Sodium fluoride is a medication used to prevent cavities in children. It's available as chewable tablets and solution that are swallowed.
Prevention of cavities in children
Sodium fluoride is a dietary supplement containing fluoride. Fluoride protects your teeth from acid and damage caused by bacteria in your mouth. This helps prevent cavities (caries) from forming in your teeth.
Source:Â DailyMed
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Sores in the mouth and on the lips (rare)
Sodium fluoride in drinking water or taken as a supplement does not usually cause any side effects. However, taking an overdose of fluoride may cause serious problems.
Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if any of the following effects occur:
Black, tarry stools
bloody vomit
drowsiness
faintness
increased watering of the mouth
nausea or vomiting
shallow breathing
stomach cramps or pain
unusual excitement
watery eyes
weakness
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Pain and aching of bones
stiffness
white, brown, or black discoloration of the teeth—occurs only during periods of tooth development in children
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Taken once per day
Comes in different fruit flavors
Only needed if fluoride intake is low
Can't be taken within 1 hour of dairy products
Might be difficult to track how much fluoride your child takes
Not for use in adults
The sodium fluoride chewable tablets is for children aged 3 to 16 years old. If your child is younger than 3 years old, use the sodium fluoride solution. This is because children under 3 have a higher risk of choking on the tablets.
The sodium fluoride chewable tablets can be dissolved in the mouth or chewed before swallowing.
If your child is using the sodium fluoride solution, use a dropper to measure the dose. Don't use household spoons, because they aren't accurate and might cause you to give your child the wrong dose.
Make sure to check the ingredients of your toothpaste, food, and drinks to see if they contain fluoride. If they do, don't give your child sodium fluoride and contact their healthcare provider for guidance. Having too much fluoride in the body can lead to side effects like changes in the appearance of the teeth.
Sodium fluoride can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Taking too much fluoride can cause a condition called fluorosis that can cause changes to your child's teeth. Additionally, ingesting large amounts of fluoride at one time can cause burning in the mouth, sore tongue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, salivation, and vomiting blood. If your child experiences any of these symptoms while taking sodium fluoride, call their healthcare provider or contact a Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
The dose depends on your child's age and how much fluoride is in the tap drinking water in your area. Your healthcare provider will determine the right dose for your child.
Sodium fluoride chewable tablets
Age 3 to up to 6 years: The typical dose is 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg by mouth once daily.
Age 6 to 16 years: The typical dose is 0.5 mg or 1 mg by mouth once daily.
Age 6 months to up to 3 years: The typical dose is ½ dropperful (0.5 mL) by mouth once daily. This dose is only for children in this age group who live in areas with no or extremely little fluoride in the drinking water.
Age 3 to up to 6 years: The typical dose is ½ or 1 dropperful (0.5 mL or 1 mL) by mouth once daily.
Age 6 to 16 years: The typical dose is 1 or 2 dropperfuls (1 mL or 2 mL) by mouth once daily.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Children younger than 3 years old (chewable tablets only)
Children younger than 6 months old (solution only)
People older than 16 years of age
Live in areas with adequate fluoride levels in drinking water
Prevention of cavities (tooth decay)
By signing up, I agree to GoodRx's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx.
Research prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.