When it comes to your infant, do you really need to worry about fluoride? The answer is a definite yes. Fluoride can protect budding teeth, but more importantly, too much fluoride can lead to a condition called fluorosis.
Fluoride in the right amount is helpful for preventing tooth decay and strengthening your baby’s teeth. If you baby is given too much fluoride, then the teeth can become black and mottled. This mainly just affects the appearance of the teeth and not the health of the teeth, but it is far from attractive.
Fluoride can makes its way into your baby’s body in a few different ways. Here are some general information about fluoride and infants.
Are you breast feeding? If you are exclusively breast feeding your baby, then there isn’t much to do about fluoride until your baby is about three or four months or until the first teeth start to erupt. Your pediatrician may prescribe a fluoride supplement or a vitamin with fluoride added. Once your baby is old enough to have water, she may continue fluoride supplements if you have well water or if your city water doesn’t contain fluoride. You pediatrician should information on your city water, or you can check with your water company.
If you are bottle feeding, the fluoride issue is a little more complicated. During the first 12 month, ready to feed formula is recommended because it has the correct amount of fluoride for your baby. If you use concentrated formula or powdered formula that is mixed with water, it is easy for your baby to get too much fluoride. Mix the formula with water that you know is fluoride free or has low levels of fluoride. Bottled water is not necessarily free of fluoride. Instead, chose purified, de-mineralized, de-ionized or distilled water.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. Starting June 1st, don’t miss her articles in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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