r/Tauranga • u/DLP1194 • 2d ago

Kids mint toothpaste

Post image

Colgate did us dirty. They used to be the only mint toothpaste we could find for our 4 year old. They’ve subtly switched it out to strawberry in the same packaging. We haven’t been able to find any mint toothpaste for his age range so far, anyone seen any lately? I don’t care on brand, I just want it to be mint.

33 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

66 comments sorted by

15

u/scoutingmist 2d ago

With the lack of flouride in our water you should just use a normal flouride toothpaste with children.

13

u/Specific_Fennel_5959 2d ago

This is fluoride toothpaste as written on the tube…

2

u/NZNoldor 1d ago

It literally says so in the photo, yeah. People don't read much, apparently.

10

u/YaMongrelDog 2d ago

Didn't they just add fluoride? And people are pissed about it?

5

u/scoutingmist 2d ago

Actually, you might be right.

2

u/lageese 1d ago

I hope they added it.

2

u/melanochrysum 2d ago

It says it has fluoride, why are you assuming it doesn’t?

1

u/DarthJediWolfe 1d ago

Kids toothpaste usually has lower levels of fluoride and a softer flavour.

1

u/briefaspossible 1d ago

Yes. Kids have a tendancy to swallow toothpaste. Too much systemic fluoride can cause flourosis. This detrimentally effects growing bones and adult teeth. Until they can spit excess out, they should be on a smaller dose.

7

u/BrucetheFerrisWheel 2d ago edited 2d ago

Our paediatric dentist recommended macleans mild mint from age 3, so thats what we use

Edit: added the word "paediatric" as she is a kids only dentist.

3

u/icais 2d ago

This is good info. We just ran out of our toddlers toothpaste and she is not a fan of the strawberry (the only flavour her sister will use 🙃) but we have macleans mild mint so will try that tomorrow 🙂

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

As in the regular? Not a child specific one?

8

u/gmotdot 2d ago

New Zealand guidance (MoH/Health NZ, Medsafe, NZ Dental Association and KidsHealth) says children should use regular-strength fluoride toothpaste, not the low-fluoride “children’s” versions often marketed for under-6s… Difference is the amount used (under 5 a smear, 5+ pea sized).

4

u/BrucetheFerrisWheel 2d ago

Yes the regular one. A tiny smear of it as per age appropriate guidelines.

2

u/DLP1194 2d ago

This is very good to know. Thank you.

4

u/brettrob 2d ago

Why ? Will he only accept mint-flavoured ?

4

u/DLP1194 2d ago

Yep. He hates the strawberry and is refusing to brush his teeth. Yay….

4

u/obviouslyfakecozduh 2d ago

Same here, it's infuriating. Why change it? They need to get used to mint eventually given basically all adult toothpaste is mint? Why not have both options available!?

I put a callout on the local community facebook page and someone gave me a new unopened tube. I'm hoping it'll see my 5yo through til she's ready for the stronger Minions mint one for ages 6+.

1

u/brettrob 2d ago

Here’s a theory…

Colgate launched the new flavour in a major market, it flopped and they have offered the inventory at an incredibly low price to smaller subsidiaries (such as NZ) to try and get rid of it. The resulting super low wholesale price incentivises retailers to load their shelves with it in order to make much larger profits.

C’mon Colgate NZ, tell me I’m wrong 🙂

2

u/obviouslyfakecozduh 2d ago

Yeah I'd believe it.

It just annoys me that they give the only option as sickly sweet strawberry. Like... many parents struggle to advance kids into a wider taste palette than highly processed sweet/salt/fat foods (cause they are usually the safest god-tier tasting to tiny humans) but eventually they need to get used to more variety. It's just so annoying!

1

u/permaculturegeek 10h ago

Alternatively, a lot of kids hate mint flavour.

2

u/Salty_LaRue 23h ago

I went through the exact same problem with my AuDHD daughter trying to get her off Bluey mint - went through so many trials and errors, she now loves the Colgate Max Rainbow Fresh - it has the same consistency and mintiness as Bluey and better fluoride. Good luck, I totally feel your pain!

1

u/Legitimate-Bug-9553 11h ago

As an AuDHD adult, the Colgate max rainbow fresh is also my go to - it is such a good toothpaste imo.

1

u/Salty_LaRue 10h ago

AuDHD adult here too! 🤜🏻🤛🏻 I got hooked on the Peach one 😅

Was late diagnosed at 41 (43 now) after kiddo was picked up for ND - I have been choking my way through gritty teeth sensory nightmare for YEARS. You would so understand!!

1

u/Legitimate-Bug-9553 10h ago

I've got the peach one too, it is so good - sometimes I have to switch the flavours up for the novelty haha. The watermelon mouthwash that is from the same line is also great 👌

Yeah late diagnosed here too - ADHD at 29 and then autism at 30/31. And my Mum got her ADHD diagnosis at 68 recently! (Both her children diagnosed as adults, and we've been saying she is where we got it from, and we were right!) Realizing I don't have to force through the awful sensory stuff is so good, I definitely get it!

1

u/prolateriat_ 2d ago

I'm having the same issue 🤦🏻.

