We have recently collaborated with our fellow New Zealand friends, Bobux, to educate our communities on the importance of kids' oral health and foot health. As two family-founded brands who strive to provide parents with eco-friendly, supportive options, we are proud to offer products that are safe and effective for our little ones. Read below for all you need to know on kids foot care from podiatrist, Anna Beetham.
There are some stunning kids’ shoes on the market - some so cute we’re imagining the little outfits we could make with them before our kids even try them on! We all love sparkles and mini-me booties, but the sad truth is that most of today’s kids’ shoes aren’t designed with the health of kids’ feet in mind.
As a podiatrist, I pay close attention to the footwear my patients are wearing. With toddlers, in particular, I see unsuitable shoes all too often. Shoes with little flexibility in the sole and forefoot area, a rigid structure or raised heels are a real concern with toddlers learning to walk as they can cause them to bounce and tip forward.
Depending on their stage of development, your child’s feet have their own unique footwear requirements. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to choose baby shoes for your little one's baby foot development.
At this developmental stage, children’s feet are super soft and chubby. Their bones have not begun to ossify, so they’re very pliable, delicate and vulnerable to damage if put into unsuitable shoes.
There isn’t really any need for shoes at this stage other than to protect baby’s feet from the cold, so your baby’s feet are best left barefoot as much as possible.
Shoe choice: For this stage of development, babies are best suited in a lightweight, flexible shoe with a smooth, seamless interior. This will keep their feet comfortable as they learn how to move without rubbing or hindering their foot development.
The Bobux Soft Sole range is perfect for babies at this stage of development. Made from breathable, flexible leather and suede, Soft Soles are more like a second-skin than a structured shoe - perfect for delicate feet!
Our prewalkeo.nz/soft-sole-baby-shoesr soft sole baby shoes come in sizes Newborn-Xtra Large, to keep those tiny little baby feet happy and healthy right up until they start to learn to walk.
Babies learning to walk with assistance
This is an exciting stage for children and parents alike. Your child has taken their first steps and they’re now propping themselves up on furniture as they cruise around the home. At this stage, the foot will be growing very quickly - up to two whole sizes (16mm) in a year! And gradually, the shape “l”of the fully grown foot will start to form. As a child spends more time on their feet, their soft cartilage will begin to ossify, turning into bone and bony tissue. So, there’s a lot of development taking place during this stage, so it’s important your child’s feet are free to develop naturally.
Shoe choice: Babies at this stage need shoes that are flexible, lightweight and durable that mimic the movement of barefoot walking. They should have a secure, functional and comfortable fastening system such as a strap closure that ensures the shoe stays on the foot and can be adjusted to your child’s unique foot shape.
The Bobux Xplorer range is the best shoe choice for this stage of development. Almost every piece of Bobux fabric and leather shoes for infants is crafted by hand before being lovingly assembled by expert shoe makers who care about the details. Shop our Xplorer range online today.
This stage of development is marked by your little one officially becoming an independent walker - even if they have a wobble now and then! As a first walker, your child’s feet are constantly changing and spreading in width. You’ll notice the features of their feet becoming more defined, although their bones aren’t yet completely ossified and their arches not yet developed.
Shoe choice: Now that they're spending most of their time on their feet, your child’s shoes will need to have added durability while still providing the flexibility needed for natural movement.Fastenings such as strap closures or zips are essential to making sure your child’s feet are secure and comfortable as they become more confident walkers.
The Bobux Step Up range is ideal for first walkers. Shop online for the best first walking shoes today,
By this stage, your child is enjoying a vast amount of activity - and they’re getting more confident by the day as they run and play at kindergarten or preschool.
Secondary bone centres that develop at around four years of age are now fusing, their ‘puppy fat’ is beginning to disappear and the arch of their foot is becoming more visible and functional. Their foot growth rate is beginning to slow, to one size increase (8mm) a year - which means they can wear their favourite shoes for longer!
Shoe choice: With stronger feet and a more rigorous range of activity, foot development in toddlers at this stage, need durable shoes that can withstand a battering! But beyond that, their feet are still developing so shoes need to be appropriate for your child’s foot type, shape and their activities. A secure fastening is important, and ideally, you’ll get them fitted for shoes regularly by a trained professional.
The Bobux I-Walk range are the best shoes for toddler foot development.
School-aged kids engaging in high-impact activities
Once they reach school, your child’s feet have begun to take on a mature adult-like shape. Their feet are much more dexterous and their arch is becoming more defined. Their feet are strong and lean, but it’s as important now as ever to make sure their development is being nurtured in a pair of healthy shoes.
Shoe choice: Kids are at play nearly all their waking hours. With this extreme level of activity, their shoes need to be seriously durable and protect their feet from the impact of hard surfaces. Even though it might seem like they have the energy and coordination of a professional athlete, it’s important to remember their feet are still developing, so their shoes need to be flexible and lightweight so their feet can move naturally.
The Bobux Kid+ range was designed specifically for older, active kids. Our range of cute shoes for kids for boys and girls cover styles for all seasons, trainers, boots, dress shoes, lace ups, sport shoes and summer sandals.
Taking a one-size-fits-all approach won't pay off when it comes to kids’ shoes. If you want to ensure their feet are healthy now and in the long-term, it’s crucial that you consider their stage of development when choosing shoes for your child. It’s not about what looks good or their age, it’s about their developmental stage and every child is different.
Having healthy feet is vital to a child’s development and unresolved problems can become major when they reach adulthood. If you are at all concerned about your child’s foot development, talk to a trusted podiatrist with paediatric experience.
Otherwise, the best thing you can do for your kids’ feet is let them go barefoot whenever practical, and make sure they’re wearing the right shoes for their stage of development.
]]>Did you know that Americans purchase roughly 600 million pounds of candy during the Halloween season? The candy aisle has grown extensively and around the holidays, some stores even designate an entire section towards sugary treats.
The Candy Industry recently released their 2021 most popular candy type, broken down by states in the US. Sour patch kids and Starbursts continue to lead in terms of popularity for a large number of states, with skittles being another popular choice in the ranking system. I mention this because the types of candy and sugar your child consumes during the Halloween season is important to understand in order to help prevent future dental problems.
In a previous article written, I offer parents different tricks this Halloween season that allow your little ones to enjoy their treats, but in an oral healthy fashion. In this blog, I explain that sorting through candy can be one of the most influential ways in reducing the risk for developing cavities through the holiday season. To explain even further, I have broken down which candies and treats are worst, better, and best for your child’s oral health.
Per the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), there are certain treats to avoid completely. Those “dangerously sweet” candies include: gummies, caramels, sour candies, and sugar-filled bubble gums. These treats are more likely to “stick” around for much longer than desired. Sticky, sugary, and those sour candies get trapped in the deep pits and grooves of teeth and provide the bacteria in our mouths a favorable environment for acid production. These acids are what contribute to the breakdown of the outermost layer of tooth surface (enamel), and before you know it, the cavity process has begun.
The next category of treats that are less scary in terms of leading to developing cavities (but should still be consumed in moderation) include items such as: milk chocolate, pretzels, and crackers. Chocolates tend to melt faster and do not have a tendency to linger on teeth, unless they are combined with caramels or other sticky ingredients. Pretzels and crackers are excellent substitutes to sour candies and gummies. While pretzels and crackers are still considered starchy foods and pose a potential risk for being caught between teeth, they are a much preferred treat option.
The absolute best candy choice for your teeth during Halloween is dark chocolate, because of its antioxidant properties. According to the AAPD, the antioxidants found in dark chocolate may even help with fighting against cavities and poor gum health.
