Dental Fluoride Facts
You may have heard of how dental fluoride may be used to help prevent tooth decay. Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in tooth enamel. Fluoride helps tooth enamel stay strong and makes it more resistant to the types of bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Dental fluoride can be found in toothpaste or mouth rinses; a trace amount is also added to drinking water in most communities. While ingesting too much fluoride is not good for our health, the fluoride levels found in these resources is considered very safe.
We recommend that our adolescent and adult patients brush their teeth twice a day using a fluoridated toothpaste. (Just a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush is plenty.)
Fluoride can upset your child's stomach if swallowed, so for very young children, use a tiny amount of toothpaste and monitor them as they brush to make sure they spit it out. It is okay to just have them brush with plain water too.
Children's Dental Health & Fluoride
When teeth are forming underneath the gums, too much fluoride can cause a condition that affects the development of tooth enamel, or, ‘fluorosis’. Permanent teeth that have been affected by fluorosis usually have faint white streaks or spots. After a permanent tooth has fully erupted, the risk of developing fluorosis goes away.
Discoloration caused by fluoride does not harm the teeth and is usually barely noticeable. Dr. Zanthos can recommend treatment options to conceal any discoloration of tooth enamel if needed as your child matures, like cosmetic tooth bonding or dental veneers.
Watch this video about Dental Fluoride from the American Dental Association®
If you have children under 8 years old, we invite you to Contact Premier Family Dentistry of Alabaster and talk with us about the proper level of dental fluoride for your child. Pediatricians are also very familiar with dental fluoride in young children and can assist you with determining how much fluoride your child should have.