Tooth decay is one of the most common preventable diseases seen in children. Children as young as 12-18 months can get cavities. Cavities in children's teeth can cause pain and prevent children from eating, speaking, sleeping and learning.

The Fluoride Varnish is painted on the teeth with a small disposable brush. It is quick, painless, easy and does not have a bad taste. Yes, your child should still see a dentist regularly. This is not a substitute for daily brushing and flossing or regular dental checkups.

Do not eat hard or chewy foods or chew gum on the treatment day. This might chip the Fluoride Varnish off. The Fluoride Varnish is yellow, therefore, teeth will appear yellow for 24 hours. This yellow color will go away when the teeth are brushed the next day. Children taking fluoride supplements (drops or tablets) should discontinue the use of the supplements for 3 days after following the treatment.

Fluoride Varnish is a protective coating that is painted on teeth to help prevent new cavities and to help stop cavities that have already started. The paint on Fluoride Varnish is sticky, so it attaches to the teeth easily and makes the outer layer (enamel) of the teeth harder, helping to prevent cavities.

Yes, Fluoride Varnish can be used on babies from the time they have their first teeth. Only a small amount of fluoride varnish is used.

Fluoride Varnish is recommended for children of all ages, including infants. Fluoride Varnish is an effective replacement for weekly school fluoride mouthrinse programs.

There is no evidence that fluoride, used correctly, is harmful to children with DS than any other child. Fluoride in the proper amounts is not toxic. No. A study in 1980 of births in 44 US cities proved conclusively that there was no difference in the rate of births of children with DS in cities with and without fluoridated water supply.

Yes. If excess fluoride is ingested it can result in a condition known as fluorosis. Fluorosis can cause varying degrees of staining and irregular enamel formation in your child’s permanent teeth. Most municipal water supplies are fluoridated at safe levels (1.0 ppm). If your water source is an independent well, or if you drink only bottled water, you will have to investigate the level of fluoride that the water contains.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element. It has been proven that routine application of fluoride helps re-mineralization of enamel preventing tooth decay. Both children and adults benefit from fluoride use. Many children do not have good oral hygiene habits and tend to eat excessive amounts of sugar. These situations leave children much more prone to tooth decay. Because many adults do not have good oral hygiene habits and eat excessive amounts of sugar they are also prone to tooth decay.

Yes. Fluoride if consumed in concentrations greater than 1 PPM (part per million) for extended periods of time can result in a dental condition known as Fluorosis. Fluorosis, in severe cases can result in the deformation of the tooth enamel, making it appear "mottled" with brown pits.

Developing teeth are sensitive to higher fluoride levels. In young children, excess fluoride intake can cause dental fluorosis, a harmless cosmetic discoloring or mottling of the enamel, visible as chalky white specks and lines or pitted and brown stained enamel on developing teeth. They are at greater risk if they swallow or use too much toothpaste and fluoride supplements or regularly drink water containing excessive fluoride levels.

A Registered Dental Hygienist provides a visual assessment of a child's teeth, education to the parent/caregiver on good oral health practices, and an application of fluoride varnish on the child's teeth. We hold regular fluoride varnish clinics at Central District Health Department. Visit our website's Upcoming Events page to find the date of the next Fluoride Varnish Clinic near you.

Dr. Keith Coe, a pediatric dentist in Texas, provides very informative answers to frequently asked questions about children's dentistry. Dr. Thomas Field, a highly successful orthodontist in Gainesville, Georgia provides answers to some frequently asked questions about braces, retainers and other orthodontic treatments.

Children ages 2-7: Start with of an Oral Chelation capsule before bed and of an Age-less caplet upon waking. Administration of each should be done every other day (make sure you are not giving your child the formula daily but are instead skipping one day in between administrations) for the first week (7 days) that the child is on the formula. After the first week progress to of an Oral Chelation capsule before bed and of a Age-less caplet upon waking every day.

Fluoride is a mineral found in nature. There is fluoride in the ocean, in the earth's crust and in fresh water.

Fluoridated drinking water contains 2 parts per million of fluoride. If you are on well water you can add prescription drops or vitamins. Most supermarkets have gallon containers of fluoridated water. Depending on the weight of the child, you can add an ounce of this water every time they have a cup of liquid. Be careful of reconstituted baby formula, it may have been processed with fluoride water. Read the label.

It is recommended that everyone use fluoride toothpaste daily. The use of fluoride toothpaste is widely acknowledged as contributing significantly to the decrease in tooth decay (caries) over the past two decades. For children under six years of age, a low concentration fluoride toothpaste (400 ppm) such as My First Colgate is recommended as young children swallow rather than spit paste out when brushing.

We will treat children from the time their first teeth erupt, to about 5 years old. Children who are enrolled in SCHIP or Idaho Smiles receive this service at no cost to them. The parents of uninsured children will be assessed fees based on a sliding fee scale. If you have questions about eligibility you can contact the program manager at 208-327-5612 or send an e-mail.

Fluoride is a natural mineral that safely strengthens teeth to help prevent tooth decay and permanent tooth loss. It helps stop cavities from forming by enhancing the remineralization (or rebuilding) process in teeth.

Many areas have enough fluoride in the water to help fight tooth decay. However, where the level in the water supply is low, it is sometimes necessary for children to take extra fluoride in the form of supplements. It is extremely important that these are only taken on the advice and instruction of a dentist.

From as early as five years old children should be encouraged to apply the 45O method, also known as the Bass Technique (see more under brushing). The GUM Kids Technique Toothbrush has been especially designed to help develop this good brushing technique. It has a non-slip quad-grip handle to help guide the child's hand to correctly position the toothbrush at a 45O angle, so that that the bristles clean under the gum line.

No. At this time, IDPH is not recommending giving the second dose early. This may change if we start seeing disease in this age group.

This product may be consumed by children over 12 years of age. Suggested dosage is the same as that for adults.

Fluoride makes the enamel more resistant to cavities. Fluoride is available in two forms, the kind we ingest from the water supply or tablets, and the topical kind from toothpaste, rinses and from professional applications in the dental office. It is possible to ingest too much fluoride by swallowing too many tablets or too much toothpaste when a child is young, and this can cause permanent marks on the teeth.