is not food. It helps to supervise children under around 6 years of age to ensure that they don't accidentally swallow. Remember, ingesting toothpaste can lead to serious consequences. For more information, contact a dentist in your area.
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