How Important is Fluoride for Children?

Children should always brush AND floss.

Recent research has revealed that cavities in children have gone up more than 15 percent. You’re probably wondering… “why is this?”. Good question.

A spokesperson for the American Association of Pediatric Dentists, Dr. Michael Ignelzi, has revealed a few habits that should be broken because of this alarming news. Dr. Ignelzi believes a big reason to the rise in cavities is due to the amount of fluoride children are receiving.

Fluoride can be found in tap water, or public water sources. Many parents opt for bottled water because of its on-the-go convenience. It’s certainly better to drink bottled water over sugar-infested drinks, but bottled water does not give children the fluoride that their mouths could benefit from.

Dr. Ignelzi acknowledges the concern of skeptics who believe fluoride is a toxic substance but still believes that its positives outweigh any negatives associated with it. Fluoride is very important for both developing teeth and permanent teeth in children.

Aside from this, children are snacking far too often on food items that can be replaced with so many other healthy options. Typical culprits include candies that are filled with sugar, as well as drinks such as sodas. Don’t be fooled by fruit juice as it too contains a large amount of sugar. In simple terms, sugary foods and oral health do not mix. Fluoride is the agent that interrupts the demineralization process that takes place when sugar combines with the bacteria in our mouths.

2 Dental Habits That Should Be Broken

A popular habit both children and adults find comfort in is to wash out their teeth with water after a thorough brushing. Dr. Ignelzi advises that this should not be done because when you wash your mouth out with water, you’re also washing away most of the fluoride toothpaste that you just spent a couple of minutes trying to apply to your teeth.

The other habit that parents are susceptible of is not introducing their children to fluoride toothpaste until the age of 2. Dr. Ignelzi urges parents to start using fluoride toothpastes in grain-sized amounts until your child turns 3, and then start using a pea sized amount until they turn 6.

On top of a general lack of fluoride usage, many children are simply not finding the motivation to brush their teeth. Educating children is important in the sense that not only should they know how to properly brush their teeth, but also should be aware of the consequences of what happens when you don’t.

Your Newport Beach dentist takes pediatric dentistry very seriously because the earlier good habits form, the better off your children will be. 

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