Flouride drops for infants....

[Disneyland1084]

My 7 month old DD was prescribed some yesterday. I'm confused about when I'm suppose to give it to her. Is it that she can't eat or have breastmilk for two hours after I give it to her? Or what if I feed her, then how long do I have to wait to give it to her?

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Ask your doctor or pharmacist. When my kids were little they took flouride like vitamins and it did not have to relate to not eating or drinking.

 

[mommy*RN]

I was just reading a dental health sheet from the Department of Health and Family services here in Wisconsin. This is what they said about giving fluoride to a child:

"Fluoride drop(s) may be placed on the tongue and swallowed or added to the child's beverage. If the latter method is used, the fluoride should be given with water or juice, but not with milk, which tends to bind fluoride ions and slow absorption."

They also recommended that you stick to a routine when giving the drops and suggest bedtime as being the best time to do so.

If you are still unsure I would contact the pediatrician's office and see what they suggest.
HTH!

 

[RNMOM]

Be very careful not to over do it with the drops...it can cause discoloration spots on the teeth that are forming. Happened in my family so I know from personal experience.

 

[clarabelle]

my kids have spots as well

 

[MichelleVW]

Be very careful not to over do it with the drops...it can cause discoloration spots on the teeth that are forming. Happened in my family so I know from personal experience.

Yep, Thanks to the over abundance of fluoride in our water in Texas...my oldest dd has yellow spots on her teeth..

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Yep, Thanks to the over abundance of fluoride in our water in Texas...my oldest dd has yellow spots on her teeth..

Our dentist warned me about this as well. He told me that I could elect not to give the drops to my DD, so I decided that that would be best for now.

BTW, your DD is gorgeous!

 

[Tinijocaro]

I would not give flouride drops. Do a bit of research on the subject. Form your own opinion. Do you live in an area where the water is not flouridated?

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Are kids routinely given Flouride drops by Pediatricians? Mine has never brought it up (not that I would give them.)

 

[mytwotinks]

I would not give flouride drops. Do a bit of research on the subject. Form your own opinion. Do you live in an area where the water is not flouridated?

I am assuming that she is breastfeeding so the baby isn't getting any water.

I do agree with the no flouride drops though. Look into it before you decide to do it. I limit the amount of tap water my dd's get because of the flouride issue.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I would absolutely never give fluoride to an infant.
Even the ADA is finally rethinking this.
Read the info below.
Released just a few weeks ago.

Fluoride is a toxin.
I do not drink or cook with flouridated tap water.

There is no proof that ingesting fluoride is even good for the teeth. (quite the opposit as shown by the previous posters) Non fluoridated areas have the same or fewer dental caries than fluoridated areas.

________________________________________________

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061113/nym082.html?.v=46

No Fluoride for Infants, Say Dentists
Monday November 13, 9:01 am ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- To prevent tooth damage, the American Dental Association (ADA) warned its members that fluoridated water should not be mixed into concentrated formula or foods intended for babies one year and younger, in a November 9th ADA e-mail alert.(1) (see below -- S.)

"But who will alert parents," asks lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF).

Two-thirds of U.S. public water suppliers add fluoride chemicals, based on a disproved theory that fluoride ingestion prevents cavities. Bottled water with added fluoride is now sold with specific instructions to mix into formula.(2 . . .

It took until 2006 for the ADA's alert, following the Food and Drug Administration's October disapproval of fluoridated bottled water marketed to babies,(6) and after the recent National Research Council's (NRC) fluoride report indicated babies are fluoride overdosed from "optimally" fluoridated water supplies.(7)

"The ADA claims the NRC report didn't question the safety of fluoridation(8) but it did, as the ADA now admits," says Beeber.

"The NRC also revealed fluoridation's adverse effects to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney patients, high water drinkers and others," says Beeber.

Now, the Centers for Disease Control reports that modern science shows that fluoride absorbs into enamel topically.(9) However, adverse effects occur upon ingestion. Further, the CDC admits enamel fluoride concentration isn't inversely related to cavities.

The Environmental Protection Agency is required to consider the most vulnerable populations when setting allowable water fluoride levels. To protect babies, allowable fluoride levels should be near zero.

"This should end water fluoridation," says Beeber. "Fluoridation is a failed concept that must be abandoned before more Americans are harmed," says Beeber.

From the bottom of the ADA e-mail alert:

This ADA E-Gram is brought to you by ADA Member Advantage, a program sponsored by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of the American Dental Association. Copyright © 2006 American Dental Association. Reproduction or republication strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

 

[justhat]

At 7 months they can drink water so why not just give the baby some of that fluoridated kid/baby water (or tap if you prefer) instead of fluoride drops. We talked about it with our ped when my daughter was around that age and she said the drops can stain the teeth too so we saw no need for them (nor did the ped-we brought it up). When you think about it, how many babies regularly get fluoride? Not just breastfed babies, but babies who drink ready to feed formula don't, and even the powder or concentrate would only get fluoride if it's mixed with tap and I'm sure lots of people use bottled water. Some looking at it that way makes the drops seem unnecessary.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I would absolutely never give fluoride to an infant.
Even the ADA is finally rethinking this.
Read the info below.
Released just a few weeks ago.

Fluoride is a toxin.
I do not drink or cook with flouridated tap water.

There is no proof that ingesting fluoride is even good for the teeth. (quite the opposit as shown by the previous posters) Non fluoridated areas have the same or fewer dental caries than fluoridated areas.

It's nice to see that the ADA is finally coming around on this- they've been denying it for years.

Have you ever read the warning label on a tube of toothpaste that contains flouride? DO NOT SWALLOW- IF SWALLOWED< CALL POISON CONTROL

This is because of the flouride.

 

[Beca]

I would absolutely never give fluoride to an infant.
Even the ADA is finally rethinking this.
Read the info below.
Released just a few weeks ago.

Fluoride is a toxin.
I do not drink or cook with flouridated tap water.

There is no proof that ingesting fluoride is even good for the teeth. (quite the opposit as shown by the previous posters) Non fluoridated areas have the same or fewer dental caries than fluoridated areas.

________________________________________________

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061113/nym082.html?.v=46

No Fluoride for Infants, Say Dentists
Monday November 13, 9:01 am ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- To prevent tooth damage, the American Dental Association (ADA) warned its members that fluoridated water should not be mixed into concentrated formula or foods intended for babies one year and younger, in a November 9th ADA e-mail alert.(1) (see below -- S.)

"But who will alert parents," asks lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF).

Two-thirds of U.S. public water suppliers add fluoride chemicals, based on a disproved theory that fluoride ingestion prevents cavities. Bottled water with added fluoride is now sold with specific instructions to mix into formula.(2 . . .

It took until 2006 for the ADA's alert, following the Food and Drug Administration's October disapproval of fluoridated bottled water marketed to babies,(6) and after the recent National Research Council's (NRC) fluoride report indicated babies are fluoride overdosed from "optimally" fluoridated water supplies.(7)

"The ADA claims the NRC report didn't question the safety of fluoridation(8) but it did, as the ADA now admits," says Beeber.

"The NRC also revealed fluoridation's adverse effects to the thyroid gland, diabetics, kidney patients, high water drinkers and others," says Beeber.

Now, the Centers for Disease Control reports that modern science shows that fluoride absorbs into enamel topically.(9) However, adverse effects occur upon ingestion. Further, the CDC admits enamel fluoride concentration isn't inversely related to cavities.

The Environmental Protection Agency is required to consider the most vulnerable populations when setting allowable water fluoride levels. To protect babies, allowable fluoride levels should be near zero.

"This should end water fluoridation," says Beeber. "Fluoridation is a failed concept that must be abandoned before more Americans are harmed," says Beeber.

From the bottom of the ADA e-mail alert:

This ADA E-Gram is brought to you by ADA Member Advantage, a program sponsored by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of the American Dental Association. Copyright © 2006 American Dental Association. Reproduction or republication strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

Yep...my whole family switched to non-flouride toothpaste....we have had NO cavities, and our teeth are starting to become whiter (something we did not expect). My dd(4) never had flouride (I even buy her Penta because the flouride is removed), and uses non-flouride toothpaste...she has not had a single cavity.

Here's a history of why flouride became the "tooth decay repellent" it is known as now:

Here is the not-so-pretty story in a nutshell: From Earl Mindell, Rph, Ph.D in his book Prescription Alternatives, 2nd edition:


"The story behind the story: During WWII we learned how to manufacture things from aluminum: airplanes, buildings, pots and pans, to name a few. [See our info on aluminum pans at our page on Food Preparation.] We also greatly increased our production of chemical fertilizers. The downside of both these manufacturing processes was a byproduct called flouride. Altho flouride is a trace mineral naturally occuring in our food, in anything but those trace amounts it's a more potent poison than arsenic. Disposing of the 1000's of pounds of flouride by-product became a major problem in American manufacturing. The manufacturers tried blowing it out their smokestacks, dumping it into rivers, and burying it in the ground, but the immediate result was dead and deformed cows and other animals within miles of the smokestacks, rivers full of dead fish and poisoned aquifers. In fact, its primary use was as a rat poison. Finally the US Public Health Service did a study that claimed to show that one part per million of flouride in water reduced tooth decay by 60%, and thus began the trickling of flouride into our water supply.

The price of flouride went up 1000% almost overnite, and the problem of how to dispose of a potent toxin was solved. The practice of water flouridation was further justified by more glowing (but flawed) studies claiming to show that communities using flouridated drinking water had a much lower rate of tooth decay. . .

.....Japan and all continental Europe either rejected the flouride concept from the beginning or have stopped the practice. Most of Great Britain has also discontinued the practice, and Australia and New Zealand are in the process of reversing the trend. A 1994 study of virtually all of New Zealand schoolchildren showed no benefit in dental health in flouridated communities. . .

So much flouride has been put into our water and toothpaste over the past 30 years that levels in our food chain are very high. While eating a normal diet, the average person EXCEEDS the recommended dose. Flouride is a potent enzyme inhibitor that interferes with enzymes in the body, particularly in the lining of your intestines, causing stomach pain, gas and bloating. This enzyme-inhibiting effect also interferes with thyroid gland function. Some studies indicate that flouride damages the immune system, leading to autoimmune disorders and arthritis. There is also evidence that communities with flouridated water have a higher incidence of heart disease, and higher rates of bone cancer in young men. Some 30% of the children in flouridated communities have flourosis, a malformation of tooth enamel that causes discoloration (usually chalky white patches) and brittleness. This is a permanent change in the teeth that has been associated with abnormal bone structure.

. . . Flouride is absorbed through the mucous membranes. . . There have been numerous reports of children poisoned by ingesting high levels of flouride through school flouride mouthwash programs, or flouridated toothpastes full of sweeteners that children want to swallow. . . Please avoid flouride, in all forms including toothpaste. . . "

 

[MichelleVW]

Our dentist warned me about this as well. He told me that I could elect not to give the drops to my DD, so I decided that that would be best for now.

BTW, your DD is gorgeous!

Thanks...I think she is, but I'm her mother!!!!!!

I'm glad you decided against the drops...DD has two yellow spots on her two front teeth....it's not terrible and she still has a big toothy smile in most pictures (in the pic in my sig line she is looking at me like "Mom..no more pictures!), but she still complains about it every now and then.

My youngest DD was only in Texas a year and she doesn't have any discoloration on her teeth. Oldest DD drank the water for about 3 years.

 

[golfgal]

When DS14 was a baby we lived in a town where no one drank the tap water so a lot of babies were given the fluoride drops. We gave them to our DS once, he barfed them up and stained everything it touched, never used them again.

When he was a bit older we saw a good pediatric dentist and he said that kids don't need fluoride drops/pills because they usually swallow enough while brushing their teeth that they are good. DS14 has inherited DH's teeth, the twins, again, NEVER given fluoride, nursed as infants, drank bottled/filtered water have perfect teeth.

I am 100% convinced that your rate of cavities is genetic vs anything else. As a kid I NEVER brushed my teeth and have no fillings other then the ones the crooked dentist we saw for a while put in. DH was diligent about brushing as a kid, 2-3 time/day, has HORRIBLE teeth. I think that brushing helps some but some people are going to get cavities no matter what they do.

 

[aprilgail2]

Do some reading up on flouride before you give it to your child. I would never give that to my daughter!

 

[noodleknitter]

Do some reading up on flouride before you give it to your child. I would never give that to my daughter!

Agreed!

 

[alldiz]

i am a dental hygienist....the fluoride war is not new....

i grew up in nyc....
they have fluoride in tap water....
i drank a ton of it....i have good teeth....so does mom though...
genetics is a big factor....

however.....
i worked in nyc for 5 years before i moved to long island....
i see a BIG difference in teeth....there is NO fluoride in the water here...

lots of spots....i think the concentration of the drops might
be causing it...
i do believe fluoride has a good place....

so curious what the ratio of the fluoride to water was
in nyc when i grew up.....it was right....

i never saw so much discolored teeth since i moved
to long island....
i think the drops are to concentrated.....
mix with a little water if u use it....
when they can chew...there is a chewable vitamin
with fluoride in it..
i think if the fluoride is not in the right concentration...
it is harmful....
we are not chemists so it is a tough decision....

I can assure u though if used properly...
fluoride is very effective cavity fighter....
peace
kerri

 

[noodleknitter]

I can assure u though if used properly...
fluoride is very effective cavity fighter....
peace
kerri

I'm sure that is the case. If all we were concerned with was fighting cavities, it would probably be a really good thing.