European board hikes kids' fluoride guidelines

Jun 1, 2009

The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry's Board and Council have increased the fluoride dose recommended in their guidelines for children's toothpaste, the organization announced.

Though the guidelines have not yet been made public, the Irish Times newspaper reported that the academy now recommends that toothpaste fluoride levels targeted at children age 6 months to 2 years should have a 500 parts per million (ppm) fluoride concentration. The level should be 1,000 ppm for children ages 2 to 6 years and 1,450 ppm for those older than 6 years.

Dental professionals should also recommend that children younger than 6 years use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, and that children older than 6 years use an amount no larger than 1-2 cm, the paper reported.

Previously, the academy had recommended the following:

Age group	Fluoride concentration (ppm)	Frequency/day	Amount to be used
6 months to 2 years	Tooth cleaning with a small smear of low fluoride toothpaste
2-6 years	< 500	Twice	Size of small pea or small fingernail
Older than 6 years	1,000-1,450	Twice	⅓-½ toothbrush

By contrast, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that parents "should be counseled on their child's caries risk" and choose the amount and concentration of fluoride accordingly. It says that a "smear" of fluoridated toothpaste might decrease the fluorosis risk for children under 2, while a "pea-size" amount is "appropriate" for children ages 2 through 5.