Are there any neutral-flavored toothpastes for children? we've tried just about every kind of child's toothpaste that exists, but our daughter refuses to brush her teeth because she says they "all taste bad". is there any type with a really mild flavor th

We : We have a number of patient's that like tom's of maine toothpaste. Have you tried that brand yet?

I : I love this question, thank you for asking it! the first thing i want to stress is that tooth paste is a cosmetic, it is not essential for plaque control. The whole point of brushing your teeth is to disturb the plaque colony that grows between brushing times, and break it up so that saliva can neutralize the acid and toxic content that causes tooth decay and gum disease. Yes toothpastes are nice to use if you like the flavor, and they do have anti microbial agents and fluoride, and a soap that foams up nicely and a host of other ingredients that may or may not be good for us, but toothpaste is not essential. Next i wanted to mention that i used to love the flavors of the childrens' toothpaste that we used to have when i was a boy in the 1950's. But i suspect they are long gone. However, I have given you some links that may be useful. Good luck. Dr neil mcleod dds dentistry that lasts - quality that counts.

Toothpaste : Toothpaste is not really necessary. The mechanical movement of the toothbrush and floss is what removes plaque. Toothpastes have flavor and get sudsy to make it more pleasant for us to brush and to get the feeling that we are scrubbing our teeth. If your child complains about the taste- use plain water! they will still get the benefit of brushing. If she still refuses because of a bad taste, well then there is another issue at hand.

No tooth paste: Try to brush her teeth without tooth paste just use water. The action of tooth brush is more important.