Today I Brushed My Babies' Teeth.

Ash has gotten to that point were she pretty willingly says, "ahhhhh" and "eeeeeeee" so we can get her teeth cleaned.  Britt is a completely different story. 

This is her "getting my teeth brushed and I don't like it" face.  Seriously, this is the exact same expression she has when we brush her teeth - her screaming and hollering the whole time.  **laugh** 

But this post isn't so much about the joys of brushing my daughters' teeth.  It's about fluoride and how confused I am about it.  We don't have it in our water here.  I've had some pediatricians and dentists tell me that I need to have my kids on fluoride tablets from 12 months on.  I've received prescriptions but never filled them.  I have two kinds of toothpaste for my kiddos; one with fluoride and one with out and we alternate. 

I've read that some studies show fluoride dramatically reduces cavities.  But I've also read that some studies show fluoride is a terrible poison and  that we shouldn't be using it.  My suspicions, base on what I've read, are that in a perfect world we would definitely not use fluoride, but with a culture that embraces sugars like ours - we have nothing else to combat tooth decay with.  Merely brushing and flossing isn't enough to fight candy, cakes, soda, yogurt, juice, bread, soup, and everything else that sugar has been put into.  Let me revise that - calcium and magnesium help too.  So the healthier we eat, the healthier our teeth. 

I, myself, use a fluoride toothpaste and fluoride mouth rinse now because my cavity history has been a long and dreadful one.  I wish that I could have had sealants put on when I first got my adult teeth.  I have no idea what the pros and cons of doing that are, but I'll have to look into it when my kids get to that point.  For now, I just want to figure out where fluoride fits in our lives.  We eat sugar - no doubt about it.  It seems that fluoride is the most help is in toothpaste and rinse.  The health risks are higher when it's ingested.  I've done some interesting reading at the Fluoride Action Network, WebMD, nofluoride.com, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, & Fluoride Dangers Blog.  To name a very few. 

Have you thought or read about this?  Do you have an opinion?  What do you think?  Am I overly worried? 

P.S.  For those of you who haven't received any comment love from me recently, it may be due to Blogger not allowing me to leave comments for those of you who have word verification on your blogs.  I have no idea why.  It is beyond frustrating.  I hope, hope, HOPE they get that bug worked out soon.  I'm dying to talk to you!