Quiz: When Your Child Swallows Toothpaste

There’s nothing quite like the moment when your child fails to spit out the toothpaste in his or her mouth and instead swallows it. Or the moment you discover your child found a tube of toothpaste and thought it would make a nice snack. To help calm your nerves and guide you through this potentially alarming moment (though of course, your little angels might not ever do such a thing!), we offer help in the form of a dental care quiz.

Quiz Questions: True or False?

  1. True or False: We encourage you to avoid fluoridated toothpaste if you think your child might eat it. It’s not essential for good dental care until the teen years.
  2. True or False: If your child swallows the suggested serving of toothpaste on the packaging’s instructions, you don’t need to worry.
  3. True or False: If your child consumes more than the recommended amount of toothpaste, you may need to visit an ER or call poison control. Swallowing fluoride in large doses is dangerous.

Quiz Answers

  1. False. Fluoridated toothpaste is always important for children of all ages. This naturally occurring mineral provides a lot of safeguarding when it comes to keeping teeth strong, healthy, and free of cavities. Make sure it’s a part of your daily dental care and that of your child’s.
  2. True. A little bit of toothpaste isn’t going to cause a problem for your child. In general, this includes a smear of paste up to a pea-size amount.
  3. True. There’s no need to fret over a small amount of swallowed paste. However, a lot of fluoride can lead to digestion-related problems.