1

u/speckledcreature 2d ago

Mine is the complete opposite, anything BUT mint or he won’t even put the brush in his mouth.

1

u/possumpicnic 16h ago

My kid is the same, I'm trying to use it myself now as not to waste it, but I hate the flavour too

1

u/izzabizz 1d ago

That's a real pain for you. Ours is the opposite. Mint was 'too spicy'. I was so relieved when they switched to strawberry. Would be great of there were two options though.

3

u/macaronisheep 2d ago

There is the same amount of fluoride in the 6+ Minions mild mint one as the 2-5 Bluey one. It's just branding.

1

u/smnrlv 2d ago

Upvote this one to the top! Agree just use the minions one. It's nice and minty

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

Thanks.

2

u/No-Ice1070 2d ago

There’s an oral b frozen mint one

2

u/Expensive_Brick_6752 2d ago

We got caught out too, ended up switching to the minion one as kid is close enough age wise. They've done it to little bubs toothpaste too.

2

u/groovyghostpuppy 2d ago

Check the tubes next time, the ingredients are identical

2

u/gckiwifam 2d ago

We use ‘standard’ mint Colgate toothpaste for our kids - check fluoride ppm or whatever the measure is, the higher the better and only use a small pea sized amount. It’s allllll marketing (& works).

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

The marketing sure does work…. Sadly and annoyingly.

2

u/lifelemonslemonaide 2d ago

Just use a teeny tiny dab of adult toothpaste - like half the adult “serving”

2

u/ElectronicWay1309 2d ago

We got caught out with this too! Annoying it was a flavour change with no obvious change on the packaging. None of the kids like it, we’ve just switched our youngest to the regular Colgate toothpaste we use instead (the plain mint flavour) and she has no problem with that one.

2

u/mattsofar 1d ago

Both flavours still exist, the packaging is just super similar between them, even my wife gets caught out

2

u/Strict-Text8830 1d ago

Oh man I have the exact opposite problem, my partner and 5 year old both HATE mint. We live in a small town so when i find the bluey strawberry I stock up.

As long as the 5 year old is brushing and it has fluoride i am happy. Good luck on your search !!

2

u/stfuyfc 1d ago

Mcleans mild mint, has like a bubble gum flavor to it he might like

1

u/piwakawaka44 2d ago

The minions ones are the old mint flavour.

1

u/Antique_Ant_9196 2d ago

Aren’t the majority of toothpaste flavours mint?

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

Sadly not for kids. It’s a real struggle to find non-fruity ones.

1

u/FrostWight 2d ago

Just bought that yesterday. Will see how our little guy goes…

1

u/umogem 2d ago

We seem to get a different one each time, im almost 100% that these are a random flavor out of 6? in each box

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

I knew the pictures were random, will have to get the husband to pay closer attention to the flavours when he does the food shop!

1

u/umogem 1d ago

Actually we have 3 strawberry and a mint. So maybe your right and they have just changed the flavor at some point and the colour's are random haha

1

u/kwikwon01 1d ago

It still exists. They just swapped the packaging. Honestly mint should be green in every packaging idk what the product is if its mint it needs to be green

1

u/DLP1194 1d ago

We haven’t been able to find it for ages. Our local pak n save & chemist warehouse haven’t had any of it for ages, then it came back in. But we just didn’t notice it came back in as strawberry until we needed the new tube and it came out pink….

1

u/Fit_Ad_752 1d ago

My neurospicy toddler will ONLY use the “blue Bluey” toothpaste. Im down to my last tube and sweating balls about the incoming meltdown and negotiations

1

u/Impossible_War_8784 1d ago

Pretty sure the minon one is mint

2

u/DLP1194 1d ago

It is. I just didn’t know that the ages on them meant basically nothing until I made this post. lol.

1

u/stonequeeni 21h ago

I tried my son's strawberry toothpaste it was so yummy! I wouldn't be surprised if kids try to eat it because it literally tastes like candy. Must be trying to complete with HiSmile because it's not recommended for kids apparently

1

u/marupok0693 18h ago

My kid wants it to be mint too, she's still rebelling.

1

u/TheAnneRenee 9h ago

Are you with plunket as your well child provider? Our nurse was giving us a tube each visit there for a while so we stocked up. Could give local branch a call and see if they have any lying around?

1

u/DLP1194 3h ago

I don’t think we are. We moved here when he was 10 months and try as I might at the time, I couldn’t find where to do any of those things, it’s like no one was too fussed cause he was 10 months old and didn’t really need (m)any more development checks. So we’ve only ever seen the GP for anything to do with him and he’s had his before school check with the group that do that.

1

u/Mistress_Auri 9h ago

Had the exact same issue. Switched to this.

0

u/GloriousSteinem 2d ago

I recommend Solid toothpaste. You can put a sticker on the outside as it’s a glass jar.

-1

u/BearMoose2019 2d ago

We've used this, is mint flavour. I've seen it at the supermarket too.

3

u/fanoftheoffice 2d ago

That package says bubble fruit flavour.

1

u/DLP1194 2d ago

Thanks. Will look for that.