Call for new fluoride toothpaste guidelines as dental crisis soars

Parents are being let down by outdated and ineffective guidelines on fluoride toothpastes for small children, dentists claim.

Mary, 5, and Christian, 3, Kalligeros. Picture: Steve Pohlner

• Fluoride myths debunked

Federal government guidelines which recommend levels of fluoride in toothpaste for children under six are outdated and inadequate for protecting teeth, a top dentistry body has warned.

The Australasian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry reveals that parents are often blamed for dental decay in their children when they are diligently following Australian directions which are letting them down.

As dentists push for the fluoridation of water systems across the whole state, the academy has revealed that the National Health and Medical Research Council’s recommendation of 500 ppm fluoride in toothpaste for children under six is half of the 1000 ppm recommended across the world.

“We are completely alone on these recommendations to the detriment of our children,” Tim Keys, Chair Advocacy and Policy Committee of the academy said.

This article is part of The Courier-Mail’s State of Decay series - follow this link to read them.

“Water fluoridation and 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste are essential to protect children’s teeth. Without this children are left at severe risk of preventable decay, especially those with conditions like enamel hypomineralisation.

“We are unique in the world by adopting these positions and are inviting the current crisis in pediatric dentistry to continue.”

The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, UK guidelines, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry all recommend using 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste from the eruption of the first tooth to prevent decay in young children.

The NHMRC recommends no fluoride in toothpaste until 18 months.

Australian states and territories fluoridate drinking water supplies within the range of 0.6 to 1.1 ppm/milligrams per litre (mg/L).

Dr Keys also highlighted that one in five children suffer from Dental Development Defects, including hypomineralisation, which makes fighting decay an uphill battle for parents.

“This developmental condition makes primary teeth highly prone to breaking apart and decay, often before parents or dentists notice it. Children with enamel hypomineralisation require early intervention and stronger preventive measures to avoid rapid progression of decay,” Dr Keys said.

The fluoride debate continues to divide Queensland.

“Fluoridation of water can reduce tooth decay by up to 25 per cent but many Queensland communities are unfluoridated, leaving children with limited systemic protection,” he said.

The Australasian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is calling for an update in fluoride guidelines to align with international standards, the introduction of 1000ppm toothpaste from the first tooth, the expansion of water fluoridation programs to cover all Queensland communities, as well as an awareness campaign about enamel hypomineralisation, empowering parents to seek early dental advice and support.

All products sold meet the Australian govenment standards.

The Courier-Mail found of the 10 toothpastes targeted at children sold on supermarket shelves, five of them were below the overseas recommendation of 1000ppm.

This included the popular Colgate Bluey, Oral-B kids and Piksters Wiggles toothpaste and ranged between 500 and 800ppm.

For Mount Gravatt mother Eleni Kalligeros, ensuring her kids have quality dental health is important and hoped the levels of fluoride in childrens toothpaste were “what they should be”.

“We go to the dentist for our twice yearly check-ups, I encourage them (my kids) to keep using their timer and brushing their teeth twice a day ... we just make sure we’re using the right toothpaste and by that I mean the one that’s recommended for children,” Ms Kalligeros said.

“I guess I just would want to know we’re not on par with the rest of the world. What are the concerns for us to not be on par with the rest of the world?

Mary and Christian Kalligeros at home brushing their teeth. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“I would want to be what the experts think, if they think we need more, why is it not happening?”

The Australian Medical Association Queensland continues to lobby the government to take control of water fluoridation from councils.

“Since the state government handed responsibility to local councils for fluoridating water supplies in 2012, we have seen fluoridation coverage fall from 90 per cent of Queenslanders to just 70 per cent, and the lowest percentile in the country.We know that this is causing harm to patients and costing them and the health system more,” president Nick Yim said.

Originally published as Call for new fluoride toothpaste guidelines as dental crisis soars