In the world of oral health, bleeding gums can be a cause for concern, often signaling an underlying issue that needs attention. Most people notice their gums bleed when flossing, which can sometimes lead them to exacerbate the problem by avoiding flossing altogether. While it can be uncomfortable and even painful to floss when your gums bleed, flossing is an extremely important part of maintaining good oral health.

Many of us underestimate the importance of regular flossing, assuming that brushing alone is enough to maintain a healthy mouth. However, neglecting to floss can lead to a plethora of problems. In this blog post we will delve into the reasons why your gums might be bleeding when you floss. Understanding these causes not only sheds light on the significance of flossing but also empowers us to make informed choices for our oral well-being.

1. Gum Disease

Periodontal disease, commonly referred to as gum disease, is a prevalent oral health condition that can cause gums to bleed if proper oral hygiene practices like flossing are neglected. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that affects the supporting structures of your teeth, primarily the gums, bone, and ligaments. It typically develops in stages, with gingivitis being the earliest and often reversible form. When not addressed, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis, which is more severe and can lead to permanent damage to the gums and tooth-supporting structures.

2. Accumulation of Plaque 

Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth, especially in areas that are difficult to reach with regular brushing. If plaque is not removed through proper oral hygiene practices, it can harden into tartar or calculus, which can irritate and inflame the gums. The friction from the dental floss against the inflamed gum tissue can lead to having gums bleed when flossing.

When you floss, the dental floss passes between your teeth and along the gumline, an area where plaque and tartar tend to accumulate. The abrasive action of the floss, combined with the inflammation of the gums, can cause the delicate blood vessels in the gum tissues to rupture, leading to bleeding. This bleeding is often a sign of gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease.

3. Inflammation

The body’s immune system responds to plaque and tartar buildup along the gumline by releasing inflammatory substances. These substances can cause the gums to become swollen, tender, and red. When pressure is put on the gums, like a toothbrush or floss, the sensitive gum tissue is more likely to bleed and create pain. 

4. Gum Attachment

In a healthy mouth, the gums fit snugly around the teeth, forming a shallow v-shaped crevice known as a sulcus. However, in the presence of periodontal disease, the attachment between the gums and teeth weakens. This can be due to factors such as plaque and tartar buildup, which lead to bacterial infection and inflammation, causing the gums to pull away from the teeth.

As the attachment weakens, small spaces called periodontal pockets form between the gums and teeth. These pockets are difficult to clean with regular brushing but can often be accessed with dental floss. When you floss, the thread can reach into these pockets, disrupting the plaque and bacteria residing there.

5. Poor Oral Health Habits

Poor brushing and flossing habits can indeed contribute to bleeding gums when flossing is neglected. These habits directly impact the buildup of plaque and the overall health of your gums. 

Even if you floss regularly, using improper flossing techniques such as snapping the floss into the gums or using excessive force can injure the gum tissues, leading to bleeding. Avoiding regular dental check-ups means that potential issues like gum disease go undetected and untreated. Dental professionals can identify early signs of gum disease and provide appropriate guidance and treatment.

How to Care for Unhealthy Gums if Gums Bleed When Flossing

The good news is that bleeding gums due to bad oral health habits is often reversible with proper care. Regular and correct brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash can help remove plaque and prevent gingivitis. If bleeding persists or worsens, it is crucial to consult a dentist. They can assess the situation, provide professional cleanings to remove tartar, and offer guidance on maintaining good oral hygiene habits to keep your gums healthy and free from bleeding during flossing.

Improve Habits

Simple improvements in your habits can make an impact on the health and sensitivity of your gums. Regularly brushing your teeth with a soft bristle brush can help with sensitive gums, along with using antigingivitis toothpastes.

Improving your flossing habits will also help your gums bleed less by strengthening your gums. Flossing every day will also remove plaque that can lead to more sensitive gums.

Visit a Dentist

Dental hygienists can remove plaque and tartar buildup from areas that are difficult to reach with regular brushing and flossing. This thorough cleaning helps reduce inflammation in the gums. When your mouth is healthy, you are less likely to have gums bleed when flossing.

Dentists can also diagnose gum diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis in their early stages. If you have gum disease, they can provide appropriate treatments to manage the condition, reducing inflammation and bleeding. This might include scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline.

