Dental Decay in Calgary Children is on the Rise

Four years ago, the city stopped adding fluoride to our water supply. Since then, dentists including Calgary dentist Dr. Michael Popp at Marlborough Dental Centre have been seeing a noticeable increase in dental decay in Calgary children.

At the time, the CBC reported that the reasoning was to save three-quarters of a million dollars a year for city coffers, and put some of those savings into dental heath for children living in poverty.

The effect, though, is that dental decay is becoming rampant in kids across the city. Insufficient exposure to fluoride can cause teeth to develop cavities which, over time, can eat children’s teeth down to virtually nothing. That’s very painful for kids, and also embarrassing when they’re at school with a mouth full of teeth that are worn away and appear to be rotting.

Luckily, there are several ways parents in Calgary can ensure their kids are getting enough fluoride to avoid tooth decay:

• have your children brush their teeth with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• talk do your Calgary pediatric dentist about fluoride supplement tablets or liquids.
• visit a pediatric dental clinic to have fluoride treatments applied to your children’s teeth. These can come in the form of foams that sit inside a mouth guard and act on the teeth, varnishes which are painted on the teeth, and gels that are painted on or applied with a mouth guard.

You can also talk to your dentist about a prescription for mouthwash that has stronger concentrations of fluoride than over-the-counter varieties.

Did you know?

Children aren’t the only ones who need sufficient amounts of fluoride. It’s especially important for kids 16 and younger, whose teeth are developing, but adults also need enough fluoride in order to combat tooth decay. Talk to your doctor about your options for getting enough fluoride, now that it isn’t included in Calgary’s water supply.

Contact Dr. Popp and his team at Marlborough Dental Centre in NE Calgary to make an appointment to have fluoride applied to your or your kids’ teeth. Call 403-248-2066 or email us today.