Sugar-free gum is also a great option because it can help “pull away” the bacteria from the deep grooves of your teeth. Sugar-free gums that contain xylitol are even better at helping reduce the risk for developing cavities.
Non-candy alternatives are an excellent way to celebrate the Halloween season while giving away something fun and safe for kids’ teeth. Some popular non-candy alternative treats include: stickers, crayons or pencils, bubbles, play-doh, glow sticks, or other small items. This is also a way to support kids that have food sensitivities on a holiday that is so candy attractive. In addition, non-candy alternatives help distract kids from candy consumption and provide them with a nice surprise in their bucket once the monotony of candy being tossed inside wears off.
As a reminder, brushing twice a day and flossing nightly are good oral hygiene recommendations in general. However, during the Halloween season, these habits become even more important to enforce into your child’s routine. You may consider adding a fluoridated mouthrinse to their night time brushing routine. This can serve as added protection against the harmful bacteria and acid that form after eating sugar. Lastly, don’t forget to schedule your child’s routine dental visit. Hearing about tooth horror effects as a result of Halloween candy from someone other than yourself may be helpful in motivating your child to sort their candies to keep a healthy smile.
About the Author:
Kristen Cockrell, MS, RDH. Kristen is a Registered Dental Hygienist with a passion for preventive pediatric dentistry and oral health education. Kristen earned her master’s degree in dental hygiene education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
]]>But not to worry. After a quick google search on "choosy eaters", I have learned that “choosy eating” is related to kids learning to make decisions about their own eating habits and is even indicative of them showing some independence. This term is different from picky eaters, who often refuse particular foods at all times. Regardless of choosy or picky, there are tooth-friendly options for snacking and have some fun with your little ones trying them out.
While brushing and flossing are important parts of maintaining good oral hygiene, there are other factors that play a role in preventing cavities, and that is DIET and FREQUENCY! Let me explain this process. Our mouths harbor lots of good and bad bacteria and to simplify this for kids, we call the bad bacteria “sugar bugs”. When these sugar bugs interact with foods high in sugar and starch, a film of plaque forms on the tooth and begins to attack the outer enamel layer. Snacking on foods or liquids that contain high amounts of sugar and starch then creates an acidic environment in the mouth, causing the enamel to continue to weaken. The more snacking, the longer the acidic environment lasts and plaque continues to attack leading to demineralization of the enamel and cavity formation.
So this is where choosing tooth-friendly snacks becomes even more important for your growing toddler. Kids love to snack and could probably do it all day if we let them. But because the frequency of snacking plays a role in good oral health, look for snacks that won’t create an acidic environment leading to a higher risk for cavities.
These foods are high in Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps keep gums healthy and saliva flowing.
All of these snacks are high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps keep teeth and gums healthy by keeping the gum connective tissues strong. When this tissue is strong around the teeth, there is less chance for gingivitis, or bleeding gums.
Be cautious of snacks that are high in sugars and starches. Starches break down into sugars and should be offered as special occasion snacks rather than everyday go-to’s.
Snacks higher in sugar and starch content include:
If you introduce one (or some) of these tooth-friendly snacks to your toddler and they are hesitant the first time around, try again at another time or a later day. They may just be unsure at first and need time to decide on whether they like it or not!
Wishing all you moms and dads out there happy snacking and strong teeth! By choosing tooth-friendly snacks at an early age, you are helping set your toddler up for oral health success and good eating habits for their future. As always, remember that a good oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing at home plays a large role in a healthy smile. Parents are encouraged to help with brushing and flossing until the age of 9. Choosing oral health products, such as Grin's Oral Care Pack, and interactive tools, such as Kids' Brushing Challenge, you are helping make oral hygiene fun at home for you and your child.
About the Author
Kristen Cockrell, MS, RDH. Kristen is a Registered Dental Hygienist with a passion for preventive pediatric dentistry and oral health education. Kristen recently completed a master’s degree in dental hygiene education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
]]>When I first started practicing as a pediatric clinical dental hygienist, I did not have my son and knew very little about breastfeeding or how children’s oral health may be influenced by breast milk. After talking with a variety of mothers about their breastfeeding journey, I learned how every child’s needs are different and every mother’s routine of how they choose to nurse must be tailored to accommodate their baby. So, I began researching more about breastfeeding and how to encourage good oral health through the journey.
According to existing research, breast milk has not been epidemiologically associated with dental caries. 1-3 However, breast milk contains a sugar called lactose and 1 fluid ounce of breast milk contains roughly 2.1 grams of sugar, similar to many types of infant formulas. With that being said, the frequency of nursing is important to take into account when understanding how breastfeeding may impact your child’s oral health as well as the other foods and liquids your child is receiving (after six months of age).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mother’s exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months of life. After 6 months, it is recommended to provide your child with healthy, nutritious, solid foods in addition to breast milk for at least the first year of life. Infant tooth eruption typically begins around 6-8 months, meaning the frequency of nursing will not lead to dental decay if your child does not have teeth. With this being said, breastfeeding mother’s should not sacrifice nursing and feeding as often as their child desires because of fear of cavities when there are no teeth present. However, the American Dental Association encourages good oral health practices as early as a few days after your child is born. By wiping your child’s gums with a wet cloth after nursing or even breast milk bottle feeding, you are helping acclimate them to having someone’s fingers in their mouth at an early age. Additionally, by doing this you are helping remove the natural sugars that breast milk contains from the gums. Once your child’s first tooth erupts, begin introducing toothbrushing to remove those sugars.
The sugars that are naturally found in breast milk may interact with oral bacteria and lead to forming an acidic environment potentially resulting in an increased risk of developing cavities. Therefore once baby teeth have begun erupting, brushing away these sugars before your child falls asleep will help fight dental decay. Research has shown that breastfeeding more than 7 times a day after 12 months of age is associated with an increased risk of developing early childhood caries. 4 A one-year-old child is likely to have several teeth present meaning good oral hygiene practices and being mindful of their diet becomes even more important to help reduce the risk for developing cavities. A 1999 research study concluded that breast milk alone is not considered cariogenic (cavity-causing), rather breast milk in combination with a high sugar diet is considered to be highly cariogenic.5
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages nursing mothers to remove their breast from their child’s mouth once they have fallen asleep. By doing this, you are helping reduce the amount of unswallowed milk that could rest on their teeth (if present) while sleeping and lead to an increased risk for developing cavities. Beyond your child’s first year, limiting the frequency of breastfeeding to 7 times a day can also play a role in reducing the risk for cavities. Additionally, beyond the first year of life when more teeth become present, it is important to not allow your child to nurse or bottle-feed themselves to sleep or wake up throughout the night desiring breast milk. If this does occur, try keeping a wet cloth close by to wipe away the sugars that rest on the teeth and gums to help reduce the chances of early childhood caries.
Wrap-Up:
Using products such as Grin's baby silicone finger brush after nursing will help remove the naturally-occurring sugars contained in breast milk from your infant’s gums or teeth. For children with developing teeth, consider using Grin's toddler oral care set that comes with a natural toothpaste and sustainable toothbrush to help keep their smile healthy and free of cavities.
Sources:
About the Author
Kristen Cockrell is a Registered Dental Hygienist with a passion for preventive pediatric dentistry and oral health education. Kristen recently completed a master’s degree in dental hygiene education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
]]>Dental emergencies happen quickly and unexpectedly. It can be as simple as falling off a scooter, tripping up the stairs, or taking an elbow to the face while playing a contact sport. When these things happen, you will need to act quickly and calmly.
Will you be prepared if or when one occurs in your child? This article aims to give you an overview of common dental emergencies and their treatments. I’ll discuss with you management of cracked or broken teeth, avulsed (fallen out) teeth, and intruded or displaced teeth (teeth which have moved up into the gums or out of position due to trauma).
