Fluoride Use in Caries Prevention in the Primary Care Setting

Abstract

Dental caries remains the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States. Caries is a largely preventable condition, and fluoride has proven effectiveness in caries prevention. This clinical report aims to clarify the use of available fluoride modalities for caries prevention in the primary care setting and to assist pediatricians in using fluoride to achieve maximum protection against dental caries, while minimizing the likelihood of enamel fluorosis. Fluoride varnish application is now considered the standard of care in pediatric primary care. This report highlights administration, billing, and payment information regarding the fluoride varnish procedure. Dental caries (ie, tooth decay) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria on the tooth surface metabolizing carbohydrates and producing acid, which dissolves tooth enamel. If unchecked, this process continues through the tooth and into the pulp, resulting in pain and tooth loss. This can further progress to local infections (ie, dental alveolar abscess or facial cellulitis), systemic infection, and, in rare cases, death. Dental caries in the United States is responsible for many of the 51 million school hours lost per year as a result of dental-related illness, which translates into lost work hours for the adult caregiver. 1 Early childhood caries is the single greatest risk factor for caries in the permanent dentition. Good oral health is a necessary part of overall health, and studies have demonstrated adverse effects of poor oral health on multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes control. 2 Therefore, failure to prevent caries has health, educational, and financial consequences at both the individual and societal levels. Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood, 1 with 59% of 12-to 19-year-olds having at least 1 documented cavity. 3 Caries is a "silent epidemic" that disproportionately affects poor, young, minority populations and children living below 100% of the poverty level. 1 In the United States, 25% of 2-to 5-year-old children from low socioeconomic and minority groups experience 80% of dental disease. 4 Among 3-to 5year-olds, untreated dental decay was significantly greater for non

Screening and Interventions to Prevent Dental Caries in Children Younger Than 5 Years

“…The AAP recommends a first dental visit by age 1 year. [25][26][27] The American Dental Association recommends that children be seen by a dentist within 6 months of eruption of the first tooth and no later than age 12 months. It also recommends 2.26% fluoride varnish for children younger than 6 years who are at risk for developing dental caries.…”

Knowledge Level and Consumption Behavior of Native Plants, Meats, and Drinking Waters with High Fluoride Concentrations about the Relation to the Potential Health Risk of Fluoride in Lamphun Province Thailand: A Case Study

“…Around 1% of the area's natural water sources are estimated to contain fluoride concentrations greater than 2 mg/L. [43]. Fluoride levels may be elevated in northern Thailand due to geothermal water sources [44].…”

Efficiency of Nano Silver Fluoride on Prevention of Dental Caries on Intact Enamel Surface Assessed by Edx-Analysis (In Vitro Study)

“…(22) Even in the US and other developed countries, dental caries continues to be a major chronic disease of childhood. (23) A previous cross-sectional study conducted among a group of Egyptian children and published in 2021, has shown that some children suffered from distinct visual changes in enamel only without breakdown according to the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment index system (CAST). These carious lesions could have been prevented or reversibly and non-invasively managed by fluoride which has a preventive and remineralizing effect on hard tooth structure (24) .…”