Pediatric Dentistry · patient case question
For a 4-year-old living in an area with negligible water fluoridation, what daily fluoride supplement dose is recommended?
Patient case: A young patient in the mixed dentition
demo: 5-year-old female
chief: Routine examination. Her mother is worried that her front teeth are coming through early.
history: Healthy. The family moved recently from a community with fluoridated water to one with none. Her mother reports the older sibling had a similar early pattern.
meds: None.
findings: Both mandibular permanent central incisors are fully erupted. A 3 mm midline diastema is present in the maxilla between the primary central incisors. A periapical film of a maxillary lateral incisor shows an invagination of enamel and dentin extending into the pulp chamber.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. 0.50 mg
- A. Correct. Under the ADA and AAPD schedule, where water fluoride is below 0.3 ppm, children aged 3 to 6 receive 0.50 mg of fluoride ion daily. Supplements are prescribed only after the fluoride content of all water sources the child drinks has been established.
- B. 1.0 mg is the dose for children aged 6 to 16 years where water fluoride is below 0.3 ppm.
- C. 0.25 mg is the dose for children aged 6 months to 3 years in a deficient water supply.
- D. A supplement is indicated where water fluoride is inadequate and the child is at caries risk. Prescribing without checking all water sources risks fluorosis.
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