Children 3 years of age and younger should brush their teeth twice daily from the time of eruption with a grain of rice-size smear of OTC fluoridated toothpaste . Children 3-6 years of age should brush their teeth twice daily with a pea-sized amount of OTC fluoridated toothpaste . Children should always be supervised while brushing to ensure that they use the right amount of toothpaste and properly rinse and expectorate .
Rinsing with a fluoridated mouthrinse may increase resistance to decay , strengthen enamel , and protect against acid erosion to prevent future dental caries events . Additionally , a pH-balanced sodium fluoride rinse may be helpful for patients with restorations , and rinsing will also help remove food particles around brackets that brushing may miss . Unless a dentist has recommended it , children 6 years or younger should not use mouthrinses because of the risk of ingestion . 14
General and Prescription Fluoride Recommendations for All Age Groups 12
Fluoride treatment and regimens should be customized according to a patient ’ s caries risk assessment , based on variables such as age , health , and fluoride exposure .
Children Younger than 6
Professionally applied 2.26 % fluoride varnish at least every three to six months .
Children Ages 6-18
Professionally applied 2.26 % fluoride varnish at least every three to six months or 1.23 % fluoride ( APF ) gel for four minutes at least every three to six months .
Reinforcing the Importance of Fluoride Use for Lifelong Dental Health
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