Is Fluoridated Toothpaste Alone Sufficient For My Kid?
A child getting their first teeth is an important and happy milestone in parents' life. As soon as your little one start getting those tiny white bumps popping out of their gums, you start caring about those. As children love sugary food, and if their oral hygiene is not given the priority it can make their teeth prone to bacterial infection. These infections lead to tooth decay and cavity.
When it comes to oral health in children, fluoride plays an important role. It is a naturally occurring mineral in water, soil, and plants. Apart from these, fluoride is also an essential ingredient in toothpaste. But is fluoride in toothpaste enough for your kid to have healthy teeth? Well answer to this depends on various factors such as your child's oral condition, diet etc.
It is recommended by dentists all over the world to provide fluoride treatment to children for their dental needs. Let us see how fluoride works:
- Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel of your child and prevent tooth decay.
- It prevents dental caries. This caries occurs when bacteria feed on the sugar and food residues on the surface of the tooth and produce acid. These acids demineralize the enamel and cause decay and cavities.
- Washing teeth with fluoride water has a drastic effect on these. It increases remineralization and prevents tooth decay.
- Fluoride is also very good for enamel development and prevents reverse tooth decay.
If you are concerned whether your child is getting enough fluoride naturally or they requires fluoride treatment, you can always turn to your pediatric dentist. Depending upon the requirement, your dentist might suggest fluoride supplements such as tablets, drops, or vitamins to your kid. It is also recommended to use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Now that you know about fluoride and its dental benefits, there must be a question that might worry you. What if my kid consumes excess fluoride? So, if your kid is below the age of 8, excessive use of fluoride might cause dental fluorosis. It is nothing but the whitening of teeth. It is not harmful and it only affects the look of the teeth. Thus, talk to your paediatric dentist about the recommended dose of fluoride supplement according to the needs of your kid.