I admit it. Mister Man’s teeth aren’t exactly the way I pictured my eight year old’s teeth looking. When we let him brush by himself for a few days, I can see them start to get grey film on them to the point they look streaky and gross. Part of it is his lack of fine motor skills, but part of it is that at eight years old, he still is in the quick brush and rinse stage. He just isn’t getting them clean enough, but I need him to start gaining independence in this area.
I recently received a tube of Vortex Children’s Toothpaste to test out. Generally, we use a natural toothpaste of some sort, as there are all sorts of ingredients that I try to avoid – one in particular being sodium lauryl sulfate. I was a little nervous that Vortex might contain it, but I’m happy to report that not only does it not use SLS, it also has a reduced amount of fluoride (though still at a proven effective level).
The natural grape flavoring even comes from grapes dried to a powder. The toothpaste is also uses Xylitol as a sweetener (we’re fans of Xylitol gum instead of Aspartame), which has an added benefit of also helping to reduce the levels of cavity causing bacteria.
Why do I enjoy this particular toothpaste? Vortex is a color-changing toothpaste, which explains the use of dyes. When it comes out of the tube, part of it is red and part is blue. As the wee ones brush, the colors begin to mix and finally turn into purple. They are learning that they have to brush enough to get to that point before they spit. And unlike their timed toothbrushes, time isn’t the only factor. They have to actually brush effectively to get the toothpaste to change colors.
The fact that the flavor is natural is a huge boost. At this point, the wee ones still don’t like mint flavored toothpastes, but the grape in Vortex has been well-received by them. In fact, the wee ones have asked that I continue to buy this toothpaste instead of the toothpaste I had been purchasing. Unfortunately, it isn’t currently available in stores, but you can purchase it either directly from Vortex or via Amazon for $6.95 per tube. Did I mention that we are actually starting to see a difference in the gunk that stays on Mister Man’s teeth as he brushes? Maybe he will be able to brush without supervision someday soon.
Enter to Win
Six readers will also win toothpaste from Vortex. To enter this giveaway leave a comment below letting us know your best teeth care tip. This giveaway will end on January 12th, 2012. A winner will be drawn randomly and will be announced in our weekly Around the Blogosphere post.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a tube of Vortex Children’s Toothpaste for review purposes. I was compensated for writing this post, but all opinions remain my own.
Written by 5Mnutes4Mom contributor Michelle is amazingly lucky to thusfar have no cavities, though she has a dental visit scheduled January 3. She’s desperately hoping the wee ones also avoid cavities as they grow, but right now she needs to go brush her own teeth. Again. You can also find her at her blog Honest & Truly! or on Twitter as @HonestAndTruly.
5 Minutes for YOU to read, relax, & connect with other moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.
{ 129 comments… read them below or add one }
My best tip would be to drink water after eating to rinse away some of the food particles!
Best tooth care tip? I’m looking for tooth care tips! My daughter’s teeth are starting to look as yellow as the Queen of England’s–I actually (yes, I’m slightly embarrassed about this) asked her dentist if, while they had her “out” for pulling some teeth and coating her molars with that anti-cavity stuff, they could bleach her teeth so they didn’t look like she has a mean coffee habit at 7 years old. They looked at me like I was crazy, but I still think this was a totally legitimate request
And my little dude’s teeth have “weak enamel”, which is apparently code for “start saving b/c you’re gonna spend a fortune on fillings”. ANYTHING to get these kids to brush their teeth properly and without biting me when I help them floss would be great!
We have tried the toothbrushes with timers and so many “tricks” to get them to brush long enough, but the little hourglass timer seems to work best for our crew. Would LOVE to try this toothpaste, though!
Brush your teeth after every meal.
Perhaps everyone has heard this, but brush for at least two minutes and be sure to include your gums and tongue. Also be sure to not use bristles that are too hard.
Brush your tongue!
Best teeth care tip: Brush! Brush! Brush! I make sure my son brushes morning, noon & night!
Get the kids interested by giving them some control: pick out brushes & toothpaste, as well as letting them brush, while you help them too.
My best tip is to make brushing fun for the kids…I always play my sons favorite song while he brushes his teeth that way I know he has brushed long enough!
We buy fun toothbrushes and toothpaste to make it more exciting and we’ve talked with our son about why brushing well is so important.
This is a great tip! I did not even know that this type of toothpaste existed.. My daughter literally brushes her teeth for say 2 minutes and practically does it because she likes the bubble gum taste of the paste! Thanks looking forward to trying this on her and teaching her how long to brush for!
The simple issue for the kids is to remind them to brush every day. If they are anything like my kids they try to sneak out of it any chance they can. Thank you
We always brush their teeth after they do and bought an electric brush for them to use during the day since it is more fun. And still 6 months seems too long between dentist cleanings!
my 2.5 yr old sons mouth is very hard to pry open, so we just give him a toothbrush and toothpaste and tell him to brush his teeth.
