Is it okay to apply fluoride to children’s teeth?

Nowadays, most people have begun to pay attention to children's oral health, so many children have oral problems, which are magnified by many parents. Children love to eat snacks and desserts, and they do not pay attention to rinsing their mouths and brushing their teeth, which will lead to dental problems. Therefore, many parents will apply fluoride to their children's teeth to protect their teeth. They must go to regular institutions and not overdose, as excessive use can cause tooth damage.

Excessive fluoride intake can lead to dangerous conditions such as dental fluorosis and fluorosis.

The results of a systematic review study in the United States showed that if children swallow a pea-sized or larger amount of fluoride toothpaste when brushing their teeth, it will cause mild dental fluorosis.

Taking a 2-3 year old child weighing 10-15 kg as an example, if swallowing more than 50-75 g, it may cause fluorosis (about one toothpaste stick in a small package and half a toothpaste stick in a large package).

A can of household fluoride mouthwash (0.05%) contains about 300 to 500 cc, and about 5 to 10 cc is used each time. If a person weighs about 10 kg and accidentally swallows more than 215 cc, poisoning may occur (about 1/2 to 2/3 of the can).

Therefore, children's teeth must be fluoridated in a regular dental institution and performed by a professional dentist, and the time, frequency, and concentration of fluoride application must be strictly controlled. In general, fluoride application is not recommended for children under 3 years old, because they are too young to cooperate well with the doctor's operation and may easily ingest fluoride by mistake.