How much toothpaste should a child use? A pediatric dentist gives advice

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — February is Children’s Dental Health Month. 

In a recent study, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 40 percent of children ages 3 to 6 use too much toothpaste. Doctors said that can actually lead to tooth discoloration and damage of enamel of future permanent teeth that are still developing.

A pediatric dentist with Riley Children’s Health, Dr. LaQuia Vinson, said Friday children up to 3 years old only need an amount of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. Children older than 3 need just a bit more, about the size of a pea.

Vinson  said most children’s toothbrushes actually show how much is needed.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is the toothbrushes themselves have an indicator on them and that indicator is usually that little colored area right in between the bristles. And that’s the amount of toothpaste that they should be using,” the dentist said. 

The pediatric dentist said children should begin brushing their teeth as soon as they get their first tooth and children’s first dental visit should happen on or shortly after their first birthdays.