Fluoride Tablets

Tank water? Consider fluoride tablets. Where fluoridated water is not available, there are other means of providing fluoride, for example, in tablet form (most commonly sodium fluoride). If tablets are used constantly their effectiveness in decay prevention has been shown to be approximately the same as for water fluoridation.

To ensure the fluoride in the tablets comes in contact with your teeth, the tablets can be chewed or sucked- or betters till, they can be dissolved in water to make your own fluoridated drinking water. Because this fluoridated drinking water is just like fluoridated tap water, the whole family can use it – including under-three year-olds.

DIY Fluoridated Water

The PSM brand of fluoride tablets (available from Pharmacies) dissolve easily in a little hot water which can then be made up with cold water for drinking.

RECIPE

To make one litre of water with the same fluoride level as you would get from a
fluoridated water supply (one part fluoride per million parts of water).

  1. In a clean, heatproof one litre container:
  2. Dissolve two PSM fluoride tablets in a little boiling water (this will take less than
    a minute)
  3. Add cold water to make one litre
  4. Keep in the fridge and use as drinking water for the whole family.

Use your fluoridated water in drink bottles for school and work.

Don’t forget – brush with a standard strength fluoride toothpaste
twice a day, and spit, don’t rinse, after brushing.

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Updated: December 2014, Wairarapa District Health Board