Whether on purpose or accident, your child may swallow toothpaste at some point. If you find your child has swallowed toothpaste, remain calm! Side effects of swallowing toothpaste typically only apply if a child has consumed a large quantity (i.e. an entire tube) of prescription-strength toothpaste.
Read this blog post to become more familiar with toothpaste for kids, why toothpaste shouldn’t be swallowed, and what to do if your child swallows toothpaste.
Under 3 Years Old
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that parents brush their child’s teeth as soon as they sprout with a smear of child-friendly toothpaste the size of a grain of rice twice a day. This will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
3 to 6 Years Old
After age three, you can upgrade to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the brush twice a day.
Teach Them to Spit Out Their Toothpaste
As soon as a child is physically able, teach them to spit into the sink after brushing. Explain that even though their toothpaste might taste yummy, it will upset their tummy because it is only something for their teeth.
When Kids Can Brush Independently
How long a parent or caregiver brushes a child’s teeth depends on the dexterity of the child and their level of responsibility. Generally, a child can start brushing their own teeth with supervision around the time they start school and can tie their own shoes.
Effects of Swallowing Toothpaste
While toothpaste with fluoride, fluoridated water, and routine fluoride treatments help fortify your child’s enamel against decay, regularly swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause your child to take in too much fluoride.
Over time, excessive fluoride consumption by young children can result in a cosmetic condition known as dental fluorosis. This is characterized by white streaks or brown specks on your child’s teeth. Excessive fluoride can also lower the amount of calcium and magnesium in the body. These are important minerals for healthy body functioning. However, these conditions are rare and unlikely to occur with proper brushing habits.
What Should I Do If My Child Swallows Toothpaste?
If your child swallows a large quantity of toothpaste, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for advice. They will tell you exactly what you should do!
For these isolated cases, swallowing toothpaste can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Make sure your child stays hydrated and give them a snack or drink with calcium, such as yogurt, string cheese, or milk. This may help alleviate their discomfort.
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FAQs
For these isolated cases, swallowing toothpaste can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Make sure your child stays hydrated and give them a snack or drink with calcium, such as yogurt, string cheese, or milk. This may help alleviate their discomfort.
What happens if kids swallow toothpaste? ›
The Bottom Line. Toothpaste usually contains fluoride. Swallowing it can cause an upset stomach. Although large amounts of fluoride can be toxic, small unintentional ingestions of over-the-counter, fluoride-containing toothpaste are unlikely to be toxic.
What if my child won't stop swallowing toothpaste? ›
The good news is that, according to the American Dental Association, if your child swallows the recommended amount of fluoride toothpaste (a pea size), you don't need to worry, especially if you're supervising them. That's because the recommended size should not be enough to have a toxic effect on their body.
How much toothpaste is harmful if swallowed? ›
This is why your toothpaste label says 'do not ingest'. If someone consumes high levels of fluoride, it can cause several symptoms. However, an entire tube of toothpaste only contains 0.15 percent fluoride. An average adult would have to eat eight tubes of toothpaste for it to be deadly.
What happens if you swallow toothpaste saliva? ›
What happens when you swallow toothpaste? A toothpaste should be applied to the tooth and not ingested. If you swallow a small amount, it's generally safe. But if you've consumed too much, it may increase fluoride levels in your blood supply and result in an upset stomach, vomiting, and nausea.
How much toothpaste is toxic to a child? ›
It would take a dose of more than 16 mg per kilogram of body weight for fluoride poisoning to become lethal. Given that there is only 1.3 mg of fluoride in a typical squeeze of toothpaste, most children do not ingest anywhere near enough toothpaste for this to be a concern.
What to do if a toddler swallows toothpaste? ›
If you think your child swallowed an extremely large amount of toothpaste, you should call Poison Control at (800)-222-1222 for treatment advice.
Can swallowing toothpaste make a toddler sick? ›
For these isolated cases, swallowing toothpaste can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Make sure your child stays hydrated and give them a snack or drink with calcium, such as yogurt, string cheese, or milk. This may help alleviate their discomfort.
Do toddlers need to spit out toothpaste? ›
Supervision during teeth brushing – young children should always be supervised while brushing and should be taught to spit out rather than to swallow toothpaste.
What age can you spit out toothpaste? ›
Your child is ready for a smear of fluoridated toothpaste after the first tooth erupts. Once your child is able to spit out excess toothpaste (usually around age 2), he can go up to a pea-sized amount.
Symptoms of fluoride poisoning may include:
- Diarrhea.
- Abdominal pain.
- Tremors or uncontrollable shaking.
- A salty or soapy taste in the mouth.
- Headache.
- Weakness or fatigue.
- Excessive salivation or drooling.
- Slow or irregular heartbeat, which can lead to cardiac arrest in severe cases.
Very rarely, a child can get fluoride poisoning from taking in a lot of fluoride in a short time (for example, from eating toothpaste or fluoride supplements). Generally, this isn't not serious, but call your doctor or the poison control center (1-800-222-1222) if you think your child ate a large amount of fluoride.
Does accidentally swallowing toothpaste break your fast? ›
Toothpaste while fasting is allowed during the holy month of Ramadan, although some scholars of Islam consider the use of toothpaste to be highly undesirable because deliberate or accidental swallowing of them will nullify the fast.
Is it better to swallow toothpaste or spit it out? ›
Ensure you spit out your toothpaste and rinse with a small amount of water when you have finished. Ensure that the toothpaste you select is age appropriate for each person in the family. Supervise your children to make sure they are using the correct amount and that they are spitting out their toothpaste.
How to stop baby swallowing toothpaste? ›
Another recommendation is for you to brush your teeth alongside your child. Encourage them to imitate you so that they can develop good habits, such as brushing for at least two minutes, holding the brush at the correct angle, brushing their tongue, and spitting out the toothpaste when they're done.
Is it better to spit or swallow toothpaste? ›
After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste.
Are kids supposed to swallow toothpaste? ›
Your child may experience mild stomach discomfort due to the fluoride in the toothpaste such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. When consumed in small amounts, accidentally swallowing toothpaste shouldn't cause any major problems. Fluoride must be consumed in large amounts for it to have a serious effect in most cases.
Do toddlers have to spit out toothpaste? ›
Supervision during teeth brushing – young children should always be supervised while brushing and should be taught to spit out rather than to swallow toothpaste. You should brush your child's teeth until they are 10 years old because your child lacks the manual dexterity to properly do so by themselves until that age.
