7 Mar 2012

Irish Medical Times - Youngest are at risk of dental fluorosis

Youngest are at risk of dental fluorosis
March 7, 2012 By Lloyd Mudiwa
By Lloyd Mudiwa. Young children are at greatest risk of exceeding fluoride limits, according to the results of a new assessment by the European Commission Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER).
It is easy for children to exceed fluoride intake, which causes dental fluorosis, when they drink water fluoridated at levels used as an aid to prevent tooth decay, according to the opinion, seen by Irish Medical Times.
“The very youngest are at greatest risk of exceeding fluoride limits,” read the opinion. “The estimated tolerable limit for children under 1 to 6 years old is 1.5 milligrams per day, which should produce less than 5 per cent of moderate dental fluorosis.
“This is exceeded if they drink more than one litre of water containing 0.8 milligrams of fluoride per litre of water and they use a normal amount of regular, fluoridated toothpaste. If they drink 1.5 litres of water, they go over the limit, even without the toothpaste,” read the opinion.

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