Who needs a tooth gel?
Tooth gels containing fluoride, which are used weekly, are suitable for everyone who does not suffer from fluoride intolerance. The fluoride ensures that dental health and oral flora are maintained and can be used once a week for children from the age of six years and also for adult patients of all ages. For fluoride intolerances there are homeopathic substitutes with natural ingredients.
The other variants of tooth gels are used especially for complaints. These can be complaints of teeth in small children, complaints of hypersensitive necks of teeth or inflammatory complaints of the gums. Due to variability, the appropriate preparation is not easy to determine. It is advisable to consult a dentist for any kind of complaints within the oral cavity, who will prescribe the appropriate tooth gel for the respective complaints and will inform about the correct use.
Risks and side effects
With homeopathic tooth gels, which are made exclusively from natural products, it is important to make sure that there are no allergies to any ingredients, so that no anaphylactic shock can occur as a result of taking them. The natural tooth gels should be used strictly according to the package insert and the maximum dose should not be exceeded. Otherwise, no risk or side effects should be expected.
In the case of tooth gels containing fluoride, the maximum dose should be strictly adhered to and the fluoride gel should not be swallowed regularly, otherwise too much fluoride may be absorbed. In this case the disease fluorosis develops, which affects the hard tooth substance and the skeletal bones. A toxic dose is 5mg per kilogram of body weight, but this cannot be achieved by the application of a tooth gel.
When used intensively with a tooth gel containing chlorhexidine digluconate as an ingredient, the sense of taste can change. Chlorhexidine digluconate can produce a metallic taste and discolour the tongue and soft tissues grey with prolonged use. However, these symptoms disappear quickly after discontinuing use.
Furthermore, toddlers or dry alcoholics must ensure that the tooth gel does not contain any alcohol, otherwise there is a risk of relapse or the child may be damaged in its development. When using tooth gel for babies and toddlers while teething, it is essential to strictly adhere to the package insert. Some tooth gels contain the local anaesthetic lidocaine, which can be toxic and fatal if the maximum dose is exceeded. Therefore, the maximum dose should be determined by the weight of the child and should not be exceeded.
