From 6 months to 3 years, which fluoride supplementation option is listed?

From 6 months to 3 years, which fluoride supplementation option is listed?

• A. <0.3 ppm at 0.50 mg/day
• B. 0.3-0.6 ppm at 0.50 mg/day
• C. <0.3 ppm at 0.25 mg/day
• D. <0.3 ppm at 1.0 mg/day

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that fluoride supplementation for children 6 months to 3 years is guided by the fluoride level in drinking water. If the water contains less than 0.3 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride, a small supplement is recommended to help prevent caries. For this age range, the appropriate daily dose in that situation is 0.25 mg per day. So the option that lists a water fluoride level of <0.3 ppm paired with 0.25 mg/day fits the guideline. The other options mix either a higher dose (0.50 mg/day or 1.0 mg/day), which would be excessive for a child this young, or pair an appropriate dose with a water fluoride level (0.3–0.6 ppm) where supplementation isn’t indicated for 6 months to 3 years.

The key idea is that fluoride supplementation for children 6 months to 3 years is guided by the fluoride level in drinking water. If the water contains less than 0.3 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride, a small supplement is recommended to help prevent caries. For this age range, the appropriate daily dose in that situation is 0.25 mg per day. So the option that lists a water fluoride level of <0.3 ppm paired with 0.25 mg/day fits the guideline.

The other options mix either a higher dose (0.50 mg/day or 1.0 mg/day), which would be excessive for a child this young, or pair an appropriate dose with a water fluoride level (0.3–0.6 ppm) where supplementation isn’t indicated for 6 months to 3 years.