Baby’s teeth are important!
Tooth decay is one of the most common diseases seen in children today. Children as young as 10 months can get cavities. Cavities in baby teeth can cause pain and may prevent children from being able to eat, speak, sleep and learn properly. Children should not normally lose all of their baby teeth until they are about 11 or 12 years old.
Fluoride varnish is a protective medication that is painted on teeth to help prevent new cavities and help stop cavities that have already started.
Fluoride varnish is very safe. It can be used on babies from the time that they have their first tooth around 6 months of age. Fluoride varnish should be applied to the teeth 2-4 times per year.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended that fluoride varnish be applied to the primary teeth of all infants and children starting at the age of 6 months and continuing through age 5 years.
Our office can now provide this important health benefit for our patients. We will begin to offer Fluoride Varnish to all of our patients at their Routine Well Visit Check-Ups after their first tooth has appeared and then every 6 months until they receive their first dental visit.
This service is covered by Medicaid and by many Commercial Insurances.
Although this service is recommended by the (USPSTF) and by the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are some commercial insurance plans that still do not provide coverage for this service. If application of dental fluoride varnish is not covered by your insurance, you will be asked to sign a waiver stating that you understand that this service is not covered by your insurance plan, but you choose to have this important health service for your child. The payment of $25.00 will be due at the time of service and we will gladly bill your insurance. If we would receive payment from your insurance, our office would then reimburse you.