School Nurses Voice Concern After County Ends Fluoridation

February 27th, 2024 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Communities Supporting Fluoride, Health Equity, What the Experts Say about Fluoride

tooth decay children attend school

When officials in Collier County, Florida, recently voted to end fluoridation, dental professionals and pediatricians were disheartened. School nurses were concerned too. Why? They see firsthand the negative impact of tooth decay on children’s ability to attend school, learn and thrive. After the county’s board of commissioners made its decision, leading voices from the school […]


Taking a Fresh Look at British Study on Fluoride in Water

November 7th, 2023 Facts about Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Fluoride in the News

In recent years, multiple studies have compared communities with and without the preventive health benefits of fluoride in water. Each one of these studies has revealed fluoridation’s benefits, but let’s take a closer look at the most recent study, which was conducted in England. The purpose of CATFISH (Cumbrian Assessment of Teeth a Fluoride Intervention […]


Study: Fluoride in Water Has More Benefits than Free Dental Care

November 2nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Health Equity

A new study has linked community water fluoridation (CWF) in Israel with lower rates of tooth decay. The authors found no link between decay and the effects of free dental services which were mandated in 2014. When Israel adopted nationwide water fluoridation in 2002, tooth decay among children fell significantly. The practice was discontinued in […]


New Tools for Oral Health Risk Assessment

June 22nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health, Health Equity, Infographics

The AAP Oral Health Risk Assessment tool has been updated to streamline and support this essential component of the well-child visit. The tool is now accompanied by an intake form to collect pertinent patient information from parents/caregivers. An updated self-management goal sheet supports shared decision-making on preventing cavities and maintaining healthy teeth at home. The […]


Help For Kids’ Teeth: Another Study Reports “clinically significant” Benefits of fluoride in Water

June 22nd, 2023 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Fluoride and Public Health, Fluoride, Oral Health, and Access to Care, Health Equity

A team of researchers in England examined the impact of fluoride in water and reported “strong evidence for a highly clinically significant reduction” in the amount and severity of tooth decay. This new study, The effect of community water fluoridation on dental caries in children and young people in England: an ecological study, focused on […]


Fluoride Toothpaste Recommendations for Children Under Age 6

December 12th, 2022 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Facts about Fluoride, What the Experts Say about Fluoride

fluoride toothpaste; children; toothpaste for children; toothpaste recommendations

Since 2014, the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) have all recommended fluoride toothpaste. They advise parents and caregivers to use a rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste for children under the age of 3 and to begin brushing twice a day from the […]


Your teens may think that they don’t need you anymore, but they’ll always need their teeth!

May 31st, 2022 Children's Oral Health and Fluoride, Fluoride, Oral Health, and Access to Care

Teens need their teeth

Do you remember chasing your toddler around trying to brush his teeth before bed? You may not have to do that anymore, but oral health is as important for teens as it was when they were little, maybe even more so. During adolescence we want to be sure that children continue effective oral hygiene habits […]