How much fluoride is in my water

Dental fluorosis fluh-ROE-siss causes changes in how tooth enamel looks. Typically, it leads to white spots on the teeth. Most kids who get fluoride do not get dental fluorosis. It happens when kids under 8 years old get too much fluoride while their teeth are developing. Very rarely, a child can get fluoride poisoning from talking in a lot of fluoride in a short time for example, from eating toothpaste or fluoride supplements. Be sure to keep toothpaste, supplements, mouth rinses, and other fluoride-containing products out of kids' reach or in a locked cabinet.

Also, supervise young kids when they brush their teeth to prevent swallowing of toothpaste or other fluoridated products. Kids under age 6 should not use rinses with fluoride because they may swallow it.

Making sure your child gets the right amount of fluoride is one way to help your kids have healthy teeth. Your family dentist or pediatric dentist one who specializes in the care of children's teeth is a great resource for information about dental care and fluoride needs.

Reviewed by: Amy W. Anzilotti, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Fluoride? What Does Fluoride Do?

How Does Fluoride Work? After that, your doctor or dentist may prescribe fluoride supplements if: You live in an area that does not have fluoride in the water. Your child drinks only bottled water. Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to site content. Oral Health Home. Home Page. Water with fluoride protects teeth from tooth decay.

Find Water System Information Please select a participating state. Can't find your state. Search by Water System.

Not participating. Submit What's this? Submit Button. Water fluoridation prevents tooth decay by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride. Is fluoridation safe? Public health institutions like the CDC and the ADA conclude that extensive research conducted has demonstrated that fluoridation of public water supplies is a safe and effective way to reduce the incidence of tooth decay in a community.

While exposure to high levels of fluoride over a long time can cause dental fluorosis, a condition that leads to mottled tooth enamel, discoloration, and in some cases erosion the gum line, the fluoride content in your drinking water is limited under federal law so the levels are very low. In April the U.

Department of Health and Human Services announced the final U. Public Health Service recommendation for the optimal fluoride level in drinking water to be a single level of 0.

This recommended level replaced the previous recommended range 0. Is it acceptable to use fluoridated water when preparing a bottle with formula? The CDC reports that it is acceptable to use fluoridated water when preparing a bottle with formula.