Why Do Children Need Fluoride? Isn’t It Dangerous?
Fluoride has a mysterious reputation. Commonly known as a chemical found in our tap water, many people worry that it is a dangerous poison. Add the fact that it is an active ingredient in most toothpastes, and you get a lot of worried parents. Yes, dental hygiene is important. But most parents try to avoid introducing poisons to their young children. So, how can we safely take care of our young ones’ mouths? The answers below will help you understand what fluoride is and how it is affecting your child’s health.
What is Fluoride?
The name “Fluoride” sounds like a scary, man-made additive, but it is actually a very natural substance. Fluoride is the ionized form of fluorine, an abundant element commonly found in nature and the earth’s very crust. It is not added to our drinking water, but rather picked up through rocks and minerals as the water passes through various soils during the filtration process.
What does Fluoride do?
The natural minerals in Fluoride protect your teeth’s enamel from acid damage and tooth decay. Fluoride also kills a lot of bacteria that develop in your mouth.
Is Fluoride safe for children? Or is it just for adults?
Fluoride is not only safe for children, it is essential to their dental health!
Why is Fluoride added to our toothpaste if it’s already in our water? Isn’t that too much?
While many cities still include fluoride in their drinking water, it is often in very small amounts. Some cities even filter it out completely. Adding fluoride to toothpaste is a way of guaranteeing people enough natural fluoride to benefit their dental health.
What are the best sources of fluoride?
Fluoride in water. It’s important to remember that fluoride is not found in bottled water and some states or cities filter it out of their tap water completely. (The state of Idaho does allow EPA approved fluoride levels in its drinking water. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/33W7hYF).
Fluoride toothpaste. Most toothpastes include fluoride. Just keep an eye out for the label. If the toothpaste you use doesn't include fluoride, you may want to consider switching.
Fluoride supplements. If you feel the other two options are not sufficient, ask your pediatric dentist about fluoride drops or tablets.
Can fluoride be dangerous?
Just like anything else, too much fluoride (and we’re talking LOTS) could be bad for you. However, brushing your teeth and drinking tap water are not practices that would ever put you in danger of overexposure.
But my kid likes to swallow toothpaste...
If they don’t consume more than 8 tubes of toothpaste at a time, your child should be fine if they accidentally swallow when brushing their teeth, or even take the occasional swig out of the toothpaste bottle. Of course, if you have concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your pediatric dentist or bring them up at your next visit!
Have more questions about fluoride? Schedule an appointment with Just 4 kiDDS Dentistry For Children sooner rather than later!