Fluoride is one of the most effective ways to prevent cavities and promote healthy teeth. It’s safe and effective, yet there’s plenty of misinformation swirling around. Let’s take a look at why we continue to recommend fluoride treatments, and what works best in every phase of life.
Fluoride is a natural mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth. Not only is it a building block for healthy bodies, it’s all around us in the natural environment. However, we don’t always get enough fluoride naturally. For decades, communities have been adding small amounts in most public water supplies as an evidence-based public health measure–with dramatic positive results for oral health.
Dentists recommend fluoride because it reinforces minerals in your tooth enamel and prevents cavities. It can even reverse early signs of tooth decay. Oral bacteria (fed by sugars) produce acids that attack your tooth enamel and eat away at vital minerals. Fluoride helps build a protective layer against those bacteria. We can obtain fluoride in two main ways: systemic fluoride through public water systems and topical fluoride, including treatments at your dentist’s office and oral care products used at home.
Fluoride benefits your baby’s developing teeth, and we recommend it as soon as their first teeth pop up. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice from the time of those first baby teeth through age three. You should also take your baby to the dentist for the first time around the time their first teeth appear. Your dentist will apply fluoride varnish two to four times a year to the tops and sides of your child’s teeth with a tiny brush. This helps strengthen growing teeth. It’s fast, easy, non-invasive, and doesn’t cause discomfort for young patients.
Fluoridated water is also safe for babies and toddlers. Professional guidance is crucial for maintaining oral health in our little ones. If you have concerns about fluoride and young children, talk with your pediatrician and your family dentist.
Fluoride helps prevent cavities and strengthens teeth in school-aged children as their permanent teeth emerge. You should continue getting fluoride varnish treatments as recommended by your family dentist. A 2013 study showed that fluoride varnish reduces cavities in permanent teeth by 43 percent and in baby teeth by 37 percent.
For at-home care, we recommend using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste once your children are old enough to spit out the excess while brushing. We don’t want kids to swallow too much toothpaste, so we generally recommend that parents supervise brushing until children are 7 or 8 years old. As kids grow, they can begin to take agency in their oral health. We want to support them by encouraging:
If it seems like your child went from cheese sticks and cut-up grapes to hot snacks, gummy candies, sodas and sports drinks, you’re not alone. Parental supervision of oral hygiene also tends to drop, and teens may not take oral hygiene as seriously as they should. Many families see their children’s first cavities in the teen years after working so hard to prevent them earlier in childhood. Continuing fluoride treatments at your dentist’s office can help protect your teen’s teeth. If they’re undergoing orthodontic treatment, fluoride can also help protect the areas around braces that are difficult to reach with brushing. Parents can help by encouraging daily brushing, providing mouth rinses as recommended by your dentist, and using refillable water bottles with tap water instead of bottled water.
As we replace sports drinks and juice boxes with wine, diet sodas and coffee, we’re exposing our enamel to acids every day. While we often think of fluoride treatments as something for kids, adults can benefit too, especially if you have a history of tooth decay. Fluoride treatments in adulthood can help you remineralize your teeth, strengthen enamel and prevent cavities. They can also reduce tooth sensitivity and help prevent gum disease. Discuss fluoride varnishes and other topical treatments with your family dentist in adulthood.
We know that enamel wears down as we age, leaving older adults more vulnerable to tooth decay. In addition, gum recession exposes tooth roots, which are more susceptible to cavities, and we see an increased risk of dry mouth due to medications or other factors. Dry mouth reduces saliva levels that naturally clean our teeth. Older adults can benefit from in-office treatments, fluoride rinses and extra-strength fluoride toothpaste by prescription.
Many of us have heard misinformation about the effects of fluoride on overall health, including myths about reduced intelligence and cancer. These myths have been disproven by extensive research, and community water fluoridation is supported by a vast majority of scientific groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association. Scientific research confirms the safety and effectiveness of community fluoride at recommended levels in the US. (Studies related to lower IQ levels were done in other countries with levels far higher than US guidelines.)
Studies show that community water reduces cavities by 25 percent in both adults and children, according to the AAP. Research also supports the use of fluoride supplements for children who don’t have access to fluoridated water, including those in families on private wells and in communities that don’t add fluoride to the water supply.
However, as with most health-related issues, balance is key. Children can ingest too much fluoride while their teeth are developing, which can cause a condition called fluorosis. Fluorosis typically occurs in children under eight and is usually characterized by mild discoloration or white spots. Consult with your family dentist if you suspect your child is consuming excessive fluoride.
Fluoride is beneficial at every age, but, like all healthcare, its needs change over time. Fortunately, your trusted family dentist is with you and your family for the long haul. At Greenhill Family Dental Care, our professional team is happy to discuss with you why we continue to recommend fluoride and how to best care for your family as you grow and thrive. Ask us about fluoride treatments for the whole family at your next visit.
