Large Amounts of Fluoride Consumed by Young Children Leads to Fluorosis

A recent study looked at the role of fluoride in young children. It was found that young children who consume large amounts of fluoride through fluoridated water and beverages mixed with flouridated water as well as by swallowing toothpaste with fluoride have an increased chance of developing mild enamel fluorosis. The study noted that all of the fluorosis in the young children seen was mild and that they feel that the oral health of these young children was not adversely affected in anyway. If a child has mild enamel fluorosis there will be barely noticeable faint white lines or streaks on tooth enamel. The researchers used mothers of newborns from eight Iowa hospital postpartum wards between 1992 and 1995 which is known as the Iowa Fluoride Study. A total of 630 children were used in the study and questionnaires were … Read more