How Much Toothpaste Should You Use?

Ever wonder just how much toothpaste you should use? If you are like most people, you’re probably using the same amount you started brushing with as a kid. Despite what toothpaste advertising would have us believe, a brush-length smear is simply too much for children as well as adults. So let’s find out just how much you should use to keep your teeth clean and healthy.

Adults

For adults, it may seem intuitive to use a liberal amount.  However, this is incorrect. Too much toothpaste can make you feel that you have gotten your mouth cleaner than it is. A smaller amount, approximately the size of a pea, supplies adequate amounts of fluoride and allows you to better focus on the actual teeth cleaning process. Some dentists recommend brushing without toothpaste first until your teeth feel clean and then brushing again with a small dab. This can help the toothpaste work more effectively and significantly reduce plaque and tarter build-up.

Children

For young children, a rice grain-size smear of toothpaste is recommended. If it is accidentally swallowed, such a small amount is unlikely to cause any intestinal issues. All children, who still have their baby teeth, should use this small amount to avoid the ill effects of dental fluorosis, which can cause discoloration and tooth surface damage to still-developing adult teeth. When children ingest concentrations of fluoride that are too high, they imbalance the minerals that form their adult teeth, making them more susceptible to decay.

While fluorosis does not pose a threat to fully formed adult teeth, adults can still benefit from using less toothpaste. Following these toothpaste amount recommendations for children and adults will help ensure you spend less on toothpaste and avoid fluoride over-exposure in your children.

Water Floss

In addition to using less toothpaste in your home oral hygiene routine, enhance it further by interdental cleaning with a water flosser. The AQ-230 and AQ-350 are two excellent choices from Aquapick. Both models deliver power, effectiveness, and convenience.  They come highly recommended by the Korean Dental Association. The countertop AQ-350 is a space-saving unit that employs smart sensing technology. The motor starts as soon as the handle is lifted, powering a 0.6mm ulltra-fine water stream that pulsates 2,400 times per minute. It has a 600ml water tank and water pressure control dial with 4 easily adjustable modes.

The cordless AQ-230 is portable and has a large 200ml  water tank capable of producing a 0.6mm ultra-fine water stream that pulsates 1,400 times per minute. It has 3 easily adjustable cleaning modes. Both models are ergonomically designed for comfort and ease. Their IPX7 waterpoofing makes them completely safe for use in wet areas.