flouride supplements
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Anonymous
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Has anyone done fluoride supplements? My pediatrician just prescribed them for my 15 mo and 3.5 yo because we drink spring water instead of tap water. I am not against flouride - I use fluoride toothpaste, and my 3.5 yo has gotten the fluoride varnish at the pediatrician and at her dentist. However, I feel weird about the fluoride supplement, I guess mostly because I've never heard of it or known anyone who has used it, even though it seems like a lot of people drink bottled water instead of tap water. Also, apparently my insurance doesn't cover this supplement, so it will cost us about $350 a year. Another thing is that even though we officially drink spring water, my kids love to do things like drink hose water out of the water table (I know, gross), so I feel like in the summer they are probably still getting a decent amount of fluoride that way, and I don't want to overdo it with supplements.
Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. |
Anonymous
| I grew up with well water in New England and took fluoride at the nurses office when I was growing up. Must have been a public health initiative. My teeth are really strong and I have few cavities. I agree with your pediatrician. It’s safe and effective. Though I know there is a contingent of people who belief fluoride is bad for you (so you can research that, though I think it’s more like an anti-vax sentiment and not popular). |
Anonymous
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Fluoride is definitely good for teeth. How much u need seems to be a bit unclear. I read an article a while back - I don’t remember the details but I took away generally that fluoride is good, but it’s possible to get too much and the concentration they add to public water may be too high in some places. (Although I wouldn’t be surprised if there were also extremist views on the subject given that it’s governments that add fluoride to public water). Docs will go by guidelines and may not even know why the dosage guidelines are set the way the are. I’d be hesitant to give my 15 month old fluoride. They tell u not to let a kid use fluoride toothpaste early in. I’d think that the amount would be based on size, but I don’t actually know.
I grew up on well water. No supplement. No cavities ever. Dentist told my parents not to bother bringing me more than once a year. I skipped the dentist for10 years beginning in college. Still fine. I use fluoride toothpaste, but I think genetics are responsible for my good dental luck. For the not so lucky, fluoride can be important. |
Anonymous
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It is the first time I hear of fluoride supplement, are they in powder, liquid , gummy or pill form? OTC or need prescription?
My friend has kids with cavities as young as 1 year old because of gene, how come her kids never get fluoride supplement? |
Anonymous
| I’m surprised by this. We live in a European country that does not have fluoride in our water. Our pediatric dentist advised to just use a small smear of fluoridated toothpaste on our children’s toothbrushes rather than do supplements. |
Anonymous
| We have well water and give our kids 8 ounces of flouridated water per day. That’s all your need. You don’t need an expensive supplement. It can be hard to find in the grocery store. It’s often “nursery water” in the baby aisle. |
Anonymous
| I took fluoride supplements while lived in a house with well water. My dad is a doctor and was very insistent about it. Anecdotally my dad grew up with fluoridated tap water and has had like one cavity while my mom grew up without it and despite being a very careful brusher and flosser she's had tons of trouble with her teeth. |
Anonymous
| When DD was 6 or 9 months her ped told us that when giving her water (we were just starting to offer water in addition to breast milk) it should either be tap water (filtered if we want) or "baby water" with fluoride. |
Anonymous
| Every time I see someone go on an anti fluoride rant I think of that bit in Dr. Strangelove. |
Anonymous
When you say "took fluoride at the nurse's office," do you mean daily? In an ingested supplement? Or are you talking about a fluoride varnish once/twice a year? |
Anonymous
Interesting. I do see on some sites that only 5% of western europeans have fluoride in their water, and apparently there is no difference in tooth decay rates. |
Anonymous
It's chewable tabs for the 3 yo and drops for the 15 mo. It's prescription only. |
Anonymous
No not daily, I honestly can’t remember the frequency. Maybe once each semester? But it wasn’t varnish. It was in a little cup. It was only In elementary school so about 35 years ago. I don’t remember much about it. |
Anonymous
| Why are you drinking spring water? Just drink tap water and this all goes away. |
Anonymous
| Drink tap water or buy the nursery water with flouride if you must drink bottled water. Why would you pay so much for supplements? |