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Oral health is essential to overall health at every age and stage of life. For children, good oral health supports growth and development, behaviour, and their ability to learn, socialize and play.
Nova Scotia Health Public Health works with partners across schools, communities, governments and healthcare to improve oral health outcomes for Nova Scotians. This includes reducing inequities by supporting healthy public policies which address the root causes of oral health outcomes, such as income and education, as well as policies that promote oral health, such as school healthy eating environments and community water fluoridation.
Public Health also supports long lasting protective interventions, including a school-based topical Fluoride Varnish Program, delivered by Public Health Dental Hygienists. School-based fluoride programs are effective in reducing cavities across the population.
Having a variety of ways to access the preventative benefits of fluoride is an important strategy for improving overall population health. Public Health’s Fluoride Varnish Program complements other oral health programs and ways that children currently access and receive fluoride.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in soil, plant- and animal-based foods, and water. Because fluoride helps to prevent cavities, it is also added to various dental products. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel (the outer layer of teeth), making them more resistant to cavities/tooth decay.
Why is it beneficial to have fluoride in our drinking water?
Community water fluoridation is an important, safe and effective measure to reduce dental decay and improve oral health, which is essential to overall health and well-being at every age and stage of life.
Adding fluoride to water prevents cavities by making teeth stronger. It is one of the most cost-effective and equitable public health interventions available, reaching everyone in a community regardless of their age, income or access to dental care services or supplies.
Water fluoridation is closely monitored to ensure that safe fluoride levels are always maintained. This level is set by Health Canada and accounts for exposure to fluoride not only from drinking water, but other common sources, like toothpaste.
What if my home is on a well and/or does not have access to community water fluoridation?
People who are on well water should follow the guidelines for water testing every two years. You can find out more at: Test your well water - Government of Nova Scotia, Canada.
In addition to testing your water, it’s recommended to follow the usual best practices for oral health:
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
- Floss daily
- See a dentist at least once a year
- Talk to your dentist or healthcare provider if you have any additional questions or concerns
- If your child is under three years old, refer to this information sheet for more detailed guidance: Supporting Oral Health for Families with Young Children
If you get your drinking water from a registered or municipal water system and are unsure if your water is fluoridated, you can call you’re the operator of your water system.
What is Fluoride varnish?
Fluoride varnish is a protective coating that can be safely applied to teeth up to six times per year to prevent, stop or reverse cavities. It can also be applied on teeth that already have cavities. Applying fluoride varnish to teeth is quick and easy.
What is the Fluoride Varnish Program?
The Fluoride Varnish Program is a Public Health program that offers two extra applications of fluoride to teeth for students in pre-primary to grade 6 in selected elementary schools in communities who would benefit most from additional opportunities to receive fluoride.
A small amount of varnish will be applied to visible surfaces of student’s teeth using a small disposable brush by a Public Health Dental Hygienist. It is applied quickly and only takes a few seconds to harden.
This program does not replace regular check-ups or fluoride treatments by a dentist, dental hygienist or other community oral health care programs. The varnish application is not a complete oral health exam.
What happens after the fluoride varnish is applied?
Students can eat and drink right after the fluoride varnish is applied.
The fluoride varnish may appear and feel like a film on the teeth that will wear off in a few hours after application. They may brush and floss at bedtime. Students should not receive any other professional fluoride treatment or rinse with a home fluoride mouthrinse for 24 hours.
Is fluoride varnish safe?
Yes. Fluoride varnish is safe and used by dentists and doctors all over the world to help prevent cavities in children from the time the first teeth come in. The use of fluoride varnish is approved and recommended by Health Canada and the Canadian Dental Association.
Is there a cost to participate in the fluoride varnish program?
No. There is no cost to students and families.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Fluoride Varnish Program or community water fluoridation, please contact your local Public Health office.
What dental services are covered by MSI and federal programs?
MSI covers basic dental care for children, starting from birth and continuing until they turn 15 years of age. Children should have regular dental visits within six months of their first tooth’s appearance or by their first birthday.
Once a year, the MSI Children’s Oral Health Program covers:
- One routine dental exam
- Two routine x-rays
- One preventive service (for example, brushing and flossing instruction)
- One fluoride treatment
- Scaling (1 unit for children 10 and younger; 2 units for children 11 to 14)
- Fillings and necessary extractions
- Nutritional counselling
As well, MSI covers sealant application on permanent molars. In some cases, MSI also covers a second fluoride treatment. Parents/guardians should check with their dental office to see if their child qualifies for a second fluoride treatment paid for by MSI.
Additional coverage is offered to Canadians who meet specific criteria through the Canadian Dental Care Plan, including:
- Seniors aged 65 and over
- Children under the age of 18
- Adults with a valid federal Disability Tax Credit certificate for 2023
People must meet the four following criteria to be eligible:
- They do not have access to dental insurance
- They/their spouse/common-law-partner (if applicable) must have filed tax returns in Canada so that their family income can be assessed for the previous year
- Their adjusted family net income is less than $90,000
- They are a Canadian resident for tax purposes
Finally, the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program provides eligible First Nations and Inuit clients with coverage for a range of health benefits that are not covered through other social programs, private insurance plans, provincial or territorial health insurance. This includes dental care.
The NIHB program was established in response to Jordan's Principle, a human rights principle established by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to make sure that First Nations children do not face gaps, delays, or denials in accessing government services because of their