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Ingredients

Our Toothpaste Ingredients

When developing Buddies toothpaste, we worked hard to make the best product we could, whilst avoiding ‘nasties’ such as SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) and parabens.

Our Ingredients: Sorbitol, Aqua (Water), Hydrated Silica, Glycerin, Sodium Fluoride (1450 ppm), Aroma, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sucralose, Sodium Benzoate, CI 19140, CI 42090

All our toothpaste is made in the UK, suitable for vegans and is cruelty free.

  • NHS recommended fluoride levels:
    • Under 3 years: a smear of toothpaste with > 1000 ppm fluoride
    • 3-6 years: a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with > 1000 ppm fluoride
    • Adults: 1350-1500 ppm fluoride

Our planet

We want to play a positive role in preserving our planet.

We therefore strive to only buy sustainable ingredients made within the UK or Europe to minimise our carbon footprint.

Our goal is to sell our products in 100% recyclable packaging.

Where this isn’t yet possible, we will share this in a transparent way and provide updates on our progress in product development to reach our goal.

Example: Our toothpaste pump dispensers are not fully recyclable, so we are transitioning to fully recyclable toothpaste tubes.

Help And Advice - Children

How To Encourage Children To Brush Their Teeth

Convincing your children of the importance of good oral hygiene will help lay the foundation for a healthy lifetime habit they will thank you for one day.

Getting a Routine Going
More often than not, a child will do the opposite of what you tell them. Being rebellious can be a natural part of learning to be independent.

However, most children respond well to having a routine that provides structure to their days and makes them feel secure.

Brushing their teeth needs to become one of the morning and nightly tasks along with eating, getting dressed, taking a bath and so on. If you can successfully slot in brushing teeth into this routine, it will soon become part of their daily schedule.

The following tips may help with integration.

Play some Music
Most children love listening to music and dancing. A great way to make anything seem fun is if you attach a theme song to it. This will help them relax while brushing their teeth, something which often feels unnatural or perhaps even scary to a child.

By linking the joy of music and dance with brushing their teeth, it may allow them to associate this process as an enjoyable experience. There are even electric toothbrushes that play music!

Roleplaying
Children love using their imagination in any event. If you make up a little story surrounding brushing their teeth, it will make it seems like an exciting quest that they will be only too happy to engage in.

Perhaps tell them that their teeth are actually magical diamonds that were gifted to us by a magical fairy so that we can eat our food, and it is our job to look after them or she will be very sad.

Buying the Right Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Your child’s aversion to brushing their teeth might be because they hate the taste of their toothpaste, or for some other reason such as the design of their toothbrush does not feel comfortable in their mouths, or they don’t like its colouring.

Encourage them to explain if there’s anything that worries them about brushing, so you can work out ways to address their concerns.

For example, taking them shopping for a new toothbrush, and allow them to handpick whichever one is the most attractive. Or asking them to help you shop online for a new toothpaste most likely to suit your child’s tastebuds.

These tips should definitely help in getting your kid closer towards a lifetime appreciation for oral hygiene and maintenance. The skills that we learn as youngsters stay with us forever. You know your child best, however, so try and edit these tips around their personalities.

Recommended brushing tips for kids

  • Avoid any drinks before bedtime, other than water
  • Don’t rinse after brushing, just spit out excess toothpaste, as this allows the fluoride to provide the best protection
  • Use a soft, rounded toothbrush head, with an easy grip handle
  • Use a timer to ensure brushing for the full recommended 2 minutes
  • Supervise your children’s brushing until they are seven years old
  • Use a toothpaste with the correct levels of fluoride for their age (see below). Although there is a recent trend for many parents to move away from fluoride towards more ‘natural’ products, fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral, found to offer the best protection for enamel.
Help and Advice-Adults

Poor oral health can cause:

Older people or those being treated for conditions such as cancer, are more likely to suffer from adverse oral health conditions.
  • pain and discomfort
  • infections in the mouth that can affect general health and vice versa
  • serious health conditions, including blood poisoning, chest infections and pneumonia.
  • Poor oral health can affect the ability to speak.
  • Lack of self-confidence due to halitosis (bad breath) or impact on appearance.

 

It is worth noting that looking after oral soft tissues is just as important as looking after the teeth.

Tips on choosing the right type of toothbrush

  • A small-headed toothbrush is always more effective.
  • A soft to medium toothbrush is suitable for most people, but a very soft toothbrush is kinder if the person:
    • is frail, or is suffering from dementia and rejects or refuses oral care
    • has sensitive areas in their mouth due to gum disease or other infections
    • is suffering from a dry mouth.
    • has loose teeth
    • has sensitive teeth

Dementia and oral care

  • Why worry?

    Poor oral health may lead to infections which, if left untreated, can cause pain.

    • Someone in pain can have difficulty chewing, and this often leads to poor nutrition.
    • Bacteria can enter the bloodstream, causing blood poisoning and may also be related to other diseases such as heart, disease and diabetes.
    • Bacteria can also cause respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia.
    • Treatment may be necessary and general anaesthetic, which may pose a risk to life.

Tips for providing oral care for someone with Dementia

  • Do everything you can to make mouth care a pleasant experience, e.g. provide a softer toothbrush, or a more pleasant-tasting toothpaste or gel.
  • As any change in their normal response to oral care may be due to discomfort or pain, this should never be ignored and should be investigated by a nurse or a dental professional.
  • There may be less resistance when carers encourage them to carry out their own oral care.
  • People with dementia often have behavioural patterns so consider asking family members or previous carers for advice or assistance.
  • It may be helpful to have more than one carer helping, but the person may also respond better to one well-known, trusted carer
  • Carry out the task wherever the recipient is most comfortable.
  • Don’t approach the recipient from behind; come down to eye level.
  • In a residential care environment, it is important to label all oral care products, including dentures and brushes, in case they go missing or end up in another room.
  • Some people, especially those with dementia may be unable to spit, and should use a non-foaming toothpaste (one without sodium lauryl sulphate or SLS).
  • Distract the care recipient by giving them something to hold like another toothbrush.
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