Here’s a excerpt we found in an article published about the efficacy of the fluoride treatment we apply at your child’s check-up visit…
December 8, 2020
Dental caries are a common chronic childhood disease and fluoride is a key way to prevent them. A report offers some guidance on fluoride use and fluoride varnish application.
The most common chronic childhood disease in the United States are dental caries, despite being a very preventable condition, particularly though the use of fluoride. Fluoride varnish application should be the standard of care in the pediatric primary care. A report in Pediatrics provided information on a number of things surrounding the procedure as well as general fluoride guidance.1
Children can be exposed to fluoride through tap water that has been fluoridated, home administration, and professional application. Fluoride helps protect against dental caries in 3 ways: reduces enamel demineralization, promotes enamel remineralization, and inhibiting bacterial metabolism as well as acid production. For most children, fluoride toothpaste is the key way that children are exposed. Most toothpastes in the United States have a fluoride concentration of 1000 to 1100 parts per million. Because children aged younger than 6 years are more likely to swallow toothpaste, it’s recommended that parents supervise brushing. High-concentration fluoride toothpaste is available, but only by prescription from a dental health professional. It should only be used in children aged older than 6 years who can expectorate following brushing.
