Flouride For Kids?

[boppia]

Just wondering if anyone here has had their child take flouride supplements to prevent tooth decay. From what I gather, pregnant mothers are supposed to take the supplements before the child's birth and afterbirth child gets a daily tablet(s) until they are 16 years old. Does anyone have experience with this? Is it possible for older children to start flouride tablets later and get benefits from them? Are there any negative side affects from taking flouride?

Thanks for any responses.

[leisurely]

Our girls have been taking them since they were 6 months old (as far as i can remember). Neither has any cavities . I think I vaguely remember protests in teh UK about the compulsory fluoride you receive in the water supplies. Not sure what the protests were about. We also had their teeth 'plugged' with silicone. They both have very deep molars and it cost around 300 baht a tooth. Money well spent in my opinion considering the youngest who is 4 has a childin her class at school with 4 silver crowns and 3 fillings

[Heng]

Where can you get flouride supplements?

Has anyone seen the flouride gel they have in dentist's offices for sale anywhere? My dentist makes it seem like it's really hard to get and can only be ordered in bulk. (probably because he charges 600 Baht per application)

[steveromagnino]

Where can you get flouride supplements?

Has anyone seen the flouride gel they have in dentist's offices for sale anywhere? My dentist makes it seem like it's really hard to get and can only be ordered in bulk. (probably because he charges 600 Baht per application)

From what I understand, flouride is a poison, and there are a fair few websites stating this, although whether you choose to believe them or not is another matter!

If you want your kids to have perfect teeth (in my mother's family raised in poverty most have no fillings) then best solutions are not additives, they are actually looking after them:

- brush properly after eating each meal

- no fizzy drinks and sugar loaded snacks - instead lots of water

- floss from an early age

- eat food not too processed and with ruffage to clean teeth

- calcium from supplement, not from milk

Many countries load flouride into the water, like NZ, and my class was still loaded with fat kids with 10+ fillings who had bad breath; simple oral hygiene is far better prevention IMHO.

[Boon Mee]

Are there any negative side affects from taking flouride?

Slight discoloration of the enamal is all.

In terms of any scientifically proven studies, it's not a carcinogen by any stretch of the imagination.

[katana]

Here's some info from the Sigma Chemical company for sodium fluoride:

http://www.fluoridealert.org/pesticides/so...e.msds.1999.htm

Sigma Aldrich also give it the 'T' Hazard Code (Toxic).

I would be tempted to avoid the fluoride supplements, and go for flossing/brushing IMHO.

Edited February 20, 2006 by katana

[bjsanook]

I'm a dentist and see tons of children now days with fluorosis spotting. White or brown off color mottling which is internal and can not be "bleached" off.

As stated in above post, if you are watching them close, you don't need supplements. Use a fluoride tooth-paste, only a "pea" sized amount as they will swallow some anyway.

Regular check-ups and cleanings with a fluoride rinse twice a year. And make sure the brushing is best at night.

Kids can have sweets, but not all day. It's frequency vice quntity that gets them in trouble. Never put a child to bed with a milk or juice bottle. Same with acidic products like orange juice. If they are drinking it all day, the acid levels stay too high and the saliva can not clear the problem.

Becareful with sealents. Ask the dentist to show you if they are on firm. Many get put on and fall off soon after. Also, if done improperly, they tend to get decay under them.

Hope that helps,

BJ

[cathyy]

My daughter got fluoride supplements from a few months old until we moved to a city with fluoridated water. She had no cavities until she was in college. I made her brush as regularly as you can get a child to brush, which is certainly not three times a day. I really recommend the fluoride. If you use the drops properly, and get them well back in her mouth, the teeth don't stain. Hers are a lovely white.

[steveromagnino]

My daughter got fluoride supplements from a few months old until we moved to a city with fluoridated water. She had no cavities until she was in college. I made her brush as regularly as you can get a child to brush, which is certainly not three times a day. I really recommend the fluoride. If you use the drops properly, and get them well back in her mouth, the teeth don't stain. Hers are a lovely white.

Fair enough... except that I grew up drinking quite a bit of bottled water, and also have no cavities or fillings....ever.

Same as most of my family and friends who followed similar health regimes.

Cannot see the point of the supplements myself sorry, though they did help your daughter which is good

[h90]

I got told and it makes sense if you drink orange juice or coke (coke is very sauer) and than brush your theet you damage more than it helps, because it softens the surface and than you scrap away a bit of it.

Not sure if thats true or not...

I'm a dentist and see tons of children now days with fluorosis spotting. White or brown off color mottling which is internal and can not be "bleached" off.

As stated in above post, if you are watching them close, you don't need supplements. Use a fluoride tooth-paste, only a "pea" sized amount as they will swallow some anyway.

Regular check-ups and cleanings with a fluoride rinse twice a year. And make sure the brushing is best at night.

Kids can have sweets, but not all day. It's frequency vice quntity that gets them in trouble. Never put a child to bed with a milk or juice bottle. Same with acidic products like orange juice. If they are drinking it all day, the acid levels stay too high and the saliva can not clear the problem.

Becareful with sealents. Ask the dentist to show you if they are on firm. Many get put on and fall off soon after. Also, if done improperly, they tend to get decay under them.

Hope that helps,

BJ

[steveromagnino]

I got told and it makes sense if you drink orange juice or coke (coke is very sauer) and than brush your theet you damage more than it helps, because it softens the surface and than you scrap away a bit of it.

Not sure if thats true or not...

Coke is bad stuff in many ways (excessive sugar, caffeine, acidic level) so I sure it is just safer not to drink the stuff.

Had not heard that you shoudl not brush straight away; however I have heard that when brushing teeth should always start with back of teeth as the first few strokes are very abrasive, and also not to use too much toothpaste....

I have good enough teeth to model toothpaste (and have done so before); what i can recall - no red wine, coke, coffee or tea for weeks before; lots of brushing and flossing.

Never drank milk or much water with flouride, so cannot comment on those....

[boppia]

Great info. Thanks so much. I will have to think about this a bit more for sure. It sure is hard to live without all the junk food out there. Even Thai food is sweetening up.

[markuk]

Just wondering if anyone here has had their child take flouride supplements to prevent tooth decay. From what I gather, pregnant mothers are supposed to take the supplements before the child's birth and afterbirth child gets a daily tablet(s) until they are 16 years old. Does anyone have experience with this? Is it possible for older children to start flouride tablets later and get benefits from them? Are there any negative side affects from taking flouride?

Thanks for any responses.

We were given fluride tablets here in Bangkok, used a couple but not really trusting of the doctors - i dont believe in taking anything unless you need to...