Prevention is Key
Wearing a mouth guard while playing contact sports can prevent many dental traumas. In fact, about 22,000 kids aged 18 and younger experience sports-related dental traumas each year. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourages the use of custom fabricated dental mouthguards while playing any contact or collision sports. Purchasing an over-the-counter sports guard may provide some protection but will not protect the teeth as well as one made by your child’s dentist.
For more information on sports mouth guards, speak to your child’s dentist.
Cracked or Broken Teeth
If a tooth is cracked or broken, the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dental Association (ADA) recommends rinsing the mouth with warm water and applying a cool compress to keep any swelling down. You should contact your child’s dentist or go to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.
The severity of the crack or break is the determining factor for which treatment is indicated. If the fracture extends into the nerve, treatment will be more extensive than for a fracture which is just enamel based. Evaluation by the dentist is a must to make this determination.
Avulsed Teeth
Tooth avulsion is when a tooth is knocked out of the tooth socket completely; treatment will depend on whether the tooth is permanent or primary.
If a primary or baby tooth is knocked out, do not reimplant it – this could affect the development of the permanent tooth underneath the gums. You can, however, take the tooth with you to the dentist when you present for evaluation of the injury.
When a permanent tooth is knocked out, reimplantation of the tooth should occur as soon as possible for the best long-term outcome of the tooth. According to the AAPD, a permanent tooth that’s been reimplanted within 20 minutes of injury stands the best chance for success. If you’re not able to safely reimplant the tooth at the site of injury, place the tooth in a storage medium like dairy milk or an ADA approved tooth preservation product and get to the dentist or emergency department right away for reimplantation there.
A word of note when handling the tooth, only pick it up by the crown – handling it by the root could contaminate it and should be avoided. Prompt evaluation by a dentist is necessary whether you reimplant the tooth yourself or have a professional do it.
Intruded or Displaced Teeth
An intruded or displaced tooth is one that has been pushed up inside the gums or moved out of position by a dental injury. For a full assessment of the damage, a dental x-ray is generally indicated to see if surrounding teeth have been affected by the trauma.
Again, treatment will be determined by whether the tooth is permanent or primary. If the affected tooth is a primary tooth, your child’s dentist may recommend extraction. For a permanent tooth, the treatment options will be discussed at length to determine the best outcome for your child.
Keep Your Cool and Keep in Mind
Keeping your cool during a dental emergency is not always easy, but the calmer you can stay for your child, the better. You will also want to assess your child’s overall health and check for other head injuries if a fall or hit to the face occurred.
If you do not have an established dental home for your child, now is a good time to find your child a dentist. This way you know who to contact in the event of an emergency and have someone to discuss sports guards options with if your child plays organized sports.
Being prepared for a dental emergency is your best defense.
About the Author
Katie Steger, BSDH — Katie is a dental hygienist and mom and the founder of @healthyteeth.fortots, an Instagram platform designed to provide early childhood oral health education and support to parents with dental anxiety. Katie is passionate about oral health education, the impact of nutrition on the developing dentition, and educating parents and families on strategies to make oral hygiene more accessible. Resources can be found on her website: www.KatieRDH.com
]]>According to the Health Navigator New Zealand, gingivitis is inflammation of the gum tissues surrounding the teeth. The primary cause of it is plaque – yep, that fuzzy, filmy stuff that builds up on your teeth throughout the day.
To put it simply, plaque is bacteria – a living biofilm in your mouth, that causes inflammation, bad breath, and bleeding when not removed daily and thoroughly. It can be found on your teeth, your gums, your tongue, your cheeks, and the roof of your mouth. It’s even present in your child’s mouth. Hard to believe, right?
Because children are susceptible to the same bleeding, inflammation, and bad breath caused by gingivitis, thorough removal of plaque each day is an absolute must for them! But how exactly do you help them do that? I’m going to break it all down for you in this article. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Floss First
For my patients who don’t floss regularly (or do so ineffectively), gingivitis is often found in the gums between their teeth. Why is this? Because toothbrushing alone is NOT enough to prevent gingivitis. It is simply not possible for the bristles of the toothbrush to extend between the teeth to remove plaque effectively.
Flossing is necessary to remove plaque from the sides of the teeth and under the gums between teeth. For a child aged 7 or younger, you’ll need to help with this step; to floss properly requires a lot of manual dexterity which children do not possess until they’re older.
Flossing should be done at least once a day, ideally at night before brushing the teeth. Why should it be done first? Flossing first removes the plaque build-up between the teeth allowing the protective ingredients in toothpaste to fizz up between the teeth and protect these sites. In my house, I’m a big fan of using Grin Kids biodegradable flossers to clean my 5 year old’s teeth. These picks are sturdy, environmentally friendly, and highly effective at plaque removal. When flossing, I like to keep a paper towel on hand to wipe the flosser off in between uses – this way I know I’m removing the plaque and not just moving it around from site to site.
Step 2: Brush Second
Now that you’ve removed plaque from between the teeth, you’ll need to clean it off the front and back surfaces of the teeth - that’s where toothbrushing comes into play. Plaque that collects at the gumline (the area where the tooth and the gum meet) is a recipe for gingivitis when it’s not removed daily, so you’ll want to make this an area of focus while brushing. To ensure proper removal of plaque, angle the toothbrush bristles 45 degrees down toward the gumline using small, gentle circles to break up the plaque. The New Zealand Dental Association has helpful demonstrations of this technique on their website.
I’m a big fan of using Grin Kids toothbrushes for brushing my little guy’s teeth. The bristles are soft, yet firm, and provide for thorough removal of plaque while still being gentle on his gums.
Now, I do want to give you a word of note here – if you don’t normally floss under the gums or brush your child’s teeth this way (with the bristles angled downwards towards the gums) you may notice bleeding the first few times you do it. This is likely due to bacteria living at and below the level of the gumline – as you clean these germs out, you should notice the bleeding become less and less over a period of days (it could take up to 7). If the bleeding does not subside fully after 2 weeks, see your child’s dentist.
Step 3: Use Mouthwash for an Older Child
Once your child reaches puberty, nearly 100% of kids will experience gingivitis. Why is this? It’s due to a number of things, including changing hormone levels, decreased brushing and flossing, and poor diet. If your child is a pre-teen or teenager, mouthwash can be used as an additional adjunct for killing the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Look for a rinse that contains the ADA seal of approval and specifically states it’s for killing the germs that cause gingivitis.
Step 4: Maintain Regular Dental Visits
Regular dental check-ups with a pediatric dentist will help ensure your child mouth’s is indeed staying healthy. What you may think is “normal”, may actually be gingivitis. In fact, studies have shown that by age 4 or 5, at least 50% of children have gingivitis. Your child’s dentist or hygienist can help you monitor their oral condition, and give you tailored advice to address what’s happening.
I would like to leave you with this kernel of wisdom before I go: healthy gums do not bleed. I’ve had plenty of patients (including adults!) that thought it was “normal” for their gums to bleed when they floss and brush – bleeding is neither normal nor healthy. When you notice bleeding, it needs to be addressed. Your dentist and hygienist can show you how.
About the Author
Katie Steger, BSDH, is a dental hygienist and mom and the founder of @healthyteeth.fortots, an Instagram platform designed to provide early childhood oral health education and support to parents with dental anxiety. Katie is passionate about oral health education, the impact of nutrition on the developing dentition, and educating parents and families on strategies to make oral hygiene more accessible. Resources can be found on her website: www.KatieRDH.com
]]>Brushing and flossing are important for the health of your child’s mouth, but did you know there are several different ways of accomplishing these important tasks? In fact, there are at least 8 different methods for brushing one’s teeth, and 3 different methods for cleaning between the teeth. Pretty mind blowing, right?
