What are the benefits of fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the enamel of your teeth. It is added to most types of toothpaste, as well as many other dental products, such as mouthwash. It is also added to the public water supply in many areas to help support dental health. Dentists sometimes prescribe fluoride supplements, such as tablets, especially for people who do not get fluoride from their water.

Should children use fluoride?

Fluoride is beneficial for dental health for people of all ages. As of 2014, both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend using fluoride toothpaste beginning with a child’s first tooth. This will help prevent cavities, which is important for your child’s overall health and development.

Can fluoride be poisonous?

Fluoride is safe when used properly, and swallowing small amounts is not harmful.

Swallowing too much fluoride at once can irritate your stomach.

Regularly swallowing too much fluoride for a long time—such as having too much fluoride in your well water for several years—can lead to a condition called fluorosis. Dental fluorosis develops in children before their baby or adult teeth are fully formed, and causes streaks or spots on the teeth. It is usually not harmful to overall health. Skeletal fluorosis, which affects the bones, is not common in the United States.

American Dental Association photo showing a smear of toothpaste for children under 3 years old (left) and a pea-sized amount for children 3-6 years (right).

How can I use fluoride safely?

For young children, follow the American Dental Association’s guidelines for tooth brushing:

• For children up to 3 years old, use just a smear of fluoride toothpaste—about the size of a grain of rice.
• For children age 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount
• Watch young children when they brush to make sure they spit out rather than swallow the toothpaste.

Store toothpaste and other dental products up high, out of the reach of young children. Keep them separate from medications and food to prevent accidental poisonings.

When using dental products, carefully follow the directions from your dentist or on the product label.

What about training toothpaste?

While some companies still make training toothpaste or other fluoride-free toothpaste for young children, the American Dental Association strongly recommends using small amounts of fluoride toothpaste as described above. Fluoride-free toothpaste will not help prevent cavities. Using a smear amount of fluoride toothpaste to brush your child’s teeth is safe, even if your child accidentally swallows the toothpaste.

Jack-O’-Lantern by William Warby. Creative Commons.

For many of us October means Halloween—picking out costumes, carving pumpkins, and maybe dipping into the candy stash a little too early!

While a little spookiness is part of the fun, none of us want anything actually scary to happen. Follow these tips for a fun and safe Halloween:

• Dress trick-or-treaters in brightly colored costumes made of flame-resistant materials. Add reflective tape to costumes or trick-or-treat bags to make sure your child is visible after it gets dark.
• If you use makeup, test it on a small area of skin first. Keep an eye out for skin irritation or an allergic reaction, such as a rash or itching. If this happens, remove the makeup right away with soap and water. Remove all makeup before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
• Keep an eye on kids playing with glow sticks. They can break and sometimes children chew them open. The insides of a glow stick can irritate the skin and eyes and cause an upset stomach.
• Bring along your own candy to give your children while trick-or-treating so they will not eat candy you have not inspected from their bags.
• Inspect all treats before kids eat them. Only eat treats that are in their original, unopened wrappers. Throw out candies with wrappers that are faded, have holes, tears or signs of rewrapping.
• Keep candy, such as chocolate, away from dogs and other pets. It can be poisonous to them.
• Keep candle-lit jack-o-lanterns off doorsteps and out of the way of foot traffic. They can be a fire hazard for trick-or-treaters with long or flowing costumes.
• Keep dry ice out of drinking glasses. Dry ice can cause frostbite if it touches your skin or mouth.

Most importantly, always supervise your child, and remember you can call the poison center at any hour at 1-800-222-1222 or chat online if your child chews on or swallows something that may be harmful.

The right preparation can help you get through an emergency. For a poisoning, that includes having the poison center help line, 1-800-222-1222 saved in your phone.

For other emergencies, such as natural disasters, it’s important to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least three days. Follow these three steps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency:

1. Every September is National Preparedness Month. Photo from ready.gov.

   Make a kit

   • Pull together items your family will need during a disaster. Visit www.ready.gov for a list.
   • Make sure your kit includes at least a three-day supply of any medications you need.
   • Keep the kit out of the reach of children.
2. Make a plan
   • Choose someone you know in a different town that you can have your family call if you are separated.
   • Set up a meeting place for your family to gather.
   • Check with your workplace and your children’s schools to find out what their emergency plans are.
3. Be informed
   • Learn about different types of emergencies and how they can affect your family. This will help you make quick changes to your family plan. Visit www.ready.gov for a list of possible dangers you could face.                                                                        

You can be prepared for personal emergencies by saving other important help lines in your phone. Visit the NNEPC’s R U Prepared program page for more information.