When should dental hygienists start thinking about applying topical fluoride products, like fluoride foams and gels?
Fluoride foams and gels are inappropriate with this age group because these children will swallow the fluoride, but there are wonderful topical fluoride products called fluoride varnishes. Every time you examine a child who is at risk for caries, you should put fluoride varnish on his or her dentition. First, try to dry the teeth as best as possible and then apply the varnish. You do not have to do a prophy beforehand. In fact, there are questions about the value of prophies in this population. We strongly believe, and there is a lot of evidence supporting this belief, that fluoride varnish is efficacious in controlling caries in children. Fluoride varnishes are safe and can reverse early white spot lesions. I believe that at risk children should have a fluoride varnish applied at every dental visit. Should we consider all children candidates for fluoride varnish? For children whose parents do not have dental disease and who clean their teeth, have good diets, drink fluoridated water,
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