In this article, I’m going to break down some of the more popular and most effective toothbrushing techniques, as well as the best methods for flossing your child’s teeth. Let’s dive in!
But first, a little background:
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria which collects on all the surfaces of the teeth – it’s found on the tops, front-backs, and sides of each tooth. To ensure proper removal of this bacteria for prevention of dental decay, you’ll need to use a multi-step approach which includes brushing and flossing. Why both? Well, toothbrushing is only capable of cleaning the front-backs and tops of the teeth; flossing is necessary to clean the sides of teeth that touch together.
Floss First!
Ideally, floss before you brush. Why first? When you remove plaque between the teeth first, it allows the protective active ingredients in the toothpaste to foam up into these sites to strengthen the enamel there and prevent decay.
I like using Grin Kids biodegradable flossers in my house for their convenience and ease of use. I also love that they’re biodegradable, and strong; when my 5-year-old son practices the skill of flossing on his own he tends to snap the floss in between his teeth which has broken other brands of flossers in the past – not with Grin! I really like this because it reduces waste.
Once your child is older, about age 7 and up, they can start using string floss to clean their teeth. Because holding string floss properly requires a lot of manual dexterity, it’s not something a young child is capable of practicing on their own before this time. To make the floss easier to hold while first starting out, tie the ends of the floss together to form one large circle – this is helpful until a child learns to wrap the floss around their fingers.
How Do I Floss Properly?
The American Dental Association has really helpful videos, as well as diagrams, to demonstrate the proper technique. Essentially, you want to hug the floss around the curved part of each tooth’s side, extending the floss under the gums into the sulcus (it’s a space between the tooth and the gum). A word of note here: if you do not typically extend the floss under the gums, you may notice bleeding the first few times you do it! This will subside after about 7 days of daily flossing as the bacteria causing the bleeding is cleared out.
Pro Tip: after you floss in a spot, check the floss! If there is visible plaque or food debris on it, wipe it off using a paper towel or move to a new piece of floss (if using string floss); then floss that same area again until the floss comes out clean. This helps to ensure you’re actually removing bacteria and not just moving it around to a new site.
Brushing Methods
The most popular method of toothbrushing is by far the Bass method, also known as sulcular brushing, for its ability to clean down in the sulcus to remove plaque.
The technique involves:
Another popular method, which is frequently recommended for children learning to brush independently due to its simplicity, is the Fones or Circular Brushing technique.
This technique involves:
Watching the video demonstrations linked above will give you the most concise overview of exactly how to hold the toothbrush and move the bristles to aid in plaque removal.
Regardless of which method you use, when cleaning the chewing surfaces of the teeth, it’s advised to use a vibrating wiggle motion to clean down in the nooks and crannies of the tooth grooves to remove debris and prevent decay.
Which Method Is Right for My Child?
Grin Kids toothbrushes are adept at either method of plaque removal due to their compact brush heads and super soft bristles, which are more tolerable in smaller mouths. If you’re wondering which method is best to use for your little one, consider their age. If you’re still helping, Bass is best since it provides the most effective degree of plaque removal; if you’re trying to teach your older child how to brush independently, the circular method is a good start.
Remember that this is a journey because tooth care is for a lifetime. If your current toothbrush or flossing method isn’t working for you or your child, it’s okay to switch it up!
Happy brushing and flossing, my friends!
About the Author
Katie Steger, BSDH, is a dental hygienist and mom and the founder of @healthyteeth.fortots, an Instagram platform designed to provide early childhood oral health education and support to parents with dental anxiety. Katie is passionate about oral health education, the impact of nutrition on the developing dentition, and educating parents and families on strategies to make oral hygiene more accessible. Resources can be found on her website: www.KatieRDH.com
]]>I am unashamedly one of those moms who firmly believes in creating routine and structure for my son Milo. And I am not talking about becoming a militant mom. Not at all. It is less about sticking to the schedule step by step, hour on hour, rather more about creating a sense of familiarity and consistency for our little ones, more especially when it comes to bedtime.
If you do not already believe in a bedtime routine, trust me it will help you gain back your sanity. Just like most parents my husband and I struggled initially when it came to brushing teeth at bedtime. Milo sprouted his first tooth probably round about 10 months and I jumped at the opportunity to start him on brushing. How I wish I had known about Grin Natural back then. Lesson number one; the choice of toothpaste does matter! With Milo the first toothpaste we ever tried was way too strong for him even though it said ‘for babies’ and organic, and then any subsequent toothpaste became a nightmare to introduce. It is all about the toothpaste people! Fast forward to Grin Natural and boy do we have a winner. Whether it is the strawberry or orange flavour it is never a struggle. The hard part is choosing which one to use on the night.
So, let us jump into bedtime routines and some tips which I have found works for our family and hopefully will prove useful for yours as well.
Create a flexible schedule. Flexible does not mean something will not be done, rather more that it can be switched around. That way you will not stress yourself out if something is not exactly to a particular time. Trust that it will get done but maybe not in that specific order. Is it really that bad if they eat in their PJ’s or eat before they bath or brush their teeth before they put on their PJ’s? Not, right?
Kids want to feel involved and be part of the process, so try outlining a schedule with them. We asked Milo what he would want to do at night. Then we wrote down what we felt was necessary and then talked through which activities were necessary and which were more for daytime. It made him feel so included. Talking through what will happen each night prepared him mentally for things and made him feel more comfortable.
Introduce complimentary activities and keep it simple. For instance, we chose brushing and flossing. Immediately after Milo brushes, he reaches for his floss. In his mind these go together. Also, he has come to understand that once he flosses it is probably closer to bedtime and a book, so he’s less likely to ask for a late-night snack which then defeats the purpose of flossing. I would advise against introducing too many activities at night. It is exhausting for all.
Create a sense of independence and play. We let Milo put on his own toothpaste. Yes, he messed a bit at first, or squeezed too much out, but that was okay. When our kids do something for them-selves they feel a sense of accomplishment.
Make it fun and introduce a bed-time song or video. I speak about toothbrushing songs in one of my earlier blogs titled 5 Toothbrushing songs to make brushing fun for your child and you! A song can make all the difference especially when they see their favourite character doing it and it will also help your little start getting into the routine of brushing for at least 2 minutes as opposed to rushing the activity.
Lead by example. It helps to participate in the activity with your child at least in the beginning. If they see that mom and dad are using the same toothpaste brand as them and doing the same routine at night, they buy into the plan quicker. Plus, a family that brushes together has no cavities together 😊
Introduce a rewards and recognition system. Praise goes a long way. If ever in doubt 1-2-3 Grin! Kids Oral Care Set is amazing. It has a starter brush, floss, and stickers. Thereafter you can even start creating your own reward system as they get older.
Have downtime. After it is all said and done, have at least one activity your child knows will close off their evening. For us that is generally reading a book. Grin Kids Brushing Pop Book is a favourite in our home. It even has a built-in floss so your child can experiment on the character itself. But it also becomes a great teaching and reinforcement moment as well.
Bedtime routines do not need to be tiresome or time-consuming. For me I have chosen to also let go a bit and enjoy the valuable time we have with Milo. Occasionally one or two activities fall off the routine and that is okay, but if using a great oral care range such as Grin, eating healthy meals, limiting sweets or chocolates and explaining to your child the importance of looking after their teeth, it all works out well in the end.
