Is It Good or Bad?

Cavities are partly genetic. I have 3 kids. 2 of them have had quite a number of cavities. My youngest had cavities in 2 molars that had only broken through 2-3 months before! They came in defective right from the get go. One of my kids has only had 3 or 4 cavities his whole life and he's nearly 10 now. Same diet, same toothpaste etc. The 2 with a ton of cavities got their father's teeth. My husband had the same exact problem when he was a kid. Took everything just to keep the teeth in long enough to fall out on their own. Dentist confirmed it wasn't because we weren't taking care of their teeth or feeding them wrong, it was genetics.
He did say that using xylitol might be worth a try. He did warn that it can cause a bit of upset tummies though.

I suggest that even tho we don't know if using flouride helps we do know it doesn't hurt and has the possibility to help and so I use it.

I've been told by dentists that we are stuck with the enamel with which we're born. Some of us have strong enamel and some don't. All we can do is protect the enamel we have. Flouride has the possibility of protecting the enamel but doesn't change the enamel we were born with.

Look at all aspects of her diet when trying to determine why so many cavities, not just eating sweets. What does she drink? Juice, milk, soda, etc all will coat teeth and contribute to cavity formation, especially if drank before bed or sipped on throughout the day. Try to limit them to just at mealtimes (if at all), and brush after. Tap water has fluoride in it, there has also been increases in cavities due to so many people only giving their kids bottled water. I know I had the fluoride goop at the dentist growing up, and was cavity free until I was 25.

We don't do fluoride rinses or toothpaste. My dentist does not necessarily agree with this approach but I did take my kids every three months for cleanings (without fluoride).

There is some concern out there that fluoride can lower IQ (this is debated though). I've also read about dental flurosis.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childr...

We prefer to strengthen teeth with the right mineral and vitamin balance.

It really angers me that fluoride is placed in our water supply. Whether you agree with fluoride or not you should have a choice as to whether to ingest it.

Most toothpaste has flouride in it, as do municipal water supplies. If you drink bottled water exclusively, I'd add a flouride rinse. The most important thing is brushing 2-3 times per day and flossing. Genetically play a role in the strength of teeth.

I am a dental hygienist. USE FLUORIDE!! Actually it's not that simple. You need to first find out if your water has fluoride in it. If it does then you don't need any supplemental fluoride rinses, just be sure to have fluoride varnish applied 6 monthly at the dental hygiene appointment, and use fluoride toothpaste. if your water is not fluoridated, then deffo use fluoride rinses.
Other things you can do:
With your 7 year old, she will already have her adult first molars erupted, get them some sealants put on. Let them chew xylitol gum as much as they like, it is very good for guarding against caries and kids love it. Make sure to brush their teeth twice every day with a soft toothbrush.
Sweets don't do as much damage to our teeth as do juices, sodas and sweetened drinks such as kool aid because we tend to sip them over long periods. Drink these in MODERATION, like hardly ever, my kids only drink water or milk, and once or twice a week a soda.
Yes we are born with our enamel, but actually it can be changed, topically applied fluoride can remineralize weakened enamel, so even if you are born with defective enamel, all is not lost.

Is your 5 year old good at spitting?
Can she put water in her mouth, swish it around, and spit it out? Then yes, I would do the fluoride rinse.

But some 5 year olds don't really have the hang of this yet, and end up swallowing more than they spit back out. If this describes your daughter, I would wait.

When we were on city water and fluoride was in the water we didn't worry about it.
I believe some fluoride is good for your bones/teeth but you don't want to OD on it.
You can get enough of it if you drink brewed black tea.

Sometimes one kid will have thinner enamel than her sibling or maybe her teeth are in positions that make them more difficult to brush.
I got more cavities than my sister but the dentist came right out and said they weren't my fault - my teeth were all over the place and very difficult to brush (7 years of braces got all that straightened out eventually).

Yes. Use fluoride. Back in the day before we had it, people ended up with mouthfuls of fillings. Because of fluoride, dentistry has changed a lot to include more cosmetic procedures because preventive dentistry that includes the use of fluoride has gotten SO much better.

There are people who deride fluoride along with vaccines, etc. Let THEM have their opinions. Your daughter is YOUR daughter, not theirs.

Teeth are like anything else - genetics play a huge role. If your daughter has already had fillings, etc, you should definitely be listening to the dentist. Also, she should be brushing and flossing twice a day. Make her get into doing this now and making it a routine for the rest of her life.

You really only need fluoride supplements if you have a well that's tested low (or non-existent) for fluoride. Otherwise, they are most likely getting it from city water.
My dentist told me that dental health is typically genetic and is related to mouth chemistry. This is probably why you have one with great teeth and the other that is getting more cavities. Take a look at you and your husband's own dental history and you'll probably see similarities.
I ate sweets like they were going out of style, esp chocolate. I got my first little pit at 35. And even then, it was so small I didn't need to be numbed to fill it. My husband has horrible teeth and always has. Even though we eat pretty much the same foods and have the same brushing habits. Hopefully, our kids have my mouth chemistry!

Enamel is hereditary. If you had weak enamel or hubby had weak enamel chances are she got it from one of you.

The dentist might be able to do more but chances are she's going to have to go to the dentist every 6 months her whole life and have fillings off and on as long as she has teeth.

Some people can go their whole lives without ever brushing their teeth and never in their life get a single cavity. Others can brush, floss, rinse, eat healthy and have a new cavity every couple of months.

It's not good parenting or bad parenting.

When we moved up here to NJ I was so surprised to discover the water was NOT fluoridated. In TX it was and I just assumed it was everywhere (unless you are on well water).

Once they were old enough for it, my kids have always used toothpaste with fluoride. And up here we added the Act rinse - we started with Smart Rinse but then I discovered you are supposed to use that twice a day vs once a day with Act.

I don't do the fluoride tablets, mainly because I could never remember to give them to my kids. Plus they didn't like the taste of them. But my recommendation is to at least add the rinse - there was definitely an increase in cavities for my kids when we moved up here and it had to be the change in water.

Minerals are essential.
You can build back your teeth. I'm working on it. A friend has.
You need quality minerals. You also need to eliminate processed foods from your diet. Fewer grains would help also.
Ramiel Nagel is the tip of the iceberg - he has several books.
Weston A Price is another good source, as is the book for Nourishing Traditions.
Wish you well,
M.