Fluoride is an important mineral, especially for children. Our mouth contains bacteria which use sugar in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink for producing an acid that harms our teeth. Fluoride protects our teeth but too much of it can cause dental fluorosis. It’s the change in the appearance of the teeth in the form of faint white markings.

Fluorosis in the children in US is in the mild form and doesn’t cause pain or affect the health and function of teeth. It can occur when fluoride is consumed before the age of 8 while the permanent teeth are still forming under the gums says the Kennesaw dentist. There are many causes of change in the look of the teeth.

For figuring out the extent of fluorosis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set out to measure it. The dental fluorosis is identified by the examiners who score the appearance of teeth based on an established index. The scoring includes repeat examinations and inter-examiner reliability. But the results can vary widely and leave the quality of population-level open to discussion.

Some studies show that in the recent decade, the instances of fluorosis have increased. NCHS concluded that the difference may have come from changes in the way examiners evaluate the level of fluorosis over the time. Therefore, quality assessments findings should be considered when the information is being used for studying the present extent of fluorosis.

All of these details can leave you confused making it hard to believe. Thus, it’s better to take resort to an experienced and qualified professional to determine if you and your family need a Fluoride Treatment. NCHS has played a pivotal role in the present as well as past research and critical analysis which puts the findings in proper context.

So, what should we know about fluorosis today? Children who have a good diet, drink fluoride water and use fluoride based dental products will get the fluoride they need for healthy teeth and are not at the risk of fluorosis as compared to children decades ago.

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