About the Author
This blog was written by Grin’s passionate brand advocate and career mom Jess Mason. Jess is hugely interested in health, fitness, and living an organic and preservative free lifestyle. She loves sharing stories of her family and her son Milo. She can be found on her Instagram page @jessmason911 where she posts updates on her family life, Grin experiences, travels and settling into New Zealand as her new home. We are super excited that Jess will be also sharing her own mom experiences, learnings, and knowledge with our Grin community. It’s going to be fun!
On most days it can be a struggle just to get your little one to brush their teeth in the morning. Now imagine having to reinforce this for twice a day as is recommended by dental practitioners. Not an easy task I know but so important when you are trying to raise a healthy child with good habits. I have come to realise with my little boy Milo that new activities, tasks or chores are so much easier to engage in when they are fun, and especially when we can do them together. And brushing teeth is no exception.
We found The 1-2-3 Grin! Kids Oral Care Set to be an amazing gift for Milo. It allowed us to introduce flossing as part of a fun rewards program, as I realised the sooner, I could get him into this activity the less resistance I would encounter down the line. As a mom it’s been great to see how interested he has become in flossing and with his very own Grin Kids Brushing Pop Up Book it has made the whole experience less scary as well because we got to experiment on the character in the book first. After every meal he wants to rush off to floss. I guess I am doing something right.
When it is fun your child becomes more involved and introducing music into this routine makes it even better. So, it’s no surprise that one of our favourite fun activities is listening to songs while we brush. Below are some of our family favourites. I found these songs great because even when we’re not brushing our teeth, we can also watch them together and go through the actions.
“Party Mouth” from Sesame Street is amazing.
This song is one of Milo’s favourites. We find ourselves dancing and singing to it even when we are not brushing our teeth because the lyrics are catchy and upbeat. Two minutes feel like they fly by but I also particularly like this song because it emphasises brushing your tongue, so it teaches beyond just brushing the teeth alone but taking care of your entire mouth.
“The Tooth Brushing Song - The Tooth Brushing Badge” from Hey Duggee Series 3 - Hey Duggee.
If your child watches the Duggee Series, then they are sure to enjoy this brushing song. I love how it breaks down brushing step-by-step for your child and why brushing is so important from preventing tooth decay, and yellow teeth and staying healthy. And Duggee mentions at the start of the song that we will be brushing for 2 minutes. There you go – the expectation has been set! It’s also a great song to start introducing your little to a reward system and you could give them a toothbrush badge each week or month.
“This Is the Way We Brush Our Teeth, Nursery Rhymes” from LittleBabyBum! | ABCs and 123s
Your little one will be sure to love this song and it emphasises brushing twice a day, in the morning and evening if we want sparkly white teeth. The words are simple especially for much younger kids.
Brush Your Teeth, Kids Songs, Super Simple Songs” from Super Simple Monsters.
This song is catchy, and easy for the little ones to remember. It’s also good in that it encourages brushing morning and before bedtime and even says that brushing is so much fun.
“Brush Your Teeth” from KidsTV123.
I found this song particularly great for smaller kids. The words are repetitive to enforce the action of brushing, but it immediately highlights that brushing is important for good clean teeth and a great smile and that brushing every day will help you eat better and keep your teeth happy. Such a fun happy song!
I hope you enjoy these toothbrush songs. Happy brushing family!
About the author
This blog was written by Grin’s passionate brand advocate and career mom Jess Mason. Jess is hugely interested in health, fitness, and living an organic and preservative free lifestyle. She loves sharing stories of her family and her son Milo. She can be found on her Instagram page @jessmason911 where she posts updates on her family life, Grin experiences, travels and settling into New Zealand as her new home. We are super excited that Jess will be also sharing her own mom experiences, learnings, and knowledge with our Grin community. It’s going to be fun!
]]>Brushing our little one’s teeth twice a day is the number one way to reduce the risk of tooth decay, but what else can we do to keep our children’s chompers in optimum health? Here’s 5 tips to help to help keep nasty tooth decay at bay.
As with anything worth doing in life, the sooner you can practice and instill good habits, the easier and more beneficial it becomes long term. Once your child hits the two-year mark, encourage them to have a go at brushing their own teeth and get them to kick-start the exercise each morning and evening from here on. Of course, you should stay with them during this and give their teeth an extra brush after to make sure they’ve covered all their teeth. Continue to supervise until the good habits are formed and you’re satisfied they can manage the task on their own.
Parents often ask, ‘at what age should I start flossing my child’s teeth?’ A simple rule; as soon as your little one’s teeth begin to come in contact with each other – usually around the 2-3-year mark. At this stage, it becomes a lot easier for pesky food particles to get caught between the teeth and foster the growth of bacteria and the development of plaque. If you’re not sure whether it’s at the stage where it’s needed, ask your dentist for advice.
Your child should visit the dentist any time after their first tooth appears (and ideally before their first birthday). From here, the sooner you can make the dentist part of their routine, the more fuss-free it should become. We know the dentist trip can be a daunting one, even for us big kids, and keep in mind the first encounter your child has with the dentist can leave a lasting impression. So, to make it as enjoyable and comfortable as possible, start by picking out a friendly dentist who’s good with kids and secondly, give your kid a heads-up on what to expect. Let them know they’re going to visit the tooth fairy’s assistant who just wants to have a look at their teeth and give them a special clean.
Your child’s diet is just as important as brushing their teeth. Dentists often say our mouth is a reflection of what we eat, and we all know that eating high sugar foods such as cakes, lollies, dried fruit and fruit juice increases the chance of decay. This is because sugar is converted by the bacteria in our mouths into acid, which attacks tooth enamel and ultimately can result in cavities. Create fun healthy snacks such as fresh fruit kebabs or cookie-cutter shaped sandwiches with your kids and use this as an opportunity to help them understand which foods your teeth likes and which ones aren’t so friendly.
One of the best ways to keep your child’s teeth in great health and reduce the risk of tooth decay is to get them enthusiastic about daily dental hygiene. Let’s be honest, tooth brushing probably doesn’t sit at the top of your child’s list of favourite activities, but there’s plenty of ways to make it more fun. Get them to help choose the toothpaste and toothbrush they want to use. Make the process fun by “looking for treasure behind the teeth” or by having some music or an animated kid’s teeth cleaning video on in the background.
Grin offers a great range of 100% natural toothpaste and fun, eco-friendly toothbrushes to help motivate kids to brush their teeth daily.
]]>We teamed up with Kidspot to find out what kids and their parents thought of Grin 100% natural kids toothpastes. See what they had to say!
Thank you for the opportunity to review this product. We received the orange toothpaste. My 2 (nearly 3 year old) liked the toothpaste, which is great as I can’t convince him not to swallow the toothpaste and this doesn’t seem as bad to swallow! He calls it the ‘tiger toothpaste’, I think he likes the packaging! My 4 year old daughter tried the toothpaste and declared she didn’t like it – however she is very fussy and hard to please! So that perhaps doesn’t say much… I’ll be interested to try the strawberry flavour, hopefully she will like that!
My four-year old son was very excited when we received the Grin toothpaste orange flavor. The color and graphics are very enticing to my kid. We readily went ahead to try it. At first, he thought it was sour because of the fact that it is orange flavor but he was so delighted when it was actually a bit sweet and not nasty at all! I actually had a taste of it to make sure
The fact that it is all-natural, I believe that Moms like me will really love their children to use it.
We were lucky enough to be chosen to review this product and I’m so glad we did! For a long time we have searched for a natural toothpaste that the kids all like the taste of. The orange flavoured Grin is just that product. All 3 kids (aged 4,5&8) were excited to try the new tiger toothpaste when it arrived. I like that the packaging appeals to boys and girls and that the product suits all ages rather than needing multiple tubes. The gel consistency was nice…not too thick. This product gets the big thumbs up in our house. It satisfies my requirement for a natural product and keeps the kids happy with the great flavour and fun tiger pictures. Thanks Grin and Kidspot!!
