Children’s Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste: Benefits, Safety, and Best Brands
Is Children’s Hydroxyapatite toothpaste a safe and effective alternative to Fluoride toothpaste for my child?
When ingested, Fluoride can have many side effects including toxicity, neurotoxicity, and fluorosis, which is actually weakened enamel that increases the likelihood of decay.
You don’t want your child swallowing fluoride and it’s actually not even recommended for use in children under the age of three for that reason.
But most “non-fluoride” toothpaste is not effective at preventing decay because they don’t have a remineralizing agent.
So what is a better alternative? One that is safe to be brushed around your child’s mouth, but also prevents cavities.
That’s where hydroxyapatite comes in to save the day.
What is Hydroxyapatite?
Hydroxyapatite may seem like the new kid on the block in the fight against tooth decay, but it has actually been the gold standard of dentistry in Japan for over 40 years!
Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a naturally occurring form of calcium found in our teeth and bones. And has been successfully used to rebuild bone in oral surgery and osteopathic research.
How does Hydroxyapatite toothpaste work?
In order to understand how Hydroxyapatite works, you need to understand how a cavity forms.
Simply put, a cavity forms when the processes of demineralization and remineralization of a tooth are unbalanced leading to softened enamel and decay.
This can be caused by an acidic environment, dry mouth, lack of necessary minerals, poor diet, mouth breathing, poor dental hygiene, and an imbalance of the oral microbiome.
Hydroxyapatite works to strengthen teeth by providing the minerals needed for remineralization and actually incorporates itself into the enamel and deeper tooth structures.
Because your body recognizes hydroxyapatite, the tooth happily soaks it up, allowing it to rebuild your tooth from the inside out. Whereas, Fluoride is limited to only shallow remineralization because it works to rebuild the tooth from the outside inward.
Hydroxyapatite also works to prevent decay by binding to the “bad” bacteria in your mouth and preventing it from forming plaque on the teeth or creating an acidic environment.
Is Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Safe for Kids?
Unlike Fluoride, there are no known side effects to hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite has been proven to be a safe alternative for remineralizing teeth.
Our teeth and bones are literally made out of hydroxyapatite. It actually makes up 97% of our enamel and 60% of our bones!
Because Hydroxyapatite is a naturally occurring mineral and 100% biocompatible, you can sleep peacefully at night knowing that hydroxyapatite toothpaste is safe enough for your little one to swallow… though I don’t recommend it.
And a little swallowed toothpaste isn’t unlikely as most children don’t learn to spit until 2-3 years of age… that’s 2-3 years of potentially swallowed toothpaste two times a day!
That adds up quickly!
That’s reason enough to switch your little one to a non-toxic toothpaste alternative. Especially one that is as effective at remineralizing teeth as Fluoride.
7 Benefits of Children’s Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
- Prevents AND Heals Cavities
Hydroxyapatite toothpaste prevents and heals cavities in three ways.
It gives remineralization of the teeth an upper hand on demineralization by providing an abundance of the exact minerals necessary for your enamel and deeper tooth tissues to rebuild.
Hydroxyapatite helps to decrease the amount of plaque build-up on the teeth- giving cavity-causing bacteria less time to soften the tooth. It actually grabs hold of and binds to that unwanted bacteria before it gets a chance to attach to the teeth.
Hydroxyapatite can fill in small scratches along the tooth surface. This improves the smoothness of the teeth, leaving fewer areas for unfriendly bacteria to hide and eat away at the tooth.
- Non-Toxic
Hydroxyapatite is a naturally occurring mineral in our bodies and is completely biocompatible with our teeth. Unlike fluoride, you don’t have to worry about toxicity if your little one swallows some.
- Oral Microbiome Friendly
It’s important to understand that we have friendly and unfriendly bacteria in our mouths. Just like throughout the rest of our body, having a balance between the two is important in preventing diseases including decay.
Anticavity toothpaste and mouth rinses decrease plaque build-up using a “bactericidal” effect on the bacteria in our mouth- meaning they kill the bacteria whether it’s friendly or not.
Rather than killing bacteria, Hydroxyapatite toothpaste works to disrupt plaque build-up by binding to the unfriendly bacteria before it gets a chance to form plaque.
Using hydroxyapatite toothpaste is just as effective at plaque prevention as traditional toothpaste, but it won’t be harming the intricate microbiome balance.
- May Help Decrease Gingivitis
Hydroxyapatite toothpaste has been shown to decrease plaque build-up and bleeding gums. It could help your little one avoid gingivitis. This is so exciting!
- Acidic PH Resistant
Childhood diets around the world have become more and more acidic over the years, creating the perfect environment for cavities to form.
Hydroxyapatite toothpaste has proven to work just as well in this harsh acidic environment at preventing decay and remineralizing teeth.
- Decreases Tooth Sensitivity
On top of all the already incredible benefits of hydroxyapatite toothpaste, it also helps with tooth sensitivity in the enamel and in the root.
Because it is so calcium dense and biocompatible, hydroxyapatite is easily absorbed by the enamel and the root where it creates a shield against irritants that cause sensitivity like acid, cold, or vibration.
- Helps Whiten Teeth
In general, toothpaste works to whiten teeth by polishing them. It has an abrasive component that buffs out any stains but does not actually “whiten” the teeth themselves.
With hydroxyapatite toothpaste, the opposite is the case. Without adding extra abrasives, it is able to whiten the teeth themselves by filling in scratches and remineralizing the tooth structure.
Nano HAP vs Micro HAP
There are two types of hydroxyapatite available in toothpaste, the most common is nano-hydroxyapatite. Both are incredibly effective at remineralizing teeth and preventing decay.
Nano Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
This is the most common form of hydroxyapatite found in children’s toothpaste.
Nano Hydroxyapatite is a synthetic form of hydroxyapatite that was first invented by NASA to help astronauts re-strengthen their teeth and bones after being in an antigravity environment.
It is smaller than the pores in our teeth, which makes it super easy for our teeth to absorb and incorporate into the enamel and deeper tooth structures.
It is rounded, rather than needle-shaped, making it safe in the body because it can’t penetrate into tissues where it doesn’t belong in.
Nano Hydroxyapatite dissolves as soon as it reaches the stomach. So, even if your little one swallows a bit of it you don’t have to worry about it going to other parts of the body.
Even though this type is hydroxyapatite is “synthetic”, it is safe for your child and just as effective as naturally occurring hydroxyapatite.
Micro Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Micro-Hydroxyapatite is the naturally occurring form found in nature, so you will find it in higher percentages in toothpaste as there are no regulations against it.
It is larger in size than nano-hydroxyapatite, so may not be as effective at decreasing sensitivity
Best Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste for Children
Check out this post about the best non-toxic, fluoride-free children’s toothpastes to learn more about what to look for in a children’s toothpaste… and what to avoid.
We have several different flavor options at home for our little ones to choose from. Each flavor has been a hit with them. These non-toxic toothpaste options use Nano-Hydroxyapatite as the active ingredient.
- Dr. Brite Berrylicious, Strawberry Sky, or Chocolate Mint hydroxyapatite toothpaste (use code TINYTEETH10 for 10% off your order)
- Risewell Cake Batter Kids Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
- Wellnesse Stawberry Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
- Kinder Karex Mint Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
The verdict
Children’s Hydroxyapatite toothpaste is a great non-toxic and effective remineralizing toothpaste for your little one. It can be used from the very first tooth without any harmful side effects. You can have peace of mind knowing that you are protecting their teeth and their body.
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