Fluoride treatment
Fluoride treatment for children, at every visit.
Fluoride repairs enamel. Every day, acid from the bacteria in your child’s mouth strips minerals out of the enamel, and saliva puts some back. Fluoride tips that exchange in your child’s favor. Dr. Naila Farooq applies a varnish at every visit.
Varnish at every six-month visit
We paint a small amount of fluoride varnish directly onto the teeth. It sets quickly and stays in contact with the enamel for hours. It takes about a minute, with no tray and no rinsing, and it works on wriggling toddlers as well as it does on teenagers. It finishes every cleaning.
Your child can eat and drink right away, but avoid hard, hot, or crunchy foods for about 30 minutes so the varnish has time to work. Early decay caught before it becomes a hole can sometimes be reversed rather than drilled. Sometimes, not always.
Is fluoride safe? Yes, in the amounts used in dentistry. It is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.
Toothpaste at home
How much fluoride toothpaste a child should use, by age.
The amount is where most families go wrong in one direction or the other. Spit afterward, do not rinse, so the fluoride stays on the teeth.
- Under three: a rice-grain smear
- Three to six: a pea-sized amount
- Six and up: pea-sized, supervised until they reliably spit
- Spit, do not rinse, so the fluoride stays on the teeth
- Supervise while your child is young enough to swallow it
- Any fluoride toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Acceptance
Questions parents ask
Fluoride, explained.
What parents ask about varnish, toothpaste, and safety.
Is fluoride safe for my child?
Yes, in the amounts used in dentistry. Fluoride has been studied for decades and is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association. The varnish stays on the teeth rather than being swallowed. The realistic risk is toothpaste, if a child swallows large amounts over years.
What toothpaste do you recommend?
The brand matters far less than two things: that it contains fluoride, and that your child will use it. Crest Kids Cavity Protection, Colgate Kids, and hello Kids are examples, but any tube with fluoride and the ADA Seal is a sound choice.
How much fluoride is enough?
A pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste is right for children three and older, and a rice-grain smear under three. Fluoridated drinking water also helps prevent cavities.
How often is varnish applied?
At every six-month visit, as the last step of the cleaning. It takes about a minute.
Can early decay be reversed?
Sometimes. Fluoride can rebuild enamel that has started to break down, so early decay caught before it becomes a hole can sometimes be reversed rather than drilled. We do not promise it; we check each visit and tell you what we see.
What parents say about prevention visits.
Google review“Once the dentist came in, she did get a little anxious and started to cry, but it was nothing they couldn’t handle. I honestly didn’t even expect cleaning to get done today, but they did her cleaning, fluoride treatment AND x-rays. This is a very happy and satisfied mamma.”
Google review“My son loves coming here! He has been going here for years, and he loves Dr. Farooq. I don’t know how the heck he had no cavities. He hates brushing his teeth!”
Google review“My 2 year old daughter always has a great experience here. She sits on my lap and doesn’t even flinch, because the dentist and technicians take their time to make sure she knows what is coming. They read her a pop-up book about brushing and let her touch all the floss and tools before they use them on her.”
Related preventive care
Book a visit
Ready to schedule your child’s visit?
Call us during office hours or send a request online any time. Our team will reach out to book a time that works for your family.
New patients are always welcome.
Front desk, Monday to Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
After-hours dental emergency? Call 248-345-6775.
Have an emergency?
If your child is struggling to breathe or swallow, or has a head injury, call 911 first. For a dental emergency that is not life-threatening, such as a knocked-out tooth, a broken tooth, dental swelling, or pain that will not settle, call our emergency line, day or night. We would rather tell you it can wait than have you sit on it over a weekend.