Having A Problem With Your Child's Height? Some Fluoride Magic Can Help

If you have always suspected that there is something sinister behind the not-to-your-liking height of your child, it turns out that your suspicions may not be as baseless as some would imagine. Studies show that dental caries may be to blame. And what is even better is that you can do something about it.

The study

A group of scientists were curious about the effect of dental caries. They were wondering whether it was possible that dental caries affected more than a child's smile and whether the damaging effect of dental infections extended beyond a child's social life. They therefore set out to see whether there was an explainable relationship between a child's height and the status of the child's teeth.

They carried out their study on a group of children from Saudi Arabia.

The results of the study

What they found out confirmed what they had suspected. They discovered that there was an inverse relationship between the level of caries infection and the relative height of a child. Children who showed signs of advanced tooth decay tended to be relatively shorter than children in their age group - even after making adjustments for demographic, social and dental variables.

Fluoride and the fight against caries

The use of fluoride in the fight against tooth decay is well documented. Ever since Michigan led the country in adding fluoride into its water supply system in a bid to reduce the prevalence of tooth decay cases, making sure that people have access to fluoridated water has been a priority in this country.

But sadly, this has never been enough. Why? Because not every person has access to fluoridated water - almost 100 million people don't. And even for those who do, the fluoride in community water systems is sometimes not enough to specifically address the needs of every person.

The amount that one gets from the community water supply system is an average, and your child may have a need for a higher concentration in order to have healthy teeth.

What you can do

The existence of fluoride supplements such as lozenges and drops is good news since it means that children as young as 6 months old can access the decay-shielding properties of fluoride. Add to this the ready availability of fluoride varnish and one doesn't really have to worry about the damaging effect of dental carries on their child's growth.

It is therefore possible to ensure that your child has normal growth by visiting a dentist and inquiring about which fluoride supplements will be appropriate for your child. Contact a company like Ellsworth & Day DDS for more information.