Kids dentist exam - flouride, sealants, x-rays

We have dentist appointments for our 4 and 6 year old coming up. We are going to a new dentist that is in our plan and need some advice on what should be done at the visit.

In the past, the dentist has asked our kids what flavor teeth vitamins they wanted - they were giving our kids flouride without asking our permission. Do the kids need flouride? They drink filtered tap water and have a relatively low sugar diet.


Do the kids (maybe the 6 year old) need sealants? He just has two new front teeth as of now.

How often should they get x-rays? The 6 year old had them done a few years back, 4 year old has not had them done yet. The 4 year old has bigger spaces between the teeth.

Most dentist I've met are sales oriented so I'm looking for some other opinions. Searching on the web has not been helpful.

sealants are usually for molars--get them as soon as they come in. Topical flouride is standard at least 1X a year, if not 2X a year. Bite wing Xrays are 1X a year to check for cavities. Pano xrays are every 3-5 years. My ins. only covers every 5 years. Most new dentists want them (but usually for older kids). So, I have gotten the old pano and taken it to the new dentist when we switched. Ask around for reputable dentists. This is someone you want a long term relationship with and need to trust. We pay about $150 per 6mth check up, more with xrays. Fillings are $170-250+. Dental insurance helps a lot, esp. if "in network."

Those are normal preventative procedures and have been for years.

I hope you are also giving your child a fluoride supplement, as prescribed by your pediatrician. (Unless your city has fluoridated water or naturally high fluoride levels.)

Appropriate fluoride use will have an enormous impact on the health of your child's teeth for the rest of their lives.

Fluoride. Look at other sources. Tap water, tooth paste. If you get too much flouridosis causes staining on the teeth.

Fissure sealant. Do it. I still have some in there 30 years later.

Xrays. Most are digital now. Low power compared to the film we had exposed as kids.

*Your dentist will know if your city's water is fluoridated or has naturally high fluoride in the water.

Normally, staining only occurs if the parents are using fluoride inappropriately, or the area water has high natural fluoride.

I get my son yearly flouride and we do not have sealants.

I hated fluoride treatments as a kid and was happy when I was old enough not to need them any longer. We also had fluoride treatments in grade school. Some kids parents opted out of those. They would sit there while the other kids would stand at the front of the class room swishing the mouthwash in their mouths.

If u are so very concerned about your children having fluoride treatments, then at least make sure they are drinking fluoridated water.Stop the filtered water- you are drinking water with the fluoride removed. Yes, cities do add fluoride to their water supplies but the appropriate amount is always in Dannon's kids water, or Gerber Nursery water, or even Walmart has gallon jugs marked as fluoridated water. Most of the water companies that do home delivery will let u request fluoridated water for no extra charge. Systemic fluoride (which is laid down in the matrix of the tooth) is more beneficial than topical fluoride. They should drink fluoridated water until they are at least 17 years old. Sealants should be done on all permanent molars with out question. They will erupt in the mouth approx 5-6 years old and 11-12 years old. BTW, most insurance will pay for preventive services 100%. It is THAT beneficial. If your DDS is trying to take advantage of you, believe me it wont be for prophies, xrays, fluoride, and sealants. Decay has risen 60% in children of upper/middle class families. We all have Reverse Osmosis on our home water system and are taking the fluoride out.

DeniseM said:

I hope you are also giving your child a fluoride supplement, as prescribed by your pediatrician. (Unless your city has fluoridated water or naturally high fluoride levels.)

Click to expand...

I found this comment interesting as I have lived in three different states as a parent and have never had a pediatrician mention a fluoride supplement. Guess we all had fluoridated water.

DD had fluoride treatments and sealants and had only one cavity before age 18.

As in many other health issues, prevention is the key.