Good morning, Ellie
Two questions for you
1. I know that fluoride supplementation for children is not part of your program, but is there any harm in it? My kids have always taken fluoride supplements (5x/week rather than daily). They never used fluoride toothpaste until age four or so, when they were able to demonstrate that they were able to spit it out completely. We have always closely supervised this and there is no evidence of dental fluorosis (and, I understand, that we are now beyond this possibility at ages 15, 13, and 10).
That said, I am starting to get concerned about ingesting fluoride, based on what I’ve recently been reading (we do not have fluoridated water). Is it true that topical fluoride application is more effective, both short- and long-term, than ingested fluoride? If that’s the case, then I don’t want to continue giving my kids multi-vitamins with fluoride, believing that it’s beneficial.
2. Do you know if there’s any potential harm in using an oral irrigator such as Viajet Pro? I once had a periodontist tell me that it could cause more harm than good (I imagine that that would be the case if you used excessive water pressure on already delicate tissue), yet I’ve read of many benefits. Again, I know that it’s not part of your program, but I’m wondering if there is any downside to using one.
Thanks,
LH
Hi LH,
I do not recommend Fluoride supplements for kids of any age. Research shows supplements have little use and may have negative features. Research also shows that the kind of fluoride that repairs and builds teeth best is a dilute solution of sodium fluoride rinsed over teeth at least twice a day. The effects last while the solution remains in the pits and crevices of the teeth so do not eat or drink for an hour after the rinse. I recommend the ACT original anticavity since it coats teeth very well and gets into all the crevices and pits.
I do not recommend the waterjets any more. I agree that they may cause more harm than good.
Hope this helps,
Ellie
Categories: Uncategorized