New Dental Recommendations Stressed by AAP

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has come out with a set of new dental recommendations.

Now, officials recommend that all children start using toothpaste with fluoride when their teeth appear, regardless of cavity risk level.

Children 3 and younger are also asked to use a small size of toothpaste that's equivalent to a grain of rice, according to the AAP. For those 3 and up, a pea-sized amount may be used.

As teeth begin to appear, doctors recommend that fluoride varnish be applied by doctors or dentists every 3 to 6 months, according to the AAP. However, over-the-counter fluoride rinses are not recommended for children under the age of 6 because of risk that they might swallow the fluoride.

Researchers also recommend that dietary fluoride supplements be considered for children in areas where community water is not fluoridated or for those who drink non-flouridated well water.

Water fluoridation begin in some parts of the United States as early as 1945, when scientists discovered that people living in areas with higher water fluoride levels typically had fewer cavities. Today, fluoride is now used in the public drinking water supplied to about 2 out of 3 Americans, according to the American Cancer Society.  

As tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease in American children, health officials hope this new information can prevent future cavities from forming.

More information regarding the changes can be seen via the journal Pediatrics.