A new parent asked me the other day if they could use concentrated or powdered your-baby formula that needed to be mixed with water. That brought to mind the need to discuss fluoride and its importance in developing teeth. Over the past 40 years tooth decay in young children had been decreasing. Recent studies show that the trend is reversing and we are once again dealing with tooth decay in young children’s teeth. I had written in a previous column about “early childhood caries” as it related to prolonged bottle use, but early cavities may also be related to inadequate fluoride consumption. (more…)