a source for sodium fluoride drops without sucralose or artificial colors?

September 18, 2012 1:54 PM

Can you suggest a source for sodium fluoride drops without sucralose or artificial colors?

Pediatrician prescribed daily sodium fluoride drops for my toothless seven month old. I can't find a brand without sucralose or artificial colors. Does such a brand exist in the United States? Or am I overreacting to try to keep these out of my little one's diet?

posted by JamesD to health & fitness (6 answers total)

These seem close to the letter, if not the spirit, of what you are asking. I think you don't need to about sucralose or dye, though. They will both be in tiiiiiny amounts per dose.
posted by zippy at 2:15 PM on September 18, 2012

(to worry)
posted by zippy at 2:15 PM on September 18, 2012

am I overreacting to try to keep these out of my little one's diet?

Yes. Sucralose can be consumed safely over the course of a person's lifetime.

I cannot comment on "artificial" colors because "artificial" is as broad a term as "natural". Arsenic, rattlesnake venom, and bolts of lightning are all natural. Whether or not something is natural or artificial tells you zero information about whether or not it is healthful, good, or safe.
posted by Tanizaki at 2:41 PM on September 18, 2012

I cannot comment on "artificial" color

Scratch out "artificial" then. I'm looking to avoid coloring, it's clearly extraneous.
posted by JamesD at 2:56 PM on September 18, 2012

If you and the pediatrician think that fluoride supplementation is needed, you can also buy fluoridated water designed for babies at many grocery stores and also stores like Babies-r-Us. Many municipalities also fluoridate water, so you may want to check if you and baby are already getting fluoride via your tap. Getting water instead of drops was the solution for a relative of mine after she couldn't find drops without a lot of necessary ingredients added (color, sweetener).
posted by quince at 4:08 PM on September 18, 2012

Color is added to help you see the drops as you are adding them, so not exactly extraneous, as overdosing with fluoride is worse than underdosing.
As a concerned parent it should be noted that the single most important thing that you can do at this stage is make sure that you, other parent and siblings are caries free.
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:29 AM on September 19, 2012