Regular visits to the dentist play a crucial role in preventing and addressing gum bleeding, promoting optimal oral health, and avoiding more serious dental issues. Dental professionals use specialized tools to remove plaque and tartar that cannot be effectively eliminated through regular brushing and flossing alone. Regular cleanings help keep your gums healthy by preventing the progression of gum disease.

Dentists can provide professional cleanings, personalized guidance, and necessary treatments, all of which contribute to healthier gums and reduced bleeding during flossing. By working closely with your dental professionals, you can establish effective oral hygiene habits and enjoy a healthier, happier smile.

Can a dentist tell if you vape? That question has a simple yet complicated answer. Simply put, yes. Dentists can tell if you vape. The complicated answer is that there are many factors that come into play that determine how difficult it is for the dentist to tell. They have to consider how frequently you vape and how long you have been vaping. The more you vape, the easier it will be for your dentist to know.

Another reason why dentists can almost always tell when someone vapes is because of the effects that nicotine causes in the mouth. Dentists are highly trained to identify oral health problems and habits, so it will be easy for them to notice any issues in the mouth because of nicotine use.

Signs That Give You Away

Below is a list of some of the most common signs that someone vapes that a dentist would recognize:

• Bad breath
• Dry mouth
• Canker sores
• Yellow or brown nicotine stains on teeth and tongue
• Breathing difficulties and smoker’s cough
• Oral thrush

Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth?

To be perfectly straightforward, vaping is bad for your teeth. Along with affecting the condition of your teeth, it negatively impacts your mouth, lips, throat, tongue, and much more beyond oral health. 

One of the worst consequences of vaping is that it can lead to developing certain types of cancers, especially oral cancer. In fact, 90% of people diagnosed with oral cancers are smokers and vapers. Some people may think that vaping is better than smoking for their health, but enough research has not been conducted to confirm that. Vaping and smoking can be difficult habits to break, but lessening usage can significantly improve one’s health.

What Does Vaping Do to Your Mouth?

As mentioned earlier, vaping creates several bad effects on your mouth, but some of the most common signs that vapers have is dry mouth, yellow or brown stains on the teeth, and mouth burns.

Dry Mouth

Most e-liquids used in vaping contain ingredients that absorb moisture, which leads to dry mouth. When you inhale the vaporized liquid, it absorbs moisture from the entire mouth cavity, leading to an uncomfortable sensation of dryness. 

Another factor that contributes to dry mouth is nicotine. Less saliva is produced when nicotine is in the mouth because it reduces blood flow to the salivary glands. The normal functions of the glands are disrupted with the reduced blood flow and leads to decreased saliva production and dry mouth.

Yellow and Brown Stains 

In addition to causing dry mouth, nicotine found in tobacco products causes the teeth to yellow and brown. When tobacco products are burned and inhaled, they produce tar, which is a sticky and thick substance. The tar and nicotine create residues that create a layer of residue on teeth that is very difficult to remove.

Nicotine also has a natural tendency to bind to the porous enamel surface of teeth and cause staining. The staining is most often a yellowish to brownish color, and that can vary depending on how frequently the tobacco use takes place. 

Mouth Burns

Both minor and major mouth burns can happen and cause oral injuries because vaping devices contain hot vapor. The mouth is full of delicate tissues, which can be risky when hot vapor is being drawn into the mouth when someone vapes. When the vapor causes burns from the high temperatures, it has similar effects as the way hot food or beverages can burn the mouth.

Newer and more advanced vaping devices are made with adjustable power settings, which can include very high wattages that increase the risk of burns because of extremely hot vapors. Some devices may even overheat and malfunction, so you should always be careful and use caution when vaping.

Reduce Impacts of Vaping on Oral Health

Just like someone who doesn’t vape, people who do vape should implement practices to promote good oral health. Taking action can help alleviate some of the effects that come from vaping.

Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes is something you can do to help your teeth stay healthy. Consistently brushing helps to remove plaque and tartar build-up, especially when it is caused by vaping. Dentists will usually prescribe a fluoride toothpaste to give a deeper clean for those who vape.

Floss

An important step that many people skip is flossing. Flossing is extremely beneficial for preserving healthy gums, reducing the risk of cavities, and preventing gum disease. It is also an effective way to reach stubborn food particles that get stuck between teeth. 

