Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that primary care clinicians prescribe oral fluoride supplementation starting at age 6 months for children whose water supply is deficient in fluoride and apply fluoride varnish to the primary teeth of all children starting at the age of primary tooth eruption. The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to make a recommendation on primary care clinicians performing routine screening exams for cavities in children younger than 5. Dental caries (cavities) is the most common chronic disease in children in the United States. The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services and this statement is consistent with its 2014 recommendation.
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(doi:10.1001/jama.2021.20007)
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Note: More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.
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