[Jule'sMomInOR]

We don't have fluoride in our water so the pedi prescribed fluoride drops at our 9 month appt. I know a lot of times babies don't start taking them until 12 months so I put off doing the research on it and didn't give her any yet. Well, today I decided to do some research and .... oh, my. I found some scary articles about fluoride drops! It makes sense to me, though, because the Fluoride doesn't really get on the babies' teeth, they just eat it. I'm not planning to give Juliana the drops now, but I wonder if there's anything else I should do (besides brushing and not letting her fall asleep with a bottle) to help prevent tooth decay. Anyone else prescribed fluoride drops for their LO?

[Hollybear]

I'm on the fence, but Dr. Sears says that Breastfed babies don't need the supplementation (Fluoride Supplements | Dr. Sears Official Website | Parenting Advice, Parenting Books & more) BUT I was prescribed the drops, I just really haven't used them. I read the same stuff you did I'm sure and it scared me :/

My parents also told me not to use the drops, but in Texas they also have treated water---different than what we have up here.

Although I do think a lot of the studies are talking about the nursery water with the added fluoride, I mean if you make bottles with that all day that would be a LOT of fluoride. One article I read was talking about wanting stores to pull the nursery water off the shelves because it was potentially dangerous... I even called our water company trying to figure out what to do, but we literally do not have any fluoride in our water.

I have given her 0.25mg a couple of times, because other mom friends of mine here said they were doing it, although I haven't in a while, but I kind of figure as long as I am nursing, I am not going to worry about it.

In addition to brushing her teeth I love the Spiffies tooth wipes. Soothing and Cleaning Natural Products for Baby and Toddler Oral Health You can also stick them in the freezer to make them cool, she looooves when I do that

[Vincent'sMommy]

I haven't but I'm pretty sure our water is flouridated. But all along I've been buying the Gerber water that doesn't have added flouride (although I never figured out whether or not their source water is flouridated) or spring water for his bottles because I've read the same scary things about flouride and I'm paranoid because of his one kidney. I still won't give him our tap water unless I'm completely out of bottled. I really need to do some more research to find out if what I'm giving him really has no flouride.

I've never given that to either of my kids. The water they get is bottled or from our filtered refrigerator. Im not even concerned about it. Kail is off bottles, and never had one in her crib, and my oldest has great teeth. Her dentist did do a fluoride treatment at her last apt. He said it was just a preventative and our insurance covers it so we did it.

[Lilly Bella]

I don't want to scare you but my friend gave her daughter the fluoride drops religiously because her dr told her too and they stained her teeth HORRIBLE

[Hollybear]

Originally Posted by Lilly Bella

I don't want to scare you but my friend gave her daughter the fluoride drops religiously because her dr told her too and they stained her teeth HORRIBLE

That's what my parents told me! It's called flurosis or something, right?

Originally Posted by Hollybear

That's what my parents told me! It's called flurosis or something, right?

From what I understand Flurosis is caused by too much fluoride. I have drops for Caleb and chewable pills for Grace ... although I have to admit I am really bad at remembering to give it to them.

I grew up with out fluoride ... I brused my teeth twice a day .. yet I have soft teeth and have had 5 root canals. I know my teeth problems could be from 100 things other than a lack of fluoride but I still worry about my kid's teeth and the fact that we don't have fluoride in our water.

I'm interested to see what others think about this. I'm going to have to do some research ...

[starrsgirl]

I think this is one of those things where bad stuff happens if you have either too little OR too much fluoride. I guess if you don't have ANY in your water, I probably would do the drops. But make sure to discontinue IF you move or the water changes. I personally had too much growing up (because we had fluoride water AND used to have to do those fluoride treatments at school...did anyone else do those?) So my teeth stained and my enamel is soft. But, like Heather said, hers is like that possibly from LACK of fluoride (agreed, there's probably too many factors to say for sure but still....)

We have fluoride in the water here and Emmett gets water throughout the day.