Visit the Dentist

You may be nervous about going to the dentist if you vape, but your dentist will be able to help you have good oral health. Visiting the dentist will give you the best clean you can get, while also receiving credible advice on how to preserve your teeth and mouth. 

Visit Mountain View Dental

If you are ready to take a big step and visit the dentist, Mountain View Dental is the place for you. Our team of professionals will give you incredible service and provide a comfortable environment to help you achieve your dental goals. We offer multiple services including teeth  cleanings, dental fillings, and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today and get your teeth looking amazing!

For anyone who has worn braces (which is most of us), learning that you have to wear a retainer after braces is not a pleasant thought. The process of wearing braces is often a long and strenuous one. Orthodontist visits go by month after month, leaving your mouth sore and in pain for days. These painful days give small bits of hope that eventually you will have a perfectly straight smile.

When that glorious day finally comes of getting your braces off, you feel on top of the world with your new smile and you’re ready to go out and conquer the world. However, for almost everyone, there is one more item of business to complete before you can go do that conquering: wear a retainer. Wearing a retainer ensures that all the hard work you did to get a beautiful smile doesn’t go to waste.

A commonly asked question after getting braces off is, “How long do I have to wear my retainer?” 

Well, that depends.

Do You Have to Wear a Retainer Forever?

The amount of time you will have to wear a retainer after braces depends on the plan your orthodontist gave you, the condition and progress of your teeth, and the type of retainer you have.

Some orthodontists choose to give patients a permanent or bonded retainer. This type of retainer is typically glued to the back of your front six teeth with a powerful mixture so most people never have to replace it. A permanent retainer is convenient since you don’t have to take it in and out of your mouth everyday. Although it has its benefits, orthodontists traditionally recommend using a removable retainer instead.

Over 58 percent of orthodontists actually prefer removable retainers over permanent retainers when a braces treatment is complete. For the first 4 to 6 months after braces are removed, retainers should be in constantly, except during meals and cleanings. 

Once the time designated by your orthodontist has come, most recommend transitioning the time of wearing the retainer to at night only. After a certain amount of time, your teeth will not be as likely to move so you can slowly start wearing your retainer less. The best thing you can do to keep your teeth in place for a long time is follow the instructions of your orthodontist. 

The Consequences of Not Wearing Retainer After Braces

While braces are on the teeth, the wires and rubber bands hold the teeth and jaw in place, but once those are removed, the teeth are free to move again. The purpose of a retainer is to prevent your teeth from moving back to their original position after braces are removed. This is why most orthodontists recommend wearing retainers 24/7 when braces are first removed so you can preserve your new smile.

Most of the time, you won’t be able to tell immediately that your teeth are moving if you don’t wear your retainer. Overtime, the results will become obvious and at that point, further orthodontic treatment may be required. Those tiny movements each day can add up to drastically change your smile that you worked so hard to obtain.

Achieving a beautiful smile is not always easy. In fact, it requires dedicated effort and maintenance. Getting your teeth straightened and aligned can take a significant amount of time whether that’s through braces, invisalign, dental implants, or wearing a retainer. Through these resources, dentists and orthodontists are able to help patients achieve the smile of their dreams.

Just like how we should regularly visit the dentist and get our teeth cleaned, we should also wear our retainer after braces as part of our teeth maintenance routine. Dentists are able to repair broken, rotten, and damaged teeth through different resources like crowns, fillings, root canals, and more, but it helps their job be easier when we keep our teeth aligned by correctly wearing retainers.

How to Care for Your Retainer

Permanent Retainers

Caring for a retainer after braces is fairly simple but does take a good effort to adequately keep them clean.

For permanent retainers, the cleaning process is a little more rigorous. First and foremost, brushing your teeth twice a day helps keep your teeth clean from food and germs that have collected in your mouth. Brushing can also be a way to get surface level particles off of the surface of your teeth and retainer.

The next major way to keep your retainer clean is to floss, but not the traditional way. Because a permanent retainer is across multiple teeth, you won’t be able to floss regularly and get above the retainer to your gums. Floss threaders are a helpful and easy way to guide the floss and get it through small crevices up to your gums. Water picks can also be an effective way to get around the retainer.

