“My child accidentally ate toothpaste. What should I do?”
My daughter is 7 years old, and has been brushing her teeth on her own for about two years (me and my husband would help her when she was younger). She told me she accidentally ate toothpaste, and this has happened three times. I'm worried about the flouride. Could this cause any harm? Or am I overreacting?
23 Answers
You are overreacting
Fluoride is helpful in the right dosage and similar to vitamins can be dangerous at higher doses. It depends on how much she ate. I would only be concerned if she purposely ate half a tube of toothpaste or more in one setting. If a little of the normal toothpaste amount on a toothbrush at a time is swallowed she should be fine.
Of course the toothpaste is not a food and your daughter should understand that. All toothpaste has minimal amounts of fluoride; it may not cause any damage to her health.
if your child ate some toothpaste then it should not be a concern. If she ate a whole tube of toothpaste then I'd go to the emergency to room to be evaluated (but really still shouldnt be too much of an issue). The fluoride that she ate will not make a difference
Just the normal pea size amount of toothpaste is not a worry if swallowed. I would worry if it were a whole tube she swallowed, but not a time or two.
Ingesting a small amount of toothpaste is nothing to worry about. If your child is feeling a little queasy afterward, a glass of milk will help (as long as they are not lactose intolerant).
You’re overreacting! Eating minute amount of toothpaste doesn’t cause any harm.
Fluoride toxicity is very rare and it’s very rare that it may happen while brushing. No need to be concerned. Excess of fluoride can cause a condition called fluorosis and it can disrupt enamel formation, but it only does it when amount of toothpaste exceeds the recommended amount. It is important to visit your pediatric dentist so he/she can show you the right amount and prevent any adverse effects. Thanks and have a good day!
Carolina B. Sanchez. DDS, FAAPD
Carolina B. Sanchez. DDS, FAAPD
It will depend on how much she ate, but I don't think it should be a problem, in my personal opinion. You need to keep the toothpaste in a safe place out of your child's reach.
Overreacting. Buy the infant toothpaste or one without fluoride for your child and don't worry.
A small amount is not an issue. Please get her toothpaste without fluoride. It is a neurotoxin and does not help prevent cavities.
Hi,
It depends on the amount of toothpaste she accidentally ate. If it was just a little bit on her toothbrush, she should be fine! Fluoride in small quantities is safe and btw it is a natural element in our environment. It is even in some teas and tuna fish, etc.!
It depends on the amount of toothpaste she accidentally ate. If it was just a little bit on her toothbrush, she should be fine! Fluoride in small quantities is safe and btw it is a natural element in our environment. It is even in some teas and tuna fish, etc.!
No need to worry. I am assuming that when you say your daughter ate toothpaste you mean she swallowed some while brushing. The level of fluoride is low so it will do no harm. She may get an upset stomach, but no long-term damage.
I would highly recommend you watch her brush for a while to make sure this does not continue.
Keep smiling,
David M. Kaffey, DDS
I would highly recommend you watch her brush for a while to make sure this does not continue.
Keep smiling,
David M. Kaffey, DDS
While it's never advocated to consume toothpaste, your daughter should be fine, if indeed it was only three times (with the proviso that she didn't consume half or the whole tube of toothpaste at once). It may be advisable to physically supervise her brushing sessions to ensure that this does not occur again. If it should happen again, immediately give her a cup of milk to drink (milk inactivates the fluoride in the toothpaste).
The amount of fluoride in toothpaste is not significant enough to cause your child harm. She would have to consume 4 or 5 total toothpaste for it to become lethal. I would just monitor and look for upset stomach or nausea. If you notice this, then I would take her to the emergency room at that point.
This is a good question and difficult to answer. Do you have an idea how much she swallowed? If it was just the small pea size she puts on her toothbrush, she should be fine. I think the bigger question is why is she swallowing the toothpaste now. Is she somehow gagging herself and accidentally swallowing what is in her mouth? If you are concerned a habit is forming, there are other toothpastes on the market that have no fluoride, but have other cavity-fighting components such as xylitol.
Hope this helps,
Jossi Stokes, DDS
Hope this helps,
Jossi Stokes, DDS
I think you have a potential dentist coming through the family because I used to carry a tube around in my pocket when I was young. No harm will come to her give her a travel brush to carry with her.
Depends on how much was ingested at once. If it was a lot then you should take her to the emergency room if you think this happened recently enough where doctors can intervene. Otherwise, please continue to monitor and assist your child while brushing and flossing. At 7 years old, children still lack the manual dexterity and often the concentration to effectively clean all their teeth.
The question is: how much toothpaste did she eat? If she placed no more than the size of a baby pea on her brush, and neglected to spit that out, I would not be overly concerned. If she took the tube of toothpaste and started eating, that would not be good. As with almost anything, including water, too much is toxic. The toxic dose for regular toothpaste is fairly
high. At lower doses, mottling of developing enamel can occur if the overexposure is frequent.or prolonged. No more than a baby pea-sized drop of toothpaste should be used each
brushing.
high. At lower doses, mottling of developing enamel can occur if the overexposure is frequent.or prolonged. No more than a baby pea-sized drop of toothpaste should be used each
brushing.
Good morning,
Unless your child ate the TUBE of toothpaste, she should be fine with swallowing the amount that is put on a toothbrush. It is only necessary to put a pea-sized dab of toothpaste on the brush. Most of the cleaning is actually done by the bristles.
Dr. Gochman
Unless your child ate the TUBE of toothpaste, she should be fine with swallowing the amount that is put on a toothbrush. It is only necessary to put a pea-sized dab of toothpaste on the brush. Most of the cleaning is actually done by the bristles.
Dr. Gochman
Simply: yes, you are overreacting! At her age, even though all of her permanent teeth haven't all erupted (probably a few of the front teeth only), they are well on their way in development and the likelihood of a few tooth brushings of toothpaste being swallowed will have any effect is minimal (none). Likewise for the rest of her body (stomach or digestion, etc.) no ill effects!!
Swallowing toothpaste can cause stomach upset as well as other health issues if done consistently. If you notice her doing this often, switching to a non-fluoridated tooth paste would be a good idea. When you see her swallow the fluoridated toothpaste, you can have her drink a glass of milk which will bind to the fluoride she just swallowed. If she doesn't like milk, have her chew and swallow 1 - 2 TUMS tablets which will also bind to the fluoride.
John C. Kaminski D.D.S.
John C. Kaminski D.D.S.
This should not be a problem due to low fluoride content in most toothpastes. I would place the toothpaste on her brush yourself from now on, just a pea sized amount.