Thank you so much to GRIN and Kidspot for the chance to review to amazing Orange Grin Natural Toothpaste. My 3 children – Aged 1, 3 and 4 all thoroughly enjoyed using this toothpaste. They loved the taste and I loved that it didn’t make too much excess froth, keeping tooth brushing time nice and clean.
I love that it’s 100% all natural and contains no nasties. The graphics on the packaging were adorable too. I can’t wait to purchase the strawberry flavour in our next shop for the children to try. Thank you!!
This arrived at the perfect time as we had just run out of toothpaste and couldn’t find any natural toothpastes at out local supermarkets.
My children (2 and 3year olds) loved the strawberry flavour and I loved that there were no nasties in it as my 2 year old isn’t very good at spitting or rinsing.
We will definitely be purchasing again and I’m going to try the adult one too.
my 2 year old loves it!!!! as soon as she saw the packaging, she rushes to grab her toothbrush!! Her favourite dinosaur and favourite flavour strawberry!! Kept on asking more more more!! She has been brushing twice a day and each brushing session she would request for more toothpaste!! I love how it is natural and not needing to rinse afterword!! Thank you
We were sent the Orange flavoured Grin toothpaste to try. Miss 3 was super excited. We currently use the minty Spiderman toothpaste and she isn’t a huge fan of the mint which makes it hard to get her to brush her teeth. I brought her a tooth timer to try and make it fun but even then it’s a struggle, so we were both delighted to receive the Orange flavour as citrus fruits are her favourite. We both tried it, I liked how the toothpaste was clear with no artificial colouring. I thought it tasted quite pleasant and miss 3 thought it tasted like lollies, so that was a definite win. It didn’t seem to lather up as much as other toothpastes, but I understand that’s a good thing. Miss 3 no longer argues with me about brushing her teeth, so that is a definite win in this house. I also love how it’s made up of natural things and no nasties.
Thanks for the opportunity to try something new, we will definitely be buying this from now on, especially as miss 5 months is about to start the teeth brushing journey too (3 teeth eek).
We would have LOVED to trial this toothpaste. I have recently seen an article about all the nasties that go into most kinds of toothpaste on the market (some even use a popular brand as mice/rat killer & it is actually effective) SCARY
So because new found knowledge about most toothpaste, our family are looking for a natural alternative toothpaste. Your GRIN toothpaste looks as thought it would be FANTASTIC. Reading all the brilliant reviews above it would appear to be an absolute hit with both parents and children alike. Looking forward to trying it out
Both kids (1 & 4 years) LOVED the orange flavour Grin toothpaste we were sent to trial. Minimal froth made for less spitting.
We had this sitting next to another brand and the kids choose Grin every time! We have since thrown away the other brand.
Will be buying Grin toothpaste in the future!
Thankyou very much for the opportunity to review Grin toothpaste, we trialled the orange flavour.
I absolutely loved the texture of this toothpaste! Very appealing to me is the fact the toothpaste creates very minimal froth/foam…with other toothpastes my daughter spends so much time spitting it out when it foams too much in her mouth!
Unfortunately my daughter dis not like the orange flavour and likened it to the taste of medicine. I too dis not enjoy the flavour.
I love the natural product list in this toothpaste!
I would be very eager to try this toothpaste in another flavour but unfortunately would not purchase the orange.
Thank you again
We received the Strawberry Grin toothpaste, and my kids love it they are brushing more its fantastic! I love that it is all natural, The taste is great not to sweet or hot like some brands. It is a little runnier than the usual tooth paste but once you know that you are more careful.
Iv tried everything to get my 6 and 5 year olds to brush there teeth character toothbrushes and tooth pastes but I think its just boiled down to this one is a nice flavour not so over powering and it doesn’t foam up as much as others. I defiantly will be changing to this brand for the kids!
thank-you for choosing us to review the Strawberry Grin. My son is 21 months and sometimes a bit reluctant to brush his teeth, especially in the morning. The strawberry flavour seemed much more popular with him than the mint one we were using before. He is much happier to brush his teeth and will let me brush them for longer, so it’s a winner in my eyes! I love that it is an all natural and sugar free product and will be buying Grin next time we need toothpaste
Firstly I loved the packaging, simple, says what it needs to say, not full of marketing gobbledygook. I brushed my teeth with it first, I try everything the kids try and loved it. My teeth actually felt clean. Kids thought it was nice they liked that it wasn’t minty and actually wanted to brush their teeth longer. It didn’t foam which the kids were disappointed with the first time but it actually seemed to make it easier for them to brush their teeth with with no foam. The orange flavour wasn’t sickly, just the right amount. A big hit in our household
Thanks for giving is the chance to try the Orange flavour!
Firstly it was such a hit with my daughter, she wasn’t to sure to begin with as the packaging looked a little different to the “normal” but once she tried it, it defiantly became the favourite.
I personally liked how compared to other toothpastes in the natural category it wasn’t grainy and it didn’t taste foul so winning to me!
It is defiantly something I will be buying again once its empty!
Our daughter has a love-hate relationship with brushing her teeth. Whilst she often loves chewing the brush, she doesn’t really like the minty flavour of the ‘traditional’ strong minty toothpastes. Because of this a battle often ensues to get her to clean her teeth rather than just play with the brush. This is why we were so so excited to trial the Grin toothpaste. We were lucky enough to receive the orange flavour (our daughter hates strawberry flavoured things).
The toothpaste didn’t look as I expected. Used to the more ‘traditional’ pastes, the clear gel was a bit of a surprise. However, we carried on- but I have to say I did wonder what effect it would have. The first time our daughter tentatively put the toothbrush in her mouth she also looked unsure, however, very quickly she realised that she really really liked this new toothpaste. ‘Yum- more’ she exclaimed as she swallowed the lot hole and proffered me the brush! Thank goodness that Grin is all natural with no nasties- I was reassured that whilst not ideal, at least this wouldn’t be doing her any harm (unlike some other brands).
As for the clean, we have been very impressed. I was under the impression that some of the other brands had the monopoly on a good clean. However, this toothpaste is really thorough, without being too foamy or harsh. As our daughter loves the taste, it is also far easier to get her to clean her teeth- such a win especially at bed time!
So overall, I have been really impressed with this toothpaste. The clean, the flavour and the fact that it doesn’t contain nasties are all huge selling points when coming up against some of the other major toothpaste brands. We will definitely be buying this again, and would recommend it to any parent struggling to get their child to clean their teeth.
Thank you for the toothpaste to review! We received the strawberry flavour and as far as first impressions I was very impressed. The packaging was clear and fun! I love the fact that it is all natural (and this is the first natural toothpaste we have tried) and I don’t need to worry about miss 2 swallowing any as she’s not the greatest at spitting. Miss 2 loved it and each night will ask for her ‘new toothpaste’ so it’s fair to say it’s been a hit with her. She’s also spent longer brushing her teeth which is an added bonus.
I have 2 girls, aged 5 and 1, who have been putting this toothpaste to the test! The results? They’ve been asking for the strawberry stuff and doing their teeth for the proper length of time! The taste is good, smell good but the non-colour has made it hard for the 5 year old to see how much is on her toothpaste sometimes though. Otherwise, it’s a toothpaste they want again!
Kia ora
Thank you for the opportunity to trial the Orange Grin.
As a parent I am thrilled that there is no nasties which makes it ok for their little tummies, because lets face it my kids suck at spitting! So are definitely swallowing toothpaste most days.