Scheduling regular visits to the dentist for professional teeth cleanings is the best way to ensure you get thorough cleanings. With the equipment and training in a dentist’s office, professionals can remove plaque and tartar buildup that you just can’t always get on your own. Frequent visits can also help you avoid developing major problems that require intense dental treatments. 

Removal Retainers

Cleaning a removable retainer is a bit different than maintaining a permanent retainer after braces. The first thing you should do is keep your retainer case clean. Your case is what holds your retainer when it’s not in your mouth, so you want to keep it sanitary. Remember to always put your retainer in its case when it’s not in your mouth to prevent losing it.

Cleaning the retainer itself is important, as well. Orthodontists often prescribe cleaning methods that can involve soaking your retainer in denture-cleaning products and brushing it everyday. To avoid getting your retainer dirty, make sure you take it out when you eat and drink beverages other than water. Leaving it in when you eat and drink can cause material to get stuck and build up in between your teeth and the retainer.

Wearing Your Retainer is Worth It

Remember that it is worth it to be diligent about wearing your retainer after braces are off. Keeping that beautiful new smile intact for the rest of your life can come from just a few short months of diligently wearing your retainer.

From singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to receiving prizes at the dentist’s office, dental care for children is often more interesting that it is for adults. It also has a unique set of hurdles and challenges, but these don’t have to take caregivers by surprise. By exploring this list of common questions about dental care for children, we aim to make the process more accessible.  

When Does a Baby’s Teeth Come In?

Teething is a painful process for everyone involved. A baby’s first teeth don’t usually come in quietly, but afterwards, children adapt fairly quickly. Parents should start looking for their child’s first teeth around six months. It is common for the central incisors (the two lower front teeth) to come through first, followed by the upper central incisors. The rest of the teeth don’t usually follow a pattern, but it is common for all 20 to have surfaced by the time the child is two or three.

How Do I Care for My Baby’s Teeth?

The best dental care for children younger than three is to use a toothbrush specifically designed for infants. These have small heads and soft bristles, so they are gentle with the baby’s gums and tongue. At least once a day—usually at night—brush the teeth that have emerged gently to remove any plaque-causing bacteria. 

Where Did the Tooth Fairy Come From?

It is common, at least in the United States, for parents to encourage their children to leave their dislodged baby teeth under their pillows for the tooth fairy to buy. While this tradition isn’t particularly relevant for dental care for children, it is good for their emotional health if they have fears about losing their teeth.

The origins of the tooth fairy are pretty obscure, made even more so by the fact that so many cultures have their own variant (in France, for example, Le Petite Souris, a little mouse, apparently comes and collects the teeth). Human fascination with lost teeth spans nearly as long as history itself, so we may never know how our fae friend came to be. 

Is Thumbsucking Bad for Children’s Teeth?

Thumbsucking and pacifier use, while beneficial for distraught volume levels, work in opposition to good dental care for children. Thumbsucking has been linked to crooked and crowded teeth and problems with bite. Parents should do what they can to help their children break such a habit before it ruins their teeth. If the proclivity remains after permanent teeth have arrived, an orthodontist or dentist may need to recommend a corrective appliance. 

When Should Parents Introduce Toothpaste?

When a child is still in infancy, brushing with water is sufficient for cleaning new teeth. Parents should start introducing children to the use of toothpaste around the age of three to avoid too much fluoride in the children’s systems. When toothpaste enters the picture, parents should supervise brushing and only use a pea-sized amount.

Is Fluoride Safe for Children?

The effects of fluoride include stronger bones and teeth. However, when too much fluoride is ingested, the reverse is true. The effects of fluoride are compounded in children, so part of dental care for children is maintaining the levels they are exposed to. Waiting to use toothpaste and supervising brushing are good tools in a parent’s arsenal. 

Are X-Rays Safe for Kids?

The amount of radiation received during a dental x-ray exam is extremely small when proper precautions like high-speed film and lead aprons are used. Pediatric dentists are also especially cautious to ensure that dental x-rays present no harm to children. Poor dental hygiene is more likely to be harmful than x-rays.

Is Anesthesia Safe for Kids?

Occasionally, dental care for children may require general anesthesia or sedation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) monitor such procedures rigidly. Every time a child is sedated, at least two people must be present who have life support training: a dental anesthesiology professional and an independent observer. 

