WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After signaling its intent to deny parents access to fluoride supplements, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided Oct. 31 to allow continued access. Unfortunately, the agency placed restrictions that will deprive many children of the benefits from taking these supplements.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of U.S. children and adults. Fluoride is a mineral proven to reduce the rate of dental cavities. Giving fluoride supplements to children makes their developing permanent teeth more resistant to dental cavities. Previous recommendations called for dentists and pediatricians to prescribe fluoride supplements to the parents of children who:

• are between the ages of 6 months and 16 years; and
  
• live in areas of the U.S. in which the amount of fluoride in drinking water is below the recommended level to prevent cavities.

However, the new FDA guidelines do not allow fluoride supplements to be prescribed until age 3. This ignores the recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that children in non-fluoridated areas should receive fluoride supplements starting at 6 months.

Dr. Johnny Johnson, president of the American Fluoridation Society (AFS), says that waiting until age 3 is a big mistake.

"Cavities can start forming in a child's mouth very soon after the teeth appear. Tooth decay is a disease process that often starts before age 3. For this reason, the FDA guidelines mean that many children won't get the topical benefits of fluoride that supplements can provide to their erupted baby teeth," said Dr. Johnson.

"Even at these early ages, the developing permanent teeth benefit the greatest from fluoride in the form of supplements," he added. "Many people might not realize that permanent teeth begin forming during pregnancy. As enamel forms, it uses this fluoride to become more resistant to cavities. Missing this critical window of time before age 3, the permanent teeth will be more susceptible to cavities."

Although fluoride supplements are a helpful tool for parents and dental professionals, they cannot fill the gap created in the states of Florida and Utah, which recently banned water fluoridation.

"Fluoride supplements are for children, so adults don't benefit from them," said Dr. Johnson. "To ensure that children benefit from fluoride supplements, long-term compliance on a daily basis is essential. Raising kids is a stressful responsibility, and parents are often pulled in different directions. For this reason, compliance with the recommended dosage is not high."

"The beauty of fluoridated water is that it benefits everyone in a community - children and adults," he added. "And it's accessible without filling a prescription, making an appointment or paying an insurance premium. Simply turn on the tap, and it's there."

AFS is pleased that FDA put itself on record through last week's announcement that children are at high risk of tooth decay if they "lack access to fluoridated drinking water."

AFS encourages parents with school-age children who live in non-fluoridated areas to consult a health professional. A pediatrician or dentist can discuss their child's risk of tooth decay and advise them on the appropriate supplement for their child based on the fluoride levels in their source of drinking water.

For more information, visit the American Fluoridation Society:

SOURCE American Fluoridation Society

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