That's interesting about your niece adjusting to the herbal rinse—I had a similar experience with my son. We tried a cinnamon-based rinse (no sweetness, just a mild spice), and at first he acted like it was torture, haha. But after a week or two, he actually started preferring it. Makes me wonder if kids' taste buds are more adaptable than we give them credit for... Have you noticed any other changes in her eating habits since switching rinses?
It's great that your son warmed up to the cinnamon rinse eventually—I see this a lot with kids in my practice too. They often surprise us with how adaptable they can be, especially when given some time and patience. I've noticed that once kids adjust to less sugary oral care products, they sometimes become less dependent on sweet flavors overall. It can subtly shift their palate toward healthier food choices... has anyone else seen this happen?
Funny you mention that... my daughter used to be obsessed with bubblegum-flavored toothpaste—like, seriously obsessed. When we switched to mint (because it was cheaper in bulk, haha), she acted like I'd betrayed her entire childhood. But after a week or two of drama, she actually started saying fruit juices tasted "too sweet" and asked for water instead. I thought aliens had swapped my kid overnight! So yeah, totally agree there's something to this palate shift thing—at least from my accidental experiment.
Haha, your daughter sounds exactly like my nephew—he was hooked on strawberry toothpaste for ages. When my sister finally switched him to mint, he acted like she'd committed some unforgivable crime. But honestly, I think you're onto something with the palate shift. After cutting back on sugary stuff myself, I noticed regular sodas started tasting way too sweet...like syrupy sweet. It's weird how quickly our taste buds adapt once we give them a chance. Maybe aliens are secretly behind it after all...
"After cutting back on sugary stuff myself, I noticed regular sodas started tasting way too sweet...like syrupy sweet."
I had the exact same experience. I recently switched to sugar-free gum (partly to save on dental visits—those can really add up), and now regular chewing gum tastes almost painfully sweet. It's surprising how quickly our taste preferences shift once we reduce sugar intake. Although, I'm not entirely convinced aliens are involved...but hey, better safe than sorry, right?