Packaging was clear, exciting and had enough information.
Both girls enjoyed brushing their teeth although miss 3 said her teeth don’t taste clean, I have wondered if this is because she has come to expect that minty freshness?
I like with all things had a try before I offered it to my kids and found the product sweet to taste. The texture got me good and i over squeezed for its consistency expecting it to be thicker.
I would happily purchase again because the kids enjoy it.
Thank you for the opportunity to trial this product. I have been keen for a while to switch to a natural toothpaste. Our two year old was sad that it wasn’t bubbly and our four year old didn’t like the strawberry flavour so they were both really unenthusiastic to keep using it. I will persist and also buy another flavour before giving up. I am happy with ingredients and convenience of buying at supermarket.
Both of my girls love receiving products to try so once they knew there was a new toothpaste in the house they were so eager to finish dinner and get to brush there teeth.
The packet it comes for is bright and exciting and they loved the tiger on the box. The box itself gives a lot of information but both girls were just ‘come on mum’. The first thing we noticed is the toothpaste is clear which I have to say we have never come across before. It was also more runnier then we are used too. My oldest daughter actually ended up spitting it out and saying that it tasted like mint and lemon and its freaky because its clear. My youngest loved it and uses it all the time.
Would we buy again possibly but in all honesty it is easier to buy a toothpaste they both will use so probably not. But my youngest is enjoying it.
We received the strawberry toothpaste. Firstly I would have to say the packaging on this is great. My 3 year old son was interested in the dinosaur the packaging. The packaging is bright cheerful and not cluttered.
I didnt tell my son what flavour the toothpaste was and just let him brush his teeth to see what he would think. He told me its was strawberry and could he have more so he brushed his teeth twice! Which is pretty good because although he likes to brush his teeth, how good he is at doing it Im not so sure.
It didnt seem too foamy and being all natural Im not concerned if he swallows any. I liked that it was clear so no colouring added to it. It did come out a bit fast which I wasn’t prepared for.
We will keep going with it and see how he goes but I think so far its a good product. I think if you have a child who doesn’t like brushing teeth and doesn’t like the minty flavour of most toothpastes this would be a good option.
Kids have loved reviewing this product, we got home from school and it was waiting for us. The kids were so excited
they went and brushed their teeth straight away! The even spent ten minutes in there! We received the strawberry flavour so was a definite hit with both the kids.
It’s very runny – so got messy when they tried to put it on the toothbrush.
Doesn’t have bubbles – which 3 year old liked but not my 7 year old.
Packing is a nice matte texture.
Natural so i feel happy with the kids using this product.
The best part is my 3 year old actually wants to brush her teeth with this so we will definitely be purchasing this again.
wow my child loves this Orange flavoured toothpaste, he keeps walking us into the bathroom to show us that he wants it and to brush his teeth again.
Mr 2 was very excited when it came in the post and he got to open it, as a mum i will be buying this product as is so happy to brush his teeth and I love the fact that is natural.
Thank you for letting us try this product, you now have new customers.
Thanks for the chance to review! We received our orange flavoured grin toothpaste and have tried it on our 2 year old for a few days now. At first he was a little unsure of the flavour (I think orange takes some getting used to in a toothpaste) but now makes no fuss about brushing his pearly whites. I think Bubs is probably eating a lot of the toothpaste but as it is 100% natural I’m not too concerned. I also tried the orange flavour out (in the interests of research, of course!) and can report that it is quite pleasant – more runny than the average adult toothpaste. The packaging is also attractive and kid friendly. I’m considering buying the strawberry flavour for Bubs to try out as well once he is finished with the orange.
Our little girl, who is three and a half, likes brushing the teeth. She always asks for new toothbrush and toothpaste, and now she has got three to choose from. She was very excited to receive the orange flavour one, there are not that many toothpastes of this flavour. The packaging is definitely eye catching and children friendly, it’s easy enough to get the toothpaste out, even for our wee one. Our girl always reaches for Grin toothpaste now since we got it. She says it tastes yummy (but she is not swallowing it of course) . Although even if she was I wouldn’t be too concerned knowing the ingredients are all safe with no nasties. I would 100% recommend this one, and most probably will buy again, just different flavour this time. Thank you.
I have always used natural toothpastes for my four year daughter. She was using a Red Seal toothpaste but it was under protest as she didn’t really like the flavour. We tried the orange Grin toothpaste and she was quite happy to use it and said it tasted yummy so that is a big plus for us. The Red Seal is now in the back of the cupboard. The only negative is that, at least when the tube is full, it is easy to squeeze out too much as we found out the hard way when I let her squeeze her own which she can usually do very capably. I think the consistency could benefit from being adjusted a little. We will consider purchasing this in the future as it tastes great and we love the ingredient list.
Our household currently natural toothpaste, so it is great that there is a brand for kids that is natural too, as I am concerned with what can be in some products.
The packaging was great and had a nice matt texture. I was pleasantly surprised that the colour of the toothpaste was clear as for some reason i was expecting bright red toothpaste.
My son loved the flavour, although dad did not really enjoy the flavour. I liked it but given a choice I prefer the more plain, minty or lemony flavours. i also found that because it was quite a runny texture it did come out of the tube quite fast.
It was also a bonus that when brushing my sons teeth because of the clear texture and colour it did not create lots of foam, which i think he was happy about.
The real bonus for me is that is a natural toothpaste and second that it was a flavour my son liked, so would definitely purchase again.
The moment I unwrapped the Grin Strawberry Toothpaste both my girls wanted to brush their teeth, which made me happy with their enthusiasm, unfortunately they were still eating breakfast at the time. But on it did come time to brushing their teeth they loved using the Grin toothpaste and my three year old loved the flavour so much she wanted more. It’s definitely great that it makes them want to brush their teeth. It’s not foamy like others we have used, I guess that’s just part of the natural ingredients that have been used. I also absolutely love that it’s New Zealand made.
Thank you for allowing us to review the grin toothpaste!
From two kids who don’t like me going near their teeth without a scream to them seeing a strawberry toothpaste and took their tooth brushes and brushed and then allowed me to brush them. They are now reminding me to brush their teeth!!! Really good!!
I have already switched over me and my husband and I would love to get the opportunity to try it for my kids. All natural is always the best!
My daughter was very excited to try this toothpaste. She loves the flavour and straight after the first use, I caught her sneaking the tube away to brush her teeth again! I’m impressed with the fact that there are no nasties in the product. A lot does come out of the tube at once as its a runnier formulation than we are used to and my daughter is such a fan that the only problem with this product will be making it last! Thanks Grin. Winners are Grinners!
We received the ORANGE Grin toothpaste and the kids love it! i wasn’t sure how the were going to go with it after taking away their usual one but both my daughter 6 and my son 4 love it i have tried it also and has a great flavour without the sickly sweetness of their normal toothpaste! will def be purchased again and cant wait to try the other flavour!!
We got our Strawberry Grin toothpaste the other day and my 1 year old absolutely loves it( also helps that he loves strawberries). He has actually been letting me brush his teeth which he normally doesn’t. Love that it is natural as well. We will definitely be buying this toothpaste.
Thanks for letting us to try this product.
We received strawberry one. My 4yr old son loved the flavour and has become very keen on brushing. But my 23mth old son still fight over brushing (he bites his toothbrush and doesn’t let me brush his teeth properly). Is the flavour sooo good that he wants to eat it??
Thanks for letting us try this new toothpaste, it was a success in this household Mr 4 loved it from the second he saw the box (loves dinosaurs) and was a lot more excited to brush his teeth than he normally is! Was a winner with the 1 year old as well and the info sheet that came with it was great too.
