Is baby getting the flouride he needs? (teeth, gums, pain)

[floridadreamer]

I have been using bottled spring water to make baby formula but I am wondering when and how is my son supposed to get the Flouride he needs for healthy teeth. I know it's in most tap water, but my sister ended up with really bad teeth when she was little because the part of Louisiana we lived in didn't put flouride in the water. He has just started teething.

I of course will ask the pediatrician but if anyone on here has insight that would be very helpful at this time.

[justone321]

My daughter is 16 months old and she has about 8 teeth. I use plain tap water and a soft infant toothbrush twice a day. She has beautiful teeth, milky white. My father used a water pick with flouride and it turned his teeth yellow. The dentist said using to many products with flouride will turn your teeth a yellow color. I'll probably start using tooth paste at around 2 years old for my daughter. I didn't want to start too early.

[recycled]

This is a hot topic that has been debated for 6 decades with a million opinions. My own thought is that people don't need fluoride in drinking water. Fluoride does not need to be swallowed internally to prevent tooth decay, and in fact it is another chemical that is best not swallowed at all. That's why on toothpaste that contains fluoride they put an label that advises not allowing young children that don't know how to spit out the toothpaste properly not to use it.
Many children get tooth decay on their permanent teeth, not because they lack fluoride, but because they eat too many sugar laced snacks and beverages. Since the "baby teeth" are temporary, the tooth decay concern seems premature. It's when the permanent teeth start growing in that children need to be more careful about the sugar intake from food and drinks, and begin good teeth cleaning routines. Soda pop is one of the worst things for teeth. If you decide to use fluoride toothpaste for cleaning the permanent teeth at that time, it should provide plenty of tooth decay protection. The fluoride in the toothpaste coats the tooth enamel during the brushing routine. Internal ingestion of fluoride into the body doesn't prevent tooth decay.

[33458]

Our pediatrician prescribed vitamin drops with fluoride and iron - something she'd not had at all in China...once Mo was old enough to know not to swallow toothpaste and could swish/spit (important), we moved on to a children's fluoride formula (bubblegum - YUCK) around 2 instead of the infant tooth cleanser...and at 3 her vitamins were switched to a chewable non-fluoride variety.

The dentist also recommended a child's version of fluoride rinse to use after brushing, but it involves being able to patiently swish around for several seconds before spitting out...M is good at that, but I know there are a lot of kids that can't handle that at such a young age.

Start using the soft-bristled finger brush to cleanse baby teeth a.s.a.p. There is no fluoride in infant gels.
Formula, milk and juice can do serious damage to teeth if not regularly 'brushed' - why both pediatricians and pediatric dentists stress only putting baby to bed with a bottle of water.

[33458]

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay (also called early childhood caries, nursing caries, and nursing bottle syndrome) occurs when a baby's teeth are in frequent contact with sugars from liquid carbohydrates, such as fruit juices, milk, formula, fruit juice diluted with water, sugar water or any other sweet drink. Human breast milk can cause tooth decay as well. As these liquids break down in the mouth into simple sugars and are allowed to sit in the mouth, bacteria start feeding on the sugars, causing tooth decay. Babies that are fed with liquids containing sugars are at greater risk for developing this serious but preventable condition.

What Happens if a Baby's Teeth become Decayed?

Even though baby teeth are eventually replaced with permanent teeth, dental decay is potentially serious and could affect a child's overall health and well-being. If left untreated, decayed teeth can cause pain and make it difficult to chew and eat. Also, baby teeth serve as "space savers" for adult teeth. If baby teeth are damaged or destroyed by decay, they can't help guide permanent teeth into their proper position, possibly resulting in crowded or crooked permanent teeth. Badly decayed baby teeth could lead to a local abscessed tooth, with the possibility of the infection spreading elsewhere in the face.

How Do I Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Some tips to prevent baby bottle tooth decay include:

During the day, to calm or comfort your baby, don't give a bottle filled with sugary liquids or milk; instead, give plain water or substitute a pacifier.
At anytime, don't dip your baby's pacifier in sugar, honey, or any sugary liquid.
At bedtime, don't put your baby to bed with a bottle filled with sugary liquids (watered-down fruit juice or milk still increases the risk of decay). Give plain water.
Don't allow your baby to nurse continuously throughout the night while sleeping, since human breast milk can cause decay. Use a pacifier or give a bottle filled with plain water instead.
Don't add sugar to your child's food.
Use a wet cloth or gauze to wipe your child's teeth and gums after each feeding. This helps remove any bacteria-forming plaque and excess sugar that have built up on the teeth and gums.
Ask your dentist about your baby's fluoride needs. If your drinking water is not fluoridated, fluoride supplements or fluoride treatments may be needed.
Teach your baby to drink from a cup by his or her first birthday. Moving to a "sippy cup" reduces the teeth's exposure to sugars; however, constant sipping from the cup can still result in decay unless it is filled with water.

[Lisa_from_Debary]

If I remember correctly my daughters pediatrician was concerned about her getting too much flouride...I used a bottled water that was just for babies to mix her formula...

[33458]

And Recycled is right -big argument about the value of ingesting fluoride as a suppliment...do a GOOGLE and you'll pull up all kinds of stuff.

[floridadreamer]

Thanks to everyone! We'll see what we can do here. Cheers.

[floridadreamer]

OK- I went to walgreens to look for some drops and they didn't have any, just regular vitamin drops. Are these something that I actually need a prescription for?

[floridadreamer]

Just in case anyone else needs to know....We went to the Pediatrician today and she said to just start using water that has flouride because the concern nowadays is also that kids will get too much flouride. So, we just started using the Nursery Water with added Flouride.