Fluoride For Kids – Its Benefits & Importance For Their Dental Health

Dental decay is one of the leading causes of tooth loss but fluoride provides important protection for young and developing teeth. When young children use fluoridated toothpaste, their dental enamel is strengthened and their teeth receive additional protection against decay. This is a vital step in preventing cavities and unnecessary tooth loss. Let’s take a look at the benefits of fluoride for kids and why it’s so important for their dental health.

Fluoride For Kids: An Ode To Improved Dental Care

Fluoride toothpaste can be introduced into your child’s dental health care ritual from the age of 8 months. It is estimated that having sufficient fluoride reduces dental decay in children between 18 and 40%, which shows you just how important it is for remineralising and protecting young teeth. Even though your child’s baby teeth will fall out to make way for their permanent teeth, they need to receive a high standard of dental care in order to have healthy gums and protect their developing adult teeth.

Fluoride strengthens the exterior of the tooth, making it more resilient to the potential decay that can be done with acids in the mouth. This is very important before the age of six.

By making sure that your child brushes before bed, you give him or her the maximum possible protection against cavities during the night. It is also therefore not a good idea to give young children mouthwash, as it can wash away some of the fluorides from the toothpaste.

Fluoride For Kids: It’s Naturally Occurring

benefits fluoride for kids drummoyneFluoride is a natural mineral that is found in tap water that has been fluoridated. Most developed areas have fluoridated water because of its ability to reduce tooth decay so significantly. 

Drinking tap water can also boost your fluoride intake.

A number of bottled water brands are not fluoridated and would thus not offer the same benefit as tap water.

Fluoride For Kids: Safety Recommendations

It’s important that you teach your children the proper brushing technique so that they don’t swallow their toothpaste. While small amounts are generally harmless, swallowing them regularly can lead to the development of white flecks on the teeth.

Fluoride For Kids: It’s Affordable

Fluoride presents an affordable way to improve dental care. Fluoridated toothpaste is inexpensive and lasts for a long time, considering how little you actually use every time you brush. You can improve your child’s dental health simply by ensuring he or she is brushing with fluoridated toothpaste.

Brush Up On Their Dental Health

Make sure your child is brushing and flossing correctly twice a day. Schedule dental visits every six months so that any early signs of decay can be picked up and addressed before cavities develop. Make sure your child develops a good rapport with his or her dentist and has an interest in their dental care.

Ensure your child is only dispensing a pea-sized amount of toothpaste when they brush.

To find out more about the appropriate amount of fluoride for kids or what you can do to boost your child’s fluoride intake, please contact us for an appointment: (02) 9181 3668.

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