Your toddler’s toothpaste may not be working in their favor.

Since more and more kids are drinking bottled water instead of tap water, they aren’t getting the fluoride they need to keep their teeth strong.

This, combined with the special fluoride-free toothpaste for toddlers, is causing their teeth to decay, and some may even fall out.

“Teeth start coming in about 1. And then there’s ranges. 1 to 3, you use the size of a grain of rice, a smear of fluoride toothpaste if you’re brushing their teeth. After 3, it’s a pea-sized. And those are the guidelines that parents should be using,” said Dave Marsh with the Illinois State Dental Society.

Before the bottled water fad, the fluoride in tap water was enough for children to maintain a healthy smile. Now, to be sure your kids have pearly whites, contact your dentist or pediatrician to be sure they’re getting the right amount. Too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis, or pitting of the teeth, which you don’t want either.

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