Is Dental Work for Children Necessary in Baby Teeth?

They’re just going to fall out, right? Why go through the trouble of filling them in the event of cavities? Thorough dental care is necessary even in temporary teeth because no one tooth is a closed system. The health of every aspect of the mouth affects all other aspects. In order to prevent infection, pain, gum disease, rot, further cavities, and premature tooth loss, baby teeth should be treated with the same amount of care as are permanent teeth.

The ability to breathe through both the mouth and nose is a truly remarkable one. However, these two kinds of breathing are not created equal. Despite the fact that one method is more natural for some people and the other more natural for others, the problems of mouth breathing are well documented. If you struggle to breath effortlessly through your nose, we recommend taking steps now to change that.

What Causes Mouth Breathing?

The cause of mouth breathing is specific to the individual. Sometimes the condition is temporary, the result of nasal congestion that is the symptoms of having a cold, enduring the flu, or suffering from allergies or hay fever. In such cases, the problem can often be reversed by taking nasal decongestants or antihistamines. These and prescription nasal sprays can reduce inflammation and congestion so you can breathe normally through your nose. 

In other cases, breathing through the mouth may be the result of years of habit. When this is true, breaking the habit is obviously easier before the practice becomes entrenched. An Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist can be a helpful resource to know if any other issues are contributing to the compulsion to breathe through your mouth. Such professionals often have helpful therapies to recommend. 

Mouth breathing in children is commonly caused by swollen adenoids and tonsillitis. Allergies also play a key role. If your child’s tonsils or adenoids are inhibiting their ability to breathe naturally through their nose, address such issues early on, before the habit can become too deeply rooted.

Is Nose Breathing Better for Teeth?

Nasal breathing has been shown to be the healthiest and most effective way to breathe. Breathing through the nose aids in healthy anatomical development, especially in the upper airway and skeletal and dental structures. The nose functions as a filter that removes dust and other particles from the air going into the lungs. This allows cleaner air in healthier volumes to circulate through the respiratory system.

On the other hand, breathing through your mouth reduces the sinus’ ability to add moisture to the air you breathe in, drying out the mouth. This shifts the pH levels in the mouth, cultivating a more corrosive environment. Reduced saliva production makes it more difficult for the body to flush away bacteria and toxins. 

As if those problems of mouth breathing were not enough, the condition can also lead to real structural issues like temporo-mandibular disorder of the jaw joints, malocclusion, myofascial pain, periodontal disease, impacted teeth, and bruxism-related fractures and wear on the teeth. Other issues surrounding the upper airway include enlarged adenoids and tonsils, snoring, headaches, difficulty sleeping or disturbed sleep.

The Symptoms—Further Problems of Mouth Breathing

The problems of mouth breathing don’t usually jump immediately to oral structural damage. More mild symptoms can help indicate that there is a problem, even if you are unaware of breathing through your mouth while unconscious. These are some of the other common symptoms of mouth breathing:

• Snoring
• Restless sleep
• Chronic bad breath (halitosis)
• Dry mouth in the morning
• Dry or chapped lips
• Increased incidence of colds
• Increased incidence of sinus and ear infections
• Inflamed gums (gingivitis) or gum disease
• Crowded teeth
• Tooth staining
• Tooth decay
• Cavities 

Are the Problems of Mouth Breathing Reversible?

The unfortunate news is that some of the worst problems of mouth breathing are irreversible or at least take a lot of dental work to correct. This is true of rampant tooth decay and disorders involving the jawbone. Fortunately, other effects of mouth breathing can be turned around if they are caught early enough.

Particularly if the sufferer is a child, detecting mouth breathing early on (before the worst effects have kicked in) goes a long way to correcting it and reversing the effects. Mouth breathing is a habit, which means it can be broken with sufficient practice. Begin during the day when you can consciously choose how you breathe, and make sure your nose is clear.

As you shift into making sure you breathe through your nose at night, you might need to make sure you are propped up sufficiently in bed for you to breathe freely. This may mean adding or removing pillows or trying a different kind. As you work to find the right solution for you to avoid the problems of mouth breathing, consult with your doctor and dentist.

The fluoride question, whether or not it is safe for children and adults alike, is not always easy to find the answer to. We’ve collected the current data on the subject in order to paint a clearer picture. 

