Door County parents might want to consider easing up on the toothpaste when brushing their child's teeth. According to a new survey from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), 38 percent of the nearly 1,700 children observed used too much toothpaste when brushing their teeth. Patti Sigl, a dentist at the Door County Medical Center dental clinic, recommended a very small amount of toothpaste until the child is able to spit it out on their own.
Too much ingested toothpaste can lead to a discoloration of a child's teeth, a condition known as dental fluorosis. Sigl recommends brushing your child's teeth immediately following the eruption of the first tooth, or by the age of 1 year old.