After Florida’s fluoride ban, here’s how to keep your kids’ teeth healthy

A pediatric dentist for more than 25 years, Dr. Natalie Carr-Bustillo could usually tell when the children she treated came from Plant City.

The east Hillsborough community only added fluoride to its drinking water in 2013. Before that, the children with severest cavities, often in the tough to clean spots between teeth, were invariably from that city, she said.

With new legislation signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday effectively banning the addition of fluoride to public drinking water supplies, she fears there will be a sharp rise in the number of children with severe cavities. The law takes effect July 1.

Water fluoridation is supported by the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Florida Dental Association.

“Cavities progress much more quickly in non-fluoridated areas so I am super concerned for the children and even adults,” said Carr-Bustillo, who practices at Carr Pediatric Dentistry in Riverview.

Carr-Bustillo spoke to the Tampa Bay Times and offered the following advice on how anxious parents can best protect their children’s teeth. The tips also apply to adults.

• Make sure your child brushes their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste in the morning and at night. Parents should be helping their children brush until about 6 to 8 years of age.

• A child can spit during teeth brushing but should not rinse their mouth afterward, as this removes the fluoride.

• If your child must rinse, use a fluoride rinse. This is not recommended for very young children.

• Have your children floss at least once a day, preferably at bedtime. Parents should assist children with this until they are about 12.

• Stick rigorously to six-month check-ups. “It’s going to be more important than ever to make sure you see a dentist twice a year in order to be able to catch cavities when they’re smaller,” Carr-Bustillo said.

• During dental appointments, consider getting a fluoride varnish applied to your children’s teeth.

• Reduce sugar intake. Remember, sugar is found not only in candies, but in soda, fruit juices, sports drinks and cereal. “It’s not usually the in-your-face sugars. It’s those hidden sugars that become a bigger issue,” Carr-Bustillo said.

• Have your children drink more water. It will help neutralize acids in their mouths and mean they are consuming fewer sugary drinks.