Dr. Louisa Ansong-Satekla, in her latest #ToothyTuesday web show, has demonstrated to people what the proper quantity of toothpaste they should use. The Ghanaian proficient Dental Specialist is known for her weekly oral hygiene education on her social media channels and other oral hygiene campaigns and activations.
“A pea-sized quantity of toothpaste on a soft bristle toothbrush is recommended for adults,” she explains. “For children or toddlers under the age of three, only one” smear “of toothpaste is required. This is to protect them from accidentally ingesting large amounts of fluoride toothpaste that is not intended for human consumption, “she continued.
Using more than a pea-sized quantity of toothpaste, according to Dr. Louisa, offers the most risk to children who do not yet have completely developed adult teeth. “This is because ingesting significant levels of fluoride can induce a cosmetic problem known as dental fluorosis on growing teeth,” she noted. “The visual consequences range from minor to yellow and brown stains to visible pits in the teeth.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Louisa stated in a brief talk that using too little toothpaste might be just as hazardous as using too much since your teeth would not receive the full protective properties of fluoride. “The issue with using too little toothpaste is that you may not have enough solvent to generate the bubbles that aid in cleaning, as well as enough fluoride to protect the teeth,” she adds.
Featured image credits/Courtesy of Dr. Louisa/Instagram
