Is the risk of fluorisis in infants a reason to be cautious about water fluoridation?
No. The small potential of very mild to mild fluorisis from a child consuming more than an optimal amount of fluoride means there is a chance a child might develop a cosmetic condition that appears as a cloudy white area on teeth after they have erupted (see photo below). It doesn’t affect the function of the teeth and poses no health risk. Dental caries or cavities, on the other hand, ARE a disease – the most prevalent disease among children in Oregon. Dental disease can lead to other, more serious health problems. The photos below show children’s mouths with mild, moderate severe dental disease. This is the disease that children who don’t receive an optimal amount of fluoride are at risk of developing.
