A 9-month-old infant has developed two teeth since the 6-month checkup. The local water supply contains fluoride. What will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner do to promote healthy dentition at this visit?

A 9-month-old infant has developed two teeth since the 6-month checkup. The local water supply contains fluoride. What will the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner do to promote healthy dentition at this visit?

• A. Apply sodium fluoride varnish to the infant's teeth.
• B. Encourage the parents to make an initial dental appointment.
• C. Prescribe oral fluoride supplementation.
• D. Teach the parents how to brush the infant's teeth with fluoride toothpaste.

Answer: (A)

Topical fluoride varnish directly strengthens developing enamel and helps prevent caries in young children. When teeth have begun to erupt, applying a fluoride varnish provides a high local dose of fluoride that remains on the tooth surface long enough to promote remineralization and resist acid attacks, offering immediate preventive benefit during the well-child visit. This approach is appropriate even if the local water supply already contains fluoride, and systemic fluoride supplementation isn’t needed in that case because excess fluoride could risk fluorosis. While guidance about brushing with fluoride toothpaste and arranging a dental visit are important parts of ongoing care, the best single step at this visit to promote healthy dentition is applying the fluoride varnish to the erupted teeth.

Topical fluoride varnish directly strengthens developing enamel and helps prevent caries in young children. When teeth have begun to erupt, applying a fluoride varnish provides a high local dose of fluoride that remains on the tooth surface long enough to promote remineralization and resist acid attacks, offering immediate preventive benefit during the well-child visit. This approach is appropriate even if the local water supply already contains fluoride, and systemic fluoride supplementation isn’t needed in that case because excess fluoride could risk fluorosis. While guidance about brushing with fluoride toothpaste and arranging a dental visit are important parts of ongoing care, the best single step at this visit to promote healthy dentition is applying the fluoride varnish to the erupted teeth.