Five Teeth Facts!

No. 4: Too much fluoride can be bad for your teeth.

We know that fluoride is important for healthy teeth. But kids who ingest excessive amounts of this substance when they’re 8 or younger, when their permanent teeth are developing under the gums, can develop a condition known as fluorosis. Typically fluorosis starts out causing white spots, but they can become brown. Unfortunately, fluorosis stains are “intrinsic,” which means the dentist cannot simply polish off a surface stain.

Excessive fluoride causes teeth to become porous. The problem is not the water supply. The problem occurs when children ingest extra fluoride, typically by swallowing too much toothpaste. Unlike water, toothpaste is meant to work only topically.

To make sure children don’t swallow toothpaste, supervise them while they’re brushing. Tell them to squeeze out only a pea-size amount of paste so that they won’t accidentally swallow too much. Most cases of fluorosis involve children who used more than that. We recommend that kids stick to fluoride-free paste until they understand that they need to spit it out, not swallow it.