Dental fluorosis happens when you consume too much fluoride while your teeth are still forming under your gums. This results in white spots on the surface of your teeth. Other than the appearance of white spots, dental fluorosis doesn’t cause any symptoms or harm.
It tends to affect only children under the age of 8 who have permanent teeth still coming in. Children are also more likely to swallow toothpaste, which contains significantly more fluoride than fluoridated water.
You can reduce your child’s risk of developing dental fluorosis by supervising them when they brush their teeth to make sure they aren’t swallowing large amounts of toothpaste.