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Baltimore City Fluoride Varnish Pilot Program

The Baltimore City Health Department, in conjunction with Baltimore HealthCare Access, is starting a new pilot program to have fluoride varnish applied to children's teeth at the medical clinic where they receive their vaccinations.

 

Fluoride varnish is a safe and protective coating that can be painted on baby teeth in under two minutes, and that can reduce tooth decay by 46% when used regularly. It has been used in Europe for over 30 years and is already being applied at many dentists' offices.

 

The pilot program will target young kids aged 12 to 27 months, and run for one year at four sites in Baltimore.

 

The goal of the program is to gather data on the feasibility of having the application done at medical clinics and to present this information to Maryland Medicaid so that they may consider covering this procedure for all children in the state.
 

Innovative Oral Health Program Shows Results - Pediatricians Effectively Providing Fluoride Varnish to Young Children in Primary Care

May 15, 2008. The Baltimore City Health Department has released a progress report on an innovative pilot program in which pediatric clinicians apply fluoride varnish to prevent cavities in young children. The project is a partnership between the Health Department and The University of Maryland School of Dentistry and is coordinated by Baltimore HealthCare Access. [Press Release] [Baltimore City Fluoride Varnish Pilot Program Progress Report] [Fluoride Varnish Program]
 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are medical clinics applying varnish to teeth?

Young children regularly visit a doctor or nurse to get vaccinations, and that is a good time to start getting fluoride varnish and to start learning about how to keep baby teeth healthy.

The doctors will refer patients to dentists for follow-up care.
 

Where do I go if I want my child to receive a fluoride varnish application?

If your child is already seeing a dentist, ask him or her about receiving fluoride varnish. If you want to locate a dentist for your child, you can refer to our resource guide. If your child is in our target age group and is being seen at one of our pilot sites, you can ask your doctor or nurse about getting fluoride varnish.
 

What else can I do to prevent my child from getting cavities?

  • If your infant takes a bottle to bed, make sure it only contains water. Cavity-forming bacteria feeds on milk and anything containing sugar.
  • Avoid giving kids sugary drinks and dilute fruit juices by half with water. Most juices contain added sugar and even 100% juice contains a form of sugar that causes cavities.
  • Start teaching your kids how to brush early. Kids under 2 should not use fluoridated toothpaste, but can still practice brushing with a child-size wet brush.
  • Take your child to a dentist regularly even when young and especially if you see white or brown spots on your child's teeth.
 

More Resources:
 

If you have further questions or comments regarding fluoride varnish, please call or email Nicole Leistikow at the Baltimore City Health Department:
Nicole.Leistikow@baltimorecity.gov
(410) 396-6903