Prophylactic dental care and braces are usually associated with pediatric dentistry, whereas kids’ mouth wash products play second fiddle. At least this was the general opinion until the British Medical Journal reported the case of a three year old child who ingested mint flavored mouth wash and briefly entered a coma. Although he recovered fully, his case caused parents the world over to pay closer attention to the kinds of mouth wash products they may have available and which they permit their kids to use. In the case of this child, the mouth wash was made up of 37% alcohol.
Parents, please make note that children under the age of six are usually not good candidates for mouth washes. Moreover, check on your child’s maturity level before permitting the use of a substance that must be spat out rather than swallowed. Last but not least, there should not be alcohol contained in your child’s mouth wash, even if they are sufficiently aware of how to gargle and spit out the substance.
That said, here is a list of the three best mouth wash products for kids.
Listerine Smart Rinse Anticavity Mouthwash for Kids
When it comes to mouth wash products for kids, nothing beats Listerine’s Smart Rinse. Granted, the 2007 recall of Cool Blue was a bit of a surprise, but the company is in the pediatric dentistry product market to stay and with this fluoride containing mouth wash, it is for certain that they will succeed. The main ingredient is sodium fluoride, a known anticavity substance that helps to protect teeth and also gums. Pediatric dentists agree that this is a crucial portion of pediatric dental care.
Tom’s of Maine Natural Cleansing Mouthwash
This is perfect for the older kids who do not care about the bubble gum flavor or the interesting cartoon character selling the product. It is for the purist who likes the idea of having a fresh feel of having a naturally cleansed mouth. This mouthwash it alcohol and sugar free; and as such it is also a good way of introducing younger kids to the idea of gargling and spitting. It does not contain fluoride and as such is not always highly recommended by pediatric dentists.
Dr. Fresh Firefly Mouth Swoosh
If your kids are the ones who love the whole idea of gum flavored mouth wash, and if they like to have a production made around the entire concept of oral healthcare, then the Firefly Mouth Swoosh is the product you want to know about. The cap will flash for 30 seconds to help the child time how long the oral rinsing should last. As soon as the cap stops flashing, it is time to spit. Since it is an anticavity fluoride rinse, it is perfect for the six and over set who is still working out the kinks of proper oral hygiene.
Sources: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1115472; http://www.listerinekids.com/smart-rinse.jsp; http://www.tomsofmaine.com/products/product-detail.aspx?id=19&name;=Natural%20Cleansing%20Mouthwash; http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Fresh-Swoosh-Fire-Fly-Bubble/dp/B000Q5VVXY/ref=sr_1_17/177-4693303-3933150?ie=UTF8&s;=hpc&qid;=1230359312&sr;=1-17
