6 tips for natural dental care for kids
My kiddos love our silly songs during “teeth brush time,” and they don’t seem to know the difference between which toothpastes and toothbrushes they use. But I do.
What if I told you that fluoride was originally a toxic waste byproduct used as rat poison and insecticide? And that many toothpastes, even for kids, contain artificial colors, preservatives, peroxide, gluten, triclosan, SLS, and more? Or that many toothbrushes contain BPA, PVC, and phthalates?
Would you keep an open mind or keep scrolling? Dental health isn’t the most exciting topic, but like anything else involving my rapidly developing children, toxins in their dental care absolutely deserve a closer look.
As we are increasingly learning that dental health is critical for overall health, many people are increasingly curious and open to hearing about natural approaches to it. As awareness of the problems with artificial and toxic ingredients has been on the rise, the demand for natural products has grown with it, with the herbal toothpaste market valued at 1.5 billion in 2019 and a demand only forecasted to increase.
From your child’s toothpaste, toothbrushes, to their dental treatments, we need to be asking more questions about what’s truly safe. Here are the best ways to clean up those toxins while brushing those little teeth.
Use natural toothpaste without toxic chemicals or fluoride
I could write several articles on natural toothpaste (and maybe I will!) but for starters, many of the conventional toothpastes include toxic ingredients you wouldn’t believe such as triclosan (that was banned from hand sanitizers years ago), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), artificial sweeteners, and diethanolamine (DEA).
And then there’s the topic of fluoride. But before you roll your eyes, do you know any of the history behind the use of fluoride or the specific studies about its toxicity?
Dr. E. Griffin Cole, a biologic dentist in Austin, shares the origin of fluoride in dental care on his website, and I’ve been grateful to have learned a lot from him over the years. In summary, fluoride was initially discovered as an industrial waste byproduct of the aluminum and phosphate fertilizer industries in the 1920s and 30s, and the FDA warned that companies needed to find a use for the waste. It was shown to be an effective rat poison and insecticide, but that still didn’t use enough of the waste. Then the idea of adding it to drinking water was proposed and tested after only two small studies and a report that it seemed to reduce tooth decay.
The practice was initially denounced by the ADA in 1944 due to the lack of evidence of its safety. But after an initial flawed test on a few cities, the loudest voices of opposition quieted as intense lobbying efforts by the aluminum industry ensured that the ADA and the FDA eventually approved this practice, thereby securing an effective disposal of fluoride waste.
Fast forward to recent years, when concerns of toxicity are on the rise and studies have shown fluoride to be a developmental neurotoxin in the developing tissue of young children and even studies showing that floride can lead to reduced IQ has led the charge against fluoride dental products and fluorinated water.
But beyond concerns about toxicity, fluoride also disrupts collagen metabolism, causing mechanical breakdown of bones and most importantly for this discussion, tooth enamel. And there’s the problem of fluorosis, tooth deformities that can form on the teeth such as white spots resulting from too much fluoride.
These concerns have led many parents and dentists to move towards natural toothpastes and dental products that do not contain fluoride. While I’m not an expert, I’m just a mom and a writer trying to do the best I can, I will say that my family has stopped using fluoride products. I’ve also been seeking out resources to avoid fluoridated water in our home.
The brands that we’ve used for our kiddos include Hello Toothpaste and Jack N’ Jill. Both taste excellent, are fluoride free, SLS free, no sugar, no artificial color, no parabens, and are safe if swallowed. Today’s natural toothpastes include many beneficial ingredients such as aloe, coconut oil, tea tree oil, and more that can serve to promote healthy mouth PH, remineralization of teeth, collagen production, and more without the need for toxic chemicals. And besides, the brushing action is what gets rid of more of the plaque anyway!
Use non-toxic toothbrushes
There’s been a rise of concern over the years of BPA in plastics, and many children’s cups, utensils, and dishes have eliminated it. But sadly little awareness has grown that the very thing they put in their mouth 2x a day can have BPA too! Look for BPA-free at minimum, but ideally BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free.
And beyond the toxins in the plastics, the environmental impact is staggering. Just in one year, the US throws away ONE BILLION plastic toothbrushes. So we are trying bamboo toothbrushes and so far, so good! To compost ours, you simply use pliers to dispose of the nylon bristles in the trash and then if put in private or commercial composting, it will return to soil within six months!!! Amazing.
My favorites for baby:
- Nuby Nananubs Banana Massaging Toothbrush
- Nuby oral massager and toothbrush
- Green Sprouts baby silicone toothbrush
- Green Sprouts Finger Toothbrush
- The First Years American Red Cross Infant to Toddler Oral Care Kit
My favorites for toddlers and kids:
- Gondola toothbrushes- Bamboo with nylon bristles
- Hello Products- BPA-free toothbrushes
- Oral- B pro-health stages- Made with #5 polypropylene plastic
Get regular dental cleanings
Whether you choose a natural or conventional approach, regular dental cleanings are critical to maintaining dental health from a young age. And even babies can get tooth decay! So start those checkups early with a pediatric dentist as soon as several teeth start coming in to keep an eye on things.
In between those checkups, maintaining regular brushing habits (even for babies) and flossing starting in preschool can go a long way in removing harmful buildup that leads to tooth decay.
Find a pediatric dentist with a natural approach
Pediatric dentists are definitely preferable as they have an extra two to three years of specialty training to learn specifically about kids, including their physical and behavioral development.
To find one with a holistic or natural approach, I would start with searching online in your area and asking your friends and in online parenting groups. You may need to ask a lot of questions but that’s a good thing anyway!
A dentist with a natural approach will give options for fluoride or not offer it at all. They will provide education for how to remineralize teeth that are showing early signs of decay to be able to avoid intervention. They will suggest diet changes that can improve tooth and gum health. They will provide safe cleaning solutions for root canals and fillings such as Ozone. And most importantly, they will not offer amalgam fillings.
Use BPA-free sealants
Sealants seem like an excellent way to protect those baby teeth, but unfortunately the material used in sealants contains compounds that when combined with saliva release BPA! All sealants contain fluoride, but to me, a direct application of it in a substance that stays on your teeth seems of lower risk that ingesting more significant amounts daily in toothpaste and water. We all pick our poisons, and I wouldn’t do it on any young children.
However, there is a product called UltraSeal XT Plus (made by UltraDent Products. Inc.) that is BPA-free. So ask your dentist if they offer that and if not, if they could offer it in the future. For something that sits in your child’s mouth 24/7, it’s kind of a big deal.
Eat a balanced diet
And finally, a diet filled with whole and nutritious foods that are rich in calcium and fat-soluble vitamins, and low in processed foods and sugar will help give your child the nutrients they needs for building healthy gums and strong teeth. Highly-processed foods are often high in sugar, low in fiber, and don’t offer much nutrition value. And avoid prolonged sipping of sugary drinks! Some teeth-beneficial foods include eggs, broccoli and green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, apples and carrots, and lots and lots of water.
I hope this article has been helpful and given you some ideas to chew on. 😉 Has your family switched to any natural dental products? What’s important to you about your family’s dental health?
