Fluorosis FAQ

What is fluorosis?

Dental fluorosis is an irreversable fluoride-induced mineralization disorder of the teeth caused by ingesting too much fluoride during the years when his/her teeth were forming.

What are the symptoms of fluorosis? 

Dental fluorosis shows up as multiple snow-white specks or a brownish stain on permanent teeth.

It is, in fact, the first visible sign that a child has been overexposed to fluoride. Fluoride causes dental fluorosis by damaging the enamel-forming cells, called ameloblasts. The damage to these cells results in enamel fluorosis, whereby the porosity of the enamel is increased.

How did my child get fluorosis? 

Your child may have gotten dental fluorosis by ingesting too much fluoride in a number of forms. The excess fluoride can come from swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste, drinking canned or bottled drinks that contain fluoridated water, or taking too many of the fluoride drops or tablets prescribed for infants.

Your water supply also may have contained high levels of fluoride, which added to the problem. As a precaution, have your water supply checked. 

But I thought fluoride was good for my child

Fluoride is possibly the safest and most effective method available to prevent tooth decay, and teeth affected with dental flurosis are often more resistant to tooth decay. However, when ingested in excess, it can cause a negative cosmetic effect. Despite some early research suggesting a link between excessive fluoride consumption to conditions such as bone cancer or osteoporosis, to our knowledge, enamel fluorosis is the only negative side effect to inducing too much fluoride, and can be treated cosmetically.

My child has dental fluorosis. How can you help? 

The damage that dental fluorosis causes to the internal matrix of the teeth is permanent. This damage is unfortunately irreversible. However, there are ways to hide the damage of enamel flurosis by treating the surface of the teeth so as to hide the discoloration.

Dental fluorosis treatment options vary and will depend in part on the severity of the fluorosis. Our options include:

• Abrasion: Abrasion involves finely sanding off the outer layer of the enamel. It is a common approach when the fluorosis is mild. However, if the enamel fluorosis is of a more advanced severity, abrasion is probably not a good idea as it can bring to the surface of the teeth a highly-porous enamel that will be prone to attrition.
• Composite bonding: Composite bonding first involves lightly roughening the area of the damaged enamel. After etching the enamel, a composite resin (with a color matching your teeth) is "glued" on to the exterior of the tooth.
• Porcelain veneers/laminates: Made out of porcelain, veneers form a ceramic shell over the surface of the tooth.

Should you wish to reverse the cosmetic effects that enamel fluorosis has had on you or your child, please do not hesitate to call our offices at 888.790.0309. We would be happy to give you a consultation to address the best dental fluorosis treatment options and to suggest further preventative care.

Sincerely,

The Medical Center Dental Group

 Thanks to the Fluoride Action Network (802-355-0999, www.fluoridealert.com) for providing this information.