How do I know if my child is getting enough fluoride?

How do I know if my child is getting enough fluoride?

May 8, 2017 / in kids dentist / by FWCD-Admin
Question 2

Fluoride is beneficial to the support of healthy teeth giving them strength and fortifying the protective enamel that covers teeth. Fluoride has been added to city water supplies since the 1950s. Fluoride is also available in many of the foods we eat. But how do you know if your child is receiving enough of this critical component? With untreated bottled water, and everyone on the run these days, it may be best to rely on regular visits with your kid’s dentist to make sure their teeth are protected.

Your child should have their first dental visit around six months following the eruption of their first baby teeth … or at about twelve months. Pediatric dentistry provides treatment from a dentist specifically trained to take care of your child. This first visit will include an exam to assure that your child’s dental health is progressing correctly.

This is also the perfect opportunity for the parent to learn how to care for their child’s teeth during their early years; the importance of keeping baby teeth healthy and how to support the permanent teeth that will need to last a lifetime.

Why is fluoride so important? It is a mineral that is found in foods and water; and like many other discoveries in medicine, research found that by boosting fluoride intake, the outer surface of teeth became more resistant to the acids that promote dental decay.

Toothpaste, mouthwash, and oral rinses are available today with fluoride. This topical application is applied daily as often as we brush and swish. But when your child is just starting out it is up to you to make sure their daily oral hygiene habits are performed correctly and with the right tools.

Your kid’s dentist might suggest holding off using your adult toothpaste on your child until you’re sure your little one has mastered the art of spitting. Until then, an age appropriate toothpaste is recommended.

As your child ages, pediatric dentistry has the tools available to apply a topical protective covering of fluoride to teeth during their six month visit. In addition to having plaque buildup removed from teeth and an exam performed, other decay prevention helps are available.

Dental sealants protect the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth while fluoride (both topical and that taken internally) offer additional protection by strengthening dental enamel.

Contact our office at Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry today to schedule an appointment!