Our 6yo couldn’t wait to try our Grin Orange Flavour that arrived. We have used it a couple of days now and both 6yo and 2yo love it. I was rather surprised the 6yo liked it as she quite likes mint toothpastes. She says this tastes like between liquorice and blue jelly beans and she loves it! Miss 2yo whom I struggle to brush teeth for is a happy participant now and keeps asking to “try” – hehehe. I love the fact that this is all natural and I don’t have to worry when miss 2yo doesn’t want to rinse after brushing. Will definitely be buying this and recommending to other mums!
Thank you for the orange grin toothpaste. First my four year old brushed his teeth and said it’s yum. Then I brushed my 11 month olds teeth and he didn’t mind it. I like the fact that’s it’s all natural and i am happy using this product for my children. Will definitely purchase in the future and recommend it to others with children.
With a tiger on the tube of toothpaste this was the best and fastest way to get my 4 year old son to brush his teeth. I told him he now had tiger teeth that needed cleaning.
I must say that the toothpaste is quite runny compared to other brands of toothpaste, this may cause children to use too much and the tube will be finished much quicker than expected. It took use to getting very little froth, but I see this as a good thing as it means its 100% natural.
Here’s the review from my 7 year old son: Yum, well it tastes alright to start with, but each time it gets yummier and yummier. I like the tiger on the front. It’s easy for me to squeeze out all by myself”.
I will definitely be buying this again, and our while family are using it, as I rather like it myself.
SO happy when I received the orange flavour yesterday and my kids try it straight away for brushing at night time. My 6 and 4 years old found Grin really different with the other toothpaste they used to. It doesn’t produce lots of soda like other toothpaste. My 2 years old love the toothpaste and brushing his teeth is so much easier. I try Grin toothpaste as well of course and love the feeling of squeaky clean on my teeth. The fact that GRIN is all natural makes this the winner in my opinion, definitely recommended this product for our young ones
We received the strawberry Grin toothpaste yesterday. I didn’t even knew I was selected to review this amazing product. Our 3 year old was there when the package arrived & couldn’t wait to see what inside. When I opened the package for him told him what it was . He got very excited to try it want to try then & there. He loves his new toothpaste.
That night brushing his was breeze . In morning he surprised me by saying he wants brush his teeth. Before if we said it’s teeth brushing time. Answer was big No most of the time. But not any more Thanks to Grin toothpaste.
He loves strawberry flavour.
As a mum I love the fact that grin toothpaste is made 100% natural ingredients & doesn’t contain any sugar or add artificial flavours or no harsh abrasive.
Even dad loves the new toothpaste when he accidentally try it thinking it was adult toothpaste.
Really appreciate the opportunity to review this amazing product that made in New Zealand.
Also very thankful to make our teeth brush time fun & hassle free.
I will buy grin toothpaste again in future. Also will recommend great GRIN toothpaste to everyone.
Whoop whoop whoop yahoo didn’t even know I was on the trial, our Strawberry GRIN toothpaste arrived yesterday arvo. My youngest daughter couldn’t wait to rip open the courier bag… soon as the box was opened, by her of course!!!! The silver tab had to be pulled off n a trial had to happen then n there. Hmm yummmmy Mum it smells soooo tasty I wanna try it. Tiny bit on her finger and ooh ooh yessssss yessssss was her reply.. a Definite Hit, Instant Hit. Hard hard to get her to brush her teeth most days. Let’s hope this is a Huge incentive to help her get on the road to healthier teeth n gums… will update more later when she has used it for a couple of days.. but sooooo far it’s been a relief for Mummy that she wants to brush and more than once a day now, pheww you saved my life #Grin
Our Orange Grin Toothpaste arrived today and master 1 and I couldn’t wait to try it:) and it was a success!! It tasted nice and he was happy to brush his teeth, he even asked for more toothpaste! Definitely recommend this tasty and natural product
Our Strawberry Grin toothpaste arrived today and my 3 year old was so excited that the toothpaste was strawberry flavoured he ran around the house for about 10 minutes shouting “strawberry toothpaste”
After he had calmed down we went to brush our teeth for the night safe to say that this is a winner because not only did he brush his teeth for the longest I have ever seen him brush his teeth but we had to brush them a second time.
We have tried a few natural toothpastes now but this one by far has all of our votes.
Both of my children loved the taste the little one is 11 months old and he actually sat and let me brush his teeth without a fuss.
We all loved the packaging, it tastes really good (i had to have a try haha) and i love the fact that its all natural. We will definitely be repurchasing this product again we really like.
We received our orange flavour toothpaste today and when I unwrapped it my 4-year old daughter took off straight to the bathroom to brush her teeth (in the afternoon!)
She loved the taste and was really excited when she saw the box. I think the graphics and simple design really appeal to kids. I find the grin branding really appealing too, think it will look good on the shelves, with the added bonus of being all natural!
Ticks all our boxes for sure.
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Aside from chocolate we’ve found three fun Easter crafts for kids to enjoy this Easter that won’t harm their teeth!
The below crafts will require parental assistance and supervision
Cress or grass egg heads – these are so much fun to watch growing.
What you need:
How to:
Easter Chicks
What You Need:
How To:
Egg Decorating
What You Need:
How To:
Happy Easter from Grin!
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We can do more than brushing our little one’s teeth twice a day with Grin 100% Natural Kids Toothpaste to help reduce the risk of tooth decay. The foods our kids are eating plays an important role in preventing tooth decay too.
Studies have shown that eating sugary foods such as cakes, lollies, dried fruit and fruit juice increases the chance of decay. This is because sugar is converted by the bacteria in our mouths into acid. This acid attacks tooth enamel which can result in cavities. Acids will continue to attack the enamel for around 60 minutes until neutralised.
The more sugary foods we eat, the more acid the bacteria can produce. By not eating sugary foods bacteria are, quite simply, unable to produce as much acid which reduces the risk of decay.
Cheese cubes: Cheese is full of calcium and it also helps to neutralise acid in the mouth. Delicious on crackers or wrapped in ham - especially fun when eaten with a toothpick!
Oat or rice crackers with peanut butter: If you’re little one is not keen on peanut butter try Marmite.
Sandwiches: Always better when cut with a cookie-cutter shape – think dinosaurs and tigers! Try these tasty kid-friendly sandwiches: ham and cheese, Marmite or cheese and cucumber.
Plain yoghurt: add fresh or frozen berries for flavour, raspberries and blueberries are the best.
Vege sticks and dip: Carrot, celery or cucumber sticks are so tasty dipped in hummus, cottage cheese or smashed avocado.
Plain tortilla chips and guacamole: Perfect for after school or kindy.
Fresh Fruit: Our customers love fruit! We asked our Grin Facebook fans what their children’s favourite tooth-friendly snack is, 7% said they loved strawberries and 6% said they loved apples! Make fruit even more fun with fruit kebabs or cookie-cutter shapes.
Corn fritters: So easy and delicious, try our recipe below:
Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the eggs and milk and mix well. Add the sweetcorn and mix the batter until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add heaped tablespoons of the fritter batter. Fry on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Glass of Milk: Milk contains lots of calcium and is important for healthy bones and teeth. Whizz with some frozen strawberries to make a Strawberry smoothie.
Eggs: Full of goodness and kids love dipping whole-wheat toast into a soft-boiled egg!
Sugary foods can’t always be avoided, if your child does eat them from time-to-time we recommend waiting for an hour after eating before brushing with Grin 100% Natural Kids Strawberry or Orange toothpaste to help look after their teeth.
Do you have any other tooth-friendly snack ideas? Share them in the comments below.
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