Fluoride and healthy teeth

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Your child’s baby teeth will start to appear between the ages of six and 12 months. These baby or ‘primary’ teeth will stay until permanent teeth come through, somewhere between the ages of six and 12 years.

Your child can avoid tooth decay by:

• brushing and flossing properly, and regularly.

• avoiding too many sugary foods and drinks.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural compound that protects teeth from cavities. Many communities in Canada add fluoride to the local water supply. It’s also in toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Children who start using products with fluoride from an early age have fewer cavities than those who don’t.

How does fluoride work?

Fluoride helps prevent cavities and decay by coming in direct contact with the tooth enamel (the outside of the tooth).

But, if you consume fluoride from sources such as drinking water, it gets absorbed in your bloodstream. Then it attacks the enamel on the inside of the tooth.

If too much fluoride gets into the inside of the tooth, it can cause a condition called fluorosis.

What is fluorosis?

Fluorosis means a person has had too much fluoride. People with fluorosis have white spots or blotches on their teeth. These spots can stain or become dark.

Fluorosis usually happens during a child’s first few years when the teeth are forming. Most cases are mild.

Fluorosis is not a health problem, but it can be avoided.

How much fluoride does my child need?

The right amount of fluoride will prevent cavities, but not cause fluorosis.

• The best way to prevent cavities is to add fluoride to drinking water. It acts by coming into contact with the teeth.

• The right amount is about 0.3 parts per million (ppm) in drinking water, which is enough to prevent cavities but not too much so as to cause fluorosis. You can check with your local municipality to find out how much fluoride is in water that comes from your taps.

• Natural sources of water may also have fluoride. If your water comes from wells or springs, you can have it tested. If it contains 0.3 ppm of fluoride or less, it is safe.

• If the level of fluoride in your water supply is 0.3 ppm or less, or if your child is breastfed, it’s okay to use toothpaste with fluoride.

• But, if the amount of fluoride in the water is more than 0.7 ppm, there is more chance that a child will develop fluorosis. Children younger than three years of age should not drink water with fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm or more. Also, do not use this water to mix infant formulas.

What about fluoride from toothpaste?

Because fluoride works by coming into contact with the outside of the tooth, you should brush your children’s teeth as soon as they appear.

• Brush at least twice a day, especially after meals and before bedtime.

• Supervise children younger than three years old.

• Use a small, ‘pea-sized’ amount of toothpaste.

• Teach your child to spit out toothpaste, and to avoid swallowing it.

What about supplements?

Fluoride is also available as drops or lozenges, but most children don’t need extra fluoride.

If there is a reason to give your child fluoride supplements, your dentist or doctor will recommend them. If you use drops, squirt them on the teeth. Tell your child not to swallow the drops.

What are some other tips to keep teeth healthy?

• Do not put a baby to bed with a bottle. The fluid will stay in the baby’s mouth while she is sleeping and cause tooth decay.

• Avoid sticky or sugary snacks.

• Take your child to the dentist when she is about one year old, and every six months afterwards.

• Brush teeth twice a day, especially before bedtime.

• Don’t share toothbrushes. Germs can easily pass from one person to another.

• Rinse the toothbrush well with water after each use and let it air dry.

• Replace a toothbrush every few months, when the bristles become flattened with use.