Flouride Drops

A: I think that practicing good dental hygiene and not feeding a baby juice, sugary cereals, soft drinks or candy (yes, some people give these to babies) is more effective than fluoride supplementation. That said, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends checking with your pediatrician to find out if fluoride drops are necessary after age 6 months. If the fluoride in your water supply is greater than 0.3 parts per million (call your water district to find out), you shouldn't supplement until your child is 3 years old. Too much fluoride can stain a child's teeth permanently, so before you supplement, determine how much fluoride your baby is getting from all sources (including infant formula), then talk with your pediatrician.