Fluoride is a good thing for your child’s teeth. But you know what they say about too much of a good thing—it can hurt you. In this case, too much fluoride can negatively impact the appearance of your child’s teeth in a condition called fluorosis, in which permanent teeth appear discolored. Fluorosis is often caused by children swallowing too much toothpaste. Here is a video to a local news story that our own dentist in Harrisburg—Dr. Gary Klein—contributed to about this very topic.
What is fluorosis?
Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition that causes your permanent teeth to look stained. These discolorations can range from lacy white markings in mild cases up to yellow or dark brown stains in more severe cases. Caused by over exposure to fluoride in the first 8 years of life while the permanent teeth are developing, fluorosis impacts 25 percent of Americans between the ages of 6 and 49. It is not considered a disease, but its effects can cause psychological distress.
Although fluoride is usually harmless otherwise, if your child consumes a large amount of fluoride in a short period of time, it can cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain and necessitate a trip to the emergency room.
How is fluorosis treated?
Most of the time, fluorosis is mild enough that you don’t need to seek treatment. However, if the stains cover more than 50 percent of the teeth’s surface, you can address the problem through several cosmetic procedures. Treatments include the following:
- Teeth whitening to remove surface stains.
- Bonding, which is a coating of hard resin.
- Porcelain veneers, which can conceal imperfections.
These are safe, effective ways to revamp your smile and overcome the effects of fluorosis.
What can I do to prevent fluorosis in my child?
The best thing you can do to avoid fluorosis is to limit the amount of toothpaste your child uses on their toothbrush. For children under 3, use a dab of toothpaste the size of grain of rice. For children 3 years old and up, use only a dab of toothpaste the size of a pea. Although permanent teeth finish developing after age 7, adults too need only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Also, it is important to help your younger children learn to spit out the toothpaste instead of swallowing it. To help them stop swallowing toothpaste, you may want to choose a flavor that your child will be less tempted to swallow.
In the end, although fluoride strengthens teeth, you need to be careful about the amount that your child consumes. Fluorosis may just be a cosmetic condition, but it can affect the appearance of your child’s smile for many years to come. That is worth taking the extra time and effort to ensure that they aren’t using too much toothpaste. For more information about fluorosis, contact your dentist in Harrisburg.
About the Author
Dr. Gary Klein is the owner and operator of Klein Family Dentistry and has many years of dental experience. He has been named a top dentist in Central Pennsylvania in Harrisburg Magazine and one of the top 40 dentists in the entire country by Incisal Edge Magazine. He offered his expertise in a recent local news story for ABC 27 about fluorosis. To contact him, you can call (717) 652-6644 or click here.