Drink sugary beverages through a straw to keep the sugar off your teeth!
My best tip is to floss daily, now if only I listened to myself!
we have a toothbrush that lights up for one minute and my son likes to push the button again so it is easier to get 2 min. of brushing time in
Brushing out teeth first thing in the morning and right after bath. Both boys have their own stools to reach the sink and Santa brought new, battery operated toothbrushes to het each tooth clean with little effort!
getting my daughter to brush is a challenge – this sounds like a great, fun product for her to try. I buy her different toothbrushes to keep her at least semi interested!
My kids like it when I pretend to be the dentist! I will call in the next “patient” and make comments on their teeth or count them while I brush them.
we have the light up toothbrushes, so that my kids know they have to brush until it stops flashing
My best tip is to floss daily!
My best tip is to brush a 2 yr old’s teeth while they are mesmerized by their favorite tv show. Otherwise, good luck letting them let u brush their teeth LOL!
jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com
Let your kids pick out their own toothbrush…they’ll love having their own special one!
Put a timer in the bathroom, train the kids to use it to ensure they brush for the appropriate number of minutes.
we have aroutine when the grandkids are here,,brush teeth first thing in the morning,an the last thing before bedtime
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
with my daughter I set a timer and let she brushes her teeth until the timer goes off… this makes sure she has brushed long enough each time since she often tends to do it quickly and isn’t very thorough without the timer.
All way’s brush your teeth.
I would love to see if my grandchildren would be more open to brushing their teeth with this
a fun toothpaste is always motivational
I set a timer for my children, to make sure they are brushing long enough.
I guess you could say we use bribery to get the kids to brush their teeth. They love cartoons and cannot watch them or any TV until their teeth are brushed very well and they are dressed (in clothes or pajamas depending on the time of day). This works quite well.
Always brush teeth at bedtime.
If you can’t brush, chew some sugarless gum to produce saliva & help clean your teeth.
I let my small kids brush their teeth by themselves first. Then, I take their brushes and help them.
go to the dentist as often as recommended
Floss daily!
Brush your teeth before bed and drink a glass of water.
I make it a habit to brush after every meal, once it begins a habit it is easy to remember
fun tootbrushes!
Try to limit your sugar intake, too much sugar will cause cavities.
Always floss your teeth.
I let my son pick out his toothbrush and toothpaste. It has worked wonders!
I know it’s a cliche thing that dentists always say, but brushing AND flossing is one of the best ways to keep your teeth clean & healthy
I have this tooth timer for my girls. I make them brush until the timer dings. Works pretty well with my 4 and 5 year old!
sexyhots29@yahoo.com
we use tooth brishes that sing so myyoung kids know how long they have to brush for
luckyladybug67@yahoo.com
I tell my kids to brush after every meal and floss daily!
dalleykt at live dot ca
If you or your children grind your teeth, purchase a good nightguard to prevent wear on your teeeth.
A timer has worked very well for my son~the kind with the sand in it.
My best tip is to get an electric toothbrush. I’ve seen a huge improvement since I switched. My 2 year old got one for christmas and LOVES brushing his teeth. He would love to try this toothpaste.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day
do not let them drink anything after they brush before bed except water
NANNYPANPAN AT GMAIL.COM
Avoid caffeine and dark beverages, brush twice a day and floss each night
Remember to brush your teeth twice a day!
Floss daily!
Tip for kids: Make it Fun! When my little grandgirls are here, I join in on the brushing party. We set a stool up to the sink and do crazy stuff, like see who can gargle the loudest or longest. We just giggle, laugh, brush, and have fun. The kids are performing oral care this whole time without even realizing it.
Don’t forget to brush them!
twittered
What I have learned is to encourage more water and less juices for your children. The sugar just reeks havoc with the teeth
Brush teeth after every meal.
start flossing between the tighter spots early so the kids understand it has to be done on a daily basis
My best teeth care tip is to brush right after dessert!
I do agree that brushing right after sweets is very important.
My best teeth care tip? Visit the dentist every six months!
My best tip is to floss!
hisprincess886 at yahoo dot com
Brush 3 times a day, floss twice, mouthwash twice.
Visit the dentist twice a year and brush twice a day.
My tip is to floss before you brush your teeth!
Make it a routine! Start your kids young, old enough to hold the brush basically! Starting the habit young is key. And also be honest with your kids. Dentists are expensive and cavities hurt. No reason to skirt the truth!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Flossing,and brushing your teeth 2x daily!
mysteri_015 at yahoo dot com
floss
Brush twice daily and floss daily before going to bed.
