Not Today, tooth Decay
Tooth decay (dental caries or cavities) is the most common chronic disease among youth in the United States. In fact, more than 45 percent of American children between the ages of 2 and 19 experience tooth decay in their primary or permanent teeth.

Tooth decay can happen at any age. From the moment the first baby tooth arrives, there are steps you can take to keep it healthy. One way to spot tooth decay early is to look for white spots on teeth. This is often the first sign that the tooth is losing calcium and minerals needed to keep it strong. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to pain, loss of teeth and serious infections.

Not to worry! A daily dental hygiene routine that includes the use of fluoride (when age appropriate) can help prevent decay from a young age. Part of that routine is also visiting your child’s dental care office every six months to evaluate for cavities and other dental issues. As a parent or caregiver, following a dental health routine yourself is a great way to lead by example.

Know Your Fluoride Facts

• Fluoride is a natural mineral with the ability to safely slow or stop cavities from forming by helping to strengthen the enamel layer on teeth.
• When fluoride is absorbed into the weakened surface of a tooth, it strengthens the enamel, which is the hardest tissue in the human body.
• Enamel needs fluoride to help fight the cavity-causing acids that form when bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars.
• Fluoride is a vitally important tool in the fight to prevent cavities and help strengthen teeth as they develop.

Be Sugar Aware
It’s never too early in life, or too late, to think about sugar intake. Some foods and drinks that seem harmless are actually packed with cavity-causing sugar. Every five years since 1980, the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services release an updated set of guidelines. The following highlights are from the current edition of The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Avoid added sugars, especially with infants and young children, who have virtually no room in their diet for added sugars.

Before age 12 months, 100% fruit or vegetable juices should not be given to infants.

In the second year of life, fruit juice is not necessary, and most fruit intake should come from eating whole fruit. If 100% fruit juice is provided, up to 4 ounces per day can fit in a healthy dietary pattern. Juices that contain added sugars should be avoided.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g., regular soda, juice drinks [not 100% fruit juice], sports drinks, and flavored water with sugar) should not be given to children younger than age 2. They are not necessary in the child or adolescent diet, nor are they a component of the USDA Dietary Patterns.

Drink More Water
ADHA, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree that community water fluoridation is safe and works to prevent tooth decay. That’s why fluoride has been added to drinking water since 1945. Studies have shown that community water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by 25%. When your child drinks water every day, the fluoride makes it harder for bacteria in your mouth to make enamel-weakening acid.

Not sure if your drinking water has fluoride? Check with your local water utility agency or with the CDC to find out more about water fluoridation in your community. The peak health benefits happen when the drinking water has 0.7 mg/L of fluoride. If your community water supply does not have fluoride, or you live on a private well, ask your child’s doctor if you should get a prescription for fluoride drops or chewable tablets. Keep in mind that the fluoride and pH of bottled water vary depending on the source.

Discover More Ways to Fluoride
In addition to drinking water, fluoride can be found in other sources such as toothpaste and mouth rinse, which can help prevent tooth decay and make your child’s teeth stronger. Amazingly, the new surface formed by this process is even stronger than the original.

As always, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Too much fluoride in the first eight years of life, when permanent teeth are being formed, can result in white lines or streaks on the teeth. The good news is that topical fluoride rinses and toothpastes are not strong enough to cause harm.

Brush Up on Your Daily Oral Health Routine
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, as soon as teeth start to appear up until age 3, using a tiny smear of toothpaste, similar to the size of a grain of rice, is best for brushing kids’ teeth.

From ages 3–6 years, you can move up to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. At this age, it’s best for an adult to assist the child and put the right amount of toothpaste on the brush. Always monitor brushing to avoid any excess swallowing of toothpaste.

A fluoride varnish is recommended beginning at six months of age. The varnish is applied by your dental care team or pediatrician every six months, or every three months for children at greater risk of tooth decay. The process is safe and does not hurt. Plus, it is a preventive service, which means most public and private health insurance plans cover it.

Brush twice a day, and be sure to supervise children to ensure they brush once in the morning and once at night. Right after breakfast and before bedtime are the best times to brush. A good rule to remember is a toothbrush should be the last thing that touches your child’s teeth every night.

As children get older, let them use their own toothbrush. Until they have the dexterity to tie their own shoelaces, you will need to help them brush twice a day for at least two minutes. Try brushing their teeth first and then letting them finish. You may also want to consider an electric toothbrush for kids to aid in plaque removal.

Parents should begin flossing children’s teeth as soon as two teeth touch, which is typically around ages 2-3. Flossing should be done once a day, preferably with the evening brushing. Until the age of 10, parents should assist children with flossing. Let them see you floss as well to show it is an essential step in daily dental care for all.

Information provided by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA)