Aiming to place a big smile on the face of America’s youngsters the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has issued a fresh update to its pediatric dental guidelines. Targeting kids 5 and under the Task Force now recommends that primary care doctors expose all infants and children to a fluoride varnish upon appearance of their very first tooth.

For safety such a highly concentrated form of fluoride is typically applied solely in a healthcare setting. However in the journal Pediatrics, the Task Force said that insufficient data left it unable to conclude whether or not regular visits to an actual dentist would be of real benefit to the pre-school set. But given that cavities are found in more than 40% of kids between 2 and 11

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity

Don't blame fast food alone for rising rates of childhood obesity. Study finds it's a small part of a much bigger problem.

Teens, Cyberbullying and Online Porn

Parents underestimate how often their children are cyberbullied or exposed to sexual content online, study finds.

Fish Oil and Brain Power

Can fish oil help you retain enough brain cells to preserve one to two years of brain health in old age?