© 2025 American Dental Association l 27
Fluoridation Facts
12. Are dietary fluoride supplements effective in helping to prevent
tooth decay?
Answer
Yes. Dietary fluoride supplements can be effective in preventing tooth decay.
Fact
Dietary fluoride supplements are available only by prescription in the United States and are recommended
by the ADA75 and the US Preventive Services Task Force.142,143 They are recommended by the ADA for
use by children who are at high risk for developing tooth decay and living in areas where the primary
source(s) of water are deficient in fluoride.75 Similar to the benefits of community water fluoridation,
fluoride in dietary supplements is incorporated into developing teeth to strengthen them and reduce
the risk of decay.142
Dietary fluoride supplements can be effective in helping to prevent tooth decay for those at high risk
for tooth decay. To receive the optimal benefit from fluoride supplements, the use of supplements
should begin at 6 months of age and continue daily until the child is 16 years old.75
Recommendations for health professionals seeking to prescribe dietary fluoride supplements are found
in The Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations on the Prescription of Dietary Fluoride: A Report of
the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs published in 2010.75 The Chairside Guide:
Dietary Fluoride Supplements: Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations can be accessed from the
ADA’s website, ADA.org.144
The current dietary fluoride supplement schedule appears in Table 1.
Table 1. Dietary Fluoride Supplement Schedule for Children at High Caries Risk75
Age Fluoride ion level in drinking water (ppm)*
0.3 ppm 0.3-0.6 ppm 0.6 ppm
Birth–6 months None None None
6 months–3 years 0.25 mg/day** None None
3–6 years 0.50 mg/day 0.25 mg/day None
6–16 years 1.0 mg/day 0.50 mg/day None
*1.0 part per million (ppm) =1 milligram/liter (mgL) l **2.2 mg sodium fluoride contains 1 mg fluoride ion.
Additional information on this topic can be found in this Section, Question 13.
The expert panel convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs developed the recommendations
and emphasized that they must be balanced with the practitioner’s professional judgment and the
individual patient’s needs and preferences. They also emphasized that children are exposed to multiple
sources of fluoride. The panel encouraged health care providers to evaluate all potential fluoride
sources and to conduct a caries risk assessment before prescribing systemic fluoride supplements.
Fluoridation Facts
12. Are dietary fluoride supplements effective in helping to prevent
tooth decay?
Answer
Yes. Dietary fluoride supplements can be effective in preventing tooth decay.
Fact
Dietary fluoride supplements are available only by prescription in the United States and are recommended
by the ADA75 and the US Preventive Services Task Force.142,143 They are recommended by the ADA for
use by children who are at high risk for developing tooth decay and living in areas where the primary
source(s) of water are deficient in fluoride.75 Similar to the benefits of community water fluoridation,
fluoride in dietary supplements is incorporated into developing teeth to strengthen them and reduce
the risk of decay.142
Dietary fluoride supplements can be effective in helping to prevent tooth decay for those at high risk
for tooth decay. To receive the optimal benefit from fluoride supplements, the use of supplements
should begin at 6 months of age and continue daily until the child is 16 years old.75
Recommendations for health professionals seeking to prescribe dietary fluoride supplements are found
in The Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations on the Prescription of Dietary Fluoride: A Report of
the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs published in 2010.75 The Chairside Guide:
Dietary Fluoride Supplements: Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations can be accessed from the
ADA’s website, ADA.org.144
The current dietary fluoride supplement schedule appears in Table 1.
Table 1. Dietary Fluoride Supplement Schedule for Children at High Caries Risk75
Age Fluoride ion level in drinking water (ppm)*
0.3 ppm 0.3-0.6 ppm 0.6 ppm
Birth–6 months None None None
6 months–3 years 0.25 mg/day** None None
3–6 years 0.50 mg/day 0.25 mg/day None
6–16 years 1.0 mg/day 0.50 mg/day None
*1.0 part per million (ppm) =1 milligram/liter (mgL) l **2.2 mg sodium fluoride contains 1 mg fluoride ion.
Additional information on this topic can be found in this Section, Question 13.
The expert panel convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs developed the recommendations
and emphasized that they must be balanced with the practitioner’s professional judgment and the
individual patient’s needs and preferences. They also emphasized that children are exposed to multiple
sources of fluoride. The panel encouraged health care providers to evaluate all potential fluoride
sources and to conduct a caries risk assessment before prescribing systemic fluoride supplements.