Nothing sweet at least two hours before bed.
FLOSS DAILY
My dentist always tells me to only drink sugary drinks with a meal and don’t sip them over a lengthy amount of time.
Brush , brush, brush is the key.
brush your teeth at least twice a day
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com
Brush earlier to help prevent extra eating, later in the night. Make sure teeth are checked my dentist is best too. lnb1191(at)aol(dot)com
Brush your teeth and floss at least twice a day! Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Renee Walters
Bored2quickly@hotmail.com
we try to make tooth brush time a regular ruitine so its second nature
always floss and brush after every meal whenever possible
I think the Sonic type toothbrushes do a much better job on the teeth. wgbc1446[at]yahoo[dot]com
If you can only get to brush your teeth once during the day, make sure you to it right before bedtime.
Fun toothbrushes or good tasting toothpastes make it easier to get my kids to brush.
Make sure to all ways floss your teeth as well.
Flossing once daily is great for healthy teeth and maintaining fresh breath!
Use a straw when drinking tea and cola to help cut back on teeth stains
stanleybilly(at)bellsouth(dot)net
I let my kids “floss” so they get used to doing it. momlovesdeals at gmail dot com
Brush teeth a couple times a day. Regular dentist visits are a must!
thisisme79 @ gmail dot com
Brush your teeth, brush your teeth! and floss.
Brush 2 times daily!
freebiegoddess03@aol.com
Floss.
Rinse with water after drinking soda or eating sugary snacks.
I limit the amount of juice my little ones drink and don’t give it to them before they are 1 year old. The sugar is so bad for their little teeth
dinos_still_exist (at) yahoo (dot) com
my kids got more interested in brushing teeth since i got them electric toothbrushes
Using the toothbrushes that play a song for the 2 mins that the kids are supposed to brush for
trippyjanet at gmail dot com
Twitter: I
January 11, 2012 at 11:01 am
Floss daily and get regular dental checkups!
Try to brush after every meal.
Make sure you are helping your kids brush their teeth.
My best tip is to start good dental care for children at an early age. The habits they form when they are little are ones they will have as adults.
laura dot hopelessromantic dot emerson at gmail dot com
Floss every night and sing the ABCs twice to make sure you are brushing long enough.
My son wants to brush his teeth himself but he doesn’t do a very good job. The only way I can brush his teeth is if he “brushes” mine. It’s fun for him & I make sure his teeth are clean!
My kids like to brush to music so I play one of their favorite songs and they brush to the beat!
I always play music when my children brush their teeth so they end up brushing longer.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
One of the things to be sure to do is teach proper flossing.
dlsloveblogs at gmail dot com
Make sure to rinse mouth out after the last thing at night
vmkids3 at msn dot com
i make sure my family sees a dentist every six months
Always remember to floss!
MAke regular dental appointments.
Don’t forget to brush your tongue!
Awesome blog and thanks for the giveaway!
Would love, love, LOVE to win this!
=]
Set the timer while they brush so they brush long enough
wallindeb@yahoo.com
i et the kiddos a timed toothbrush so they make sure they are brushing loing enough
No problms so far!
My son has autism so brushing his teeth is not one of his fav things to do so i sing to him and he is ok with brushing his teeth
Took my son to the dentist yesterday and he recommended to get my 3 yr old to open his mouth wide and expose the bottom of the gumline where plaque an build up get him to say “E”. It worked and now I can help him brush that area better.
With kids, we have to make toothbrushing a game – 1 person has to sing the alphabet several times while the other brushes, and then we switch.
always remember to floss!
Start kids brushing and flossing as early as possible so it’s just a habit.
My best tip–buy one of the “flashing” or “singing” toothbrushes. They are perfectly timed so you know they’re brushing “enough”
my tip is to start a tooth brushing reminder and sticker rewards chart for your child. this will remind them to brush their teeth in a fun way, when they brush, they can put a sticker or make a smiley face on the chart for that time of day thanks, clallen at ntin dot net
make sure to brush for at least three minutes!
Brush twice a day!
Start them out as young as possible with flossing…Maybe it’ll turn into a good habit!
I brush my teeth longer if I do it when I shower.
I brush my teeth every morning and every night. I use mouthwash each time, as well. I floss at least 2 times weekly and occasionally wash with warm salt water to keep out the bacteria!
Brush not only the mouth but the gum and the thong.
Don’t forget the tongue.
always brush twice a day and floss!
cmarquez482(at)ymail(dot)com
I let my daughter “help” brush my teeth so I can brush her’s a bit longer.
Help your children brush their teeth and older children should be moinitored , this will show them the importance and impact the correct method. Little baby circles and all surfaces (inside,outsides,tops) and tongues. sandtimers can aid in the lenght of proper brushing and don’t forget to floss:)