Flavored toothpaste with unusual flavors like oreo, wasabi, bacon, coffee, etc., is becoming popular. But are these flavored kinds of toothpaste any good for your oral hygiene? If you want to know the pros and cons of using flavored toothpaste, you are in the right place.
Using flavored toothpaste isn’t bad as long as it has enough fluoride. However, unusual flavors can lead to less fresh breath than mint-flavored toothpaste. You can opt for kids’ toothpaste but use a fluoride mouthwash with it as kids’ toothpaste has less to no fluoride in it.
If you want to know how different flavored toothpaste works for your teeth and if you should get one for yourself or not, read further!
Are There Any Negatives to Brushing with Flavored Toothpaste?
Different toothpaste flavors are coming on the market, such as (Amazon links): cinnamon, wasabi, charcoal, bacon (yes really!), etc. These flavors might taste good while brushing your teeth and can be a good substitute for someone who doesn’t like the usual mint flavor. But are they any good for your teeth?
Most flavored toothpaste doesn’t have fluoride, which is an essential mineral for the health of your teeth. Fluoride toothpaste keeps your enamel strong and shiny and helps fight cavities and bacteria.
So a lack of fluoride in toothpaste can result in unhealthy teeth since the teeth will have no aid in fighting off the sugars consumed in the average diet.
Different Flavors
Moreover, flavors like bacon and wasabi cannot provide you with as fresh a breath as the mint flavor. So, you can have a bad breath problem due to these flavors.
Some flavors like cinnamon can irritate the gums, and charcoal toothpaste can be too abrasive for the tooth enamel, resulting in more disadvantages from the toothpaste than benefits.
So, always read the ingredients of flavored toothpaste to find out if it has enough fluoride or not. Otherwise, the toothpaste might not be good enough for fighting cavities and tooth decay. If you can’t decide which toothpaste is right for you, check out our guide on the topic.
Can Adults Use Kids Flavored Toothpaste?
If you don’t like the regular mint-flavored toothpaste, you can go for a kid’s flavored toothpaste. Kids’ toothpaste has better flavors, such as strawberry and watermelon. Adults can use kids’ toothpaste as most ingredients in kids’ toothpaste are the same except for the flavors.
The only difference besides the flavor in adult and kids’ toothpaste is the amount of fluoride. Kids’ toothpaste is made to be more gentle than adult ones, with a sweeter, fruity flavor.
Some kids’ toothpaste doesn’t contain fluoride, while some have a small amount. So if your oral health relies on fluoride, you shouldn’t use kids’ toothpaste regularly.
You can use a fluoride mouthwash to compensate for the fluoride lacking in kids’ toothpaste. A good option is the Listerine Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash (on Amazon).
Adults with hard grinding and chewing require more fluoride than kids as they have more wear and tear of enamel. Therefore, having an adequate amount of fluoride in your oral hygiene routine is essential for adults. So, it would be better to stick with your adult toothpaste.
If you don’t like the strong minty flavor of adult toothpaste, you can find the ones with mild flavoring.
Can Kids Use Adult Flavored Toothpaste?
Kids can use adult-flavored toothpaste, but it depends upon the fluoride content. Mild fluoride content won’t cause any harm to kids of any age.
It also depends upon the amount of toothpaste your kid is using. If your toothpaste has a lot of fluorides, don’t let your little ones use too much toothpaste since excessive amounts can cause dental fluorosis, a permanent dental defect in adult teeth.
Kids under three shouldn’t use more than a smear of adult toothpaste. From 3 to 6 years old, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is enough. However, if your kid has started developing permanent teeth, switching to an adult toothpaste with slightly less fluoride content is a good idea.
Start with a little fluoride content, so the kid’s teeth don’t feel too attacked at once. Then, slowly, the kid can start using adult toothpaste with an average amount of fluoride when the teeth get used to the fluoride and its reactions.
If your kid swallows toothpaste, they shouldn’t be using adult toothpaste. Adult toothpaste contains a lot of fluorides which can be harmful when swallowed in a large amount.
Does Flavor Have an Effect on Oral Hygiene?
Different flavors can affect your oral hygiene in different ways. However, the most essential ingredient in adult toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, and lack of fluoride can cause enamel decay leading to unhealthy teeth.
Whether your toothpaste is regular mint-flavored or odd flavored like oreo, cinnamon, bacon, etc., you should check the ingredients and find the fluoride content.
Wasabi-flavored toothpaste is good for controlling bacterial growth. However, it isn’t necessary with wasabi toothpaste as you never know if the amount of wasabi in the toothpaste is adequate or not.
The most common flavored toothpaste is charcoal. Charcoal toothpaste is famous for teeth whitening and acid neutralization. But it can be too harsh for your tooth enamel if you use it regularly.
Final Thoughts
Brushing your teeth with flavored toothpaste isn’t a bad idea as long as you use enough fluoride in your oral hygiene routine. It can be through fluoride toothpaste or fluoride mouthwash.
An inadequate amount of fluoride in your teeth can lead to severe problems and unhygienic oral health. Therefore, you should always check for fluoride in the ingredients of any toothpaste.