What Is Fluoride?

This fluoride question is an easy one to answer. Fluoride is a mineral, found naturally in small amounts in soil, water, and some foods. As the nutritional requirements of fluoride have not been established, there is not currently a Recommended Dietary Allowance. When fluoride is ingested, most of it is absorbed in the gut and subsequently stored in the teeth and bones. Excess fluoride that is not absorbed is excreted in urine. The effects of fluoride, good or ill, are felt most profoundly in children. 

Where Is Fluoride Found?

Fluoride is naturally occuring, and is found in unexpected places. People can consume it in foods that absorb it from the soil, things like coffee, black tea, raisins, oatmeal, potatoes, and the shells and muscles of shellfish.

Most people are exposed to fluoride in their toothpaste and drinking water. It may be in the water naturally, introduced by the bedrock or loose soil, or added on a city-specific basis. The EPA has a current enforceable drinking water standard of 4.0 mg fluoride per liter, though they recommend a non-enforceable concentration of 2.0 mg/L to be on the safe side as regards children.

In addition to toothpaste, fluoride is sometimes an ingredient in mouthwash, dental varnishes, gels, and restorative materials. As these are applied only to the exterior of teeth, they do not contribute significantly to the total intake of fluoride, unlike vitamin supplements and pharmaceuticals. Fluoride can even be found in industrial emissions and pesticides.

Is Fluoride Good or Bad for the Teeth?

This is the most significant fluoride question, is fluoride safe for teeth. The answer is entirely dependent on the amount of fluoride involved and the method of exposure. Sometimes called nature’s cavity fighter, fluoride is an excellent resource for strengthening tooth enamel. It remineralizes enamel, preventing cavities and other tooth decay. In this way, it can extend the lifetime of teeth.

Teeth are not the only beneficiaries. Fluoride can strengthen the skeleton in general. This helps minimize the risk of skeletal fluorosis, a sometimes crippling condition that causes tenderness and pain in the joints. 

Why Do People Avoid Fluoride?

There are some people who consider fluoride questionable, refusing it at the dentist office and protesting its addition to the city water supply. This hesitancy stems from the conflicting data about fluoride which is widely available. For all its benefits, fluoride is toxic if ingested, proportional to the amount consumed. 

Perhaps the most common downside of excessive fluorination is dental fluorosis, affecting the appearance of the teeth. Too much fluoride in the system can cause discoloration in the form of white spots in the enamel or even pitting. Children under eight are most at risk. 

In its most severe toxicity, excessive fluorination can lead to skeletal fluorosis. The condition, though rare, has terrible symptoms. In addition to bone loss, fluorosis can cause tenderness and weakness in the joints, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Again, this will only occur if fluoride is ingested in excess, and it is more likely if the fluoride is allowed to accumulate in a person’s system. 

Most fluoride questions affect children more than adults. This is because their bones and teeth are still forming, and fluoride concentrations, no matter what they are, are more significant considering their small body weight. Children younger than eight are at increased risk of overexposure, which can lead to pitting, discoloration, and other cosmetic dental problems.

Monitor Your Fluoride Intake

If you have fluoride questions, it is better to err on the side of caution. It is wise to know how your city handles fluorination to know how much you are regularly exposed to. If your tap water’s fluoride levels are low, your dentist may recommend that your or your children take fluoride supplements. In taking these, make sure you follow the prescribed dose exactly. 

If your regular fluoride levels are high, your dentist may recommend that your children drink bottled water (this includes making baby formula with water that is not from the tap). No matter what your fluoride levels, it is highly important that you prioritize regular dental visits, especially for young children. Begin within the first six months after the child’s first tooth emerges or after the child’s first birthday (whichever comes first).

It is also important to remember to monitor fluoride ingestion at home. Young children, especially younger than six years old, have difficulty managing their swallowing reflex, and the primary source of fluoride intake for a child—in addition to water—is swallowing toothpaste. Wait until children are two years old before using toothpaste with fluoride. While the child is small, parents should supervise tooth brushing sessions, keeping the dollop of toothpaste pea-sized per CDC recommendation. Make sure children spit out the paste and rinse out their mouths well.

If you have further fluoride questions, you can always ask your dentist.