Claiborne, D. (2018). The role of fluoride in caries prevention. Dimensions of dental hygiene.

16(2). 34-36.

This article discussed many aspects of fluoride. It gave stats on caries prevalence,

fluoride sources (more than just toothpaste and professional applications), information on

fluoride toxicity and what is currently being recommended in regard to the use of fluoride. The

article also talked briefly about the use of silver diamine fluoride.

As a hygiene student, this article was very interesting to read. I do like that it was not a

purely positive article, boasting about the grand effects of fluoride. The article pointed out that

there are guidelines and recommended doses to fluoride that must be followed to avoid any

adverse side effects. The article described chronic and acute toxicities of fluoride which ranged

from mild gastrointestinal upset to more severe outgrowths of bone. I enjoyed this about the

article because I have had a few patients who are very against fluoride, stating that they believe

it lowers your IQ or is a toxin that should not be used on or in the body. I now feel that I have

an appropriate, factual, rebuttal to these statements. We have been told in previous classes

that fluoride can also be found in some food and beverages, but we have mainly focused on

finding it in tap water, toothpaste, mouthwash and professionally applied treatments. This

article mentions these manufactured items as well, but also that fluoride is found in processed

foods and beverages. It was evaluated through a study by Martinez-Mier et al that grains,

meats and fish had the highest levels of fluoride, and fruits and dairy products had the next

highest levels. I was not aware that processed foods could also contain fluoride, I think this will
be something my patients will also be interested in knowing. I do wish that they would have

elaborated more on the levels and types of processed foods and beverages.

The article listed descriptive recommendations of amounts of fluoride containing

products for children of various ages and weights. The article was a bit confusing when it stated

that the CDC does not recommend that children younger than 2 use fluoride toothpaste unless

prescribed. But, the next sentence reads that the ADA suggest that children’s deciduous teeth

be brushed twice per day with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste as soon as they erupt. This

could begin as early as 6 months. The article also later shows a dietary fluoride supplement

dosing chart schedule for high caries risk children. This table does list a recommendation of

0.25 mg/day for the age range of 6 months to 3 years when the water fluoride levels are low. I

do wish they would have discussed this a bit more. Do we take the CDC recommendations or

the ADA?