I wish I could get my kid to stick to a pea-sized blob, but somehow it always turns into a toothpaste explosion. I get so nervous about the fluoride thing—my dentist warned me about “fluorosis” and ever since then, I triple-check the amount. But then again, my sister lets her kids use a bit more and their teeth are fine, so maybe I’m just overthinking it (wouldn’t be the first time).
We tried the “you squeeze, I guide” trick too, but I swear the tube has a mind of its own. The slow circles game is genius though—I might borrow that. Does anyone else worry about them swallowing the paste? I feel like half of it ends up in my kid’s stomach no matter what I do.
How do you handle all the mixed info from dentists and online? Some say a smear, some say a pea, and then there’s the “grain of rice” advice for toddlers... I’m always second-guessing myself.
I get what you mean about being overwhelmed by all the different advice. Honestly, I’m not convinced a little extra paste now and then is such a big deal, especially if your kid isn’t swallowing huge amounts every time. My dentist actually said the main thing is brushing technique, not obsessing over the exact size of the blob. We just stick with a tiny smear and focus more on making sure my kid spits it out and rinses well. It’s impossible to control every drop, so I try not to stress about it too much anymore.
