Healthy Smiles, Happy Kids

Kids are so cute! They smile 400 times per day while adults smile only 20 times per day.¹ Unfortunately, when they are in your dental chair with multiple carious lesions, they are probably not smiling, and you probably aren’t smiling either.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 52% of kids experience dental caries before they are 8 years old.² In addition, 50% of kids with caries miss at least three days of school and their parents miss three days of work. Finally, 30% of kids with caries avoid social activities due to pain, worry, and social embarrassment.^3.4 And sometimes, kids with untreated caries, may even require a hospital visit. These are sobering statistics, especially since dental caries is largely preventable.^3,4

Many incidents of pediatric dental caries, along with missed school and work days and hospitalizations, can be avoided. Limiting the consumption of fermentable carbohydrates and frequency of food intake,^5,6 removing biofilm with a good oral care routine, and strengthening enamel with fluoride are keys to successful caries prevention.⁷

Importance of Fluoride

Fluoride enhances resistance to acid challenges, ultimately, preventing decay. A substantial amount of evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of fluoride in toothpaste. The American Dental Association calls fluoride “nature’s cavity fighter.”^8,9

Fluoride can be added to the enamel through toothpaste (most over-the-counter US toothpastes contain around 1,100 ppm fluoride, as recommended by the ADA), drinking water, or prescription fluoride toothpaste that contains 5,000 ppm sodium fluoride (Colgate^® PreviDent^® 5000 ppm Rx toothpaste).

The ADA Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend the application of 2.26% fluoride varnish, which contains 22,600 ppm fluoride ion and 5.0% sodium fluoride, at least twice per year for individuals who may benefit from added dental protection.¹⁰

Prescription toothpaste with 5,000 ppm fluoride, such as Colgate PreviDent 5000 ppm Kids toothpaste, can be used by children ages 6 and older, once they are physically able to expectorate any residual toothpaste. Any cosmetic concern is no longer warranted, as the enamel in most teeth is already formed.¹¹

By reinforcing preventive strategies such as reducing sugar intake, maintaining a consistent oral hygiene routine, and using fluoride products, such as high-fluoride prescription toothpaste and in-office fluoride varnish, oral health professionals can help reduce the burden of caries in children and bring back the smiles they so readily share. n

References

1. Dental Associates of Florida. The Psychology of Smiling: Anxiety and Depression. Available at smilesincluded.com/​the-psychology-of-smiling-anxiety-and-depression-resources. Accessed April 21, 2025.
2. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Surveillance Report: Trends in Dental Caries and Sealants, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 1999–2004 to 2011–2016. US Department of Health and Human Services; 2019.
3. Colgate-Palmolive. Childhood Cavities, the Most Common Disease Among Children, Lead to Significant Physical, Emotional, Social and Economic Distress. Available at colgatepalmolive.com/​en-us/​who-we-are/​stories/​childhood-cavities-health. Accessed April 21, 2025.
4. No More Holes in Childhood. Toluna Consumer Insights, April 2020. Available at colgateprofessional.com/​content/​dam/​cp-sites/​oral-care/​professional2020/​global/​prevident-kids/떗-colgate-prevident-publichealthstudy-infographic.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2025.
5. Guo A, Wide U, Arvidsson L, Eiben G, Hakeberg M. Dietary intake and meal patterns among young adults with high caries activity: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2022;22:190.
6. van Loveren C. Sugar restriction for caries prevention: amount and frequency. which is more important? Caries Res. 2019;53:168–175.
7. Butera A, Maiorani C, Morandini A, et al. Evaluation of children caries risk factors: a narrative review of nutritional aspects, oral hygiene habits, and bacterial alterations. Children (Basel). 2022;9:262.
8. American Dental Association. Fluoride: Nature’s Cavity Fighter. Available at https:/​/​engage.ada.org/​p/​phys/​fluoride-natures-cavity-fighter-2050. Accessed April 21, 2025.
9. American Dental Association. Fluoridation FAQs. Available at ada.org/​resources/​community-initiatives/​fluoride-in-water/​fluoridation-faqs. Accessed April 21, 2025.
10. American Dental Association. Professionally-Applied and Prescription-Strength, Home-Use Topical Fluoride Agents for Caries Prevention Clinical Practice Guideline (2013). Available at ada.org/​resources/​research/​science/​evidence-based-dental-research/​topical-fluoride-clinical-practice-guideline. Accessed April 21, 2025.
11. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dental Growth and Development. Available at aapd.org/globalassets/media/policies_guidelines/r_dentalgrowth.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2025.

Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
colgateprofessional.com

From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. May/June 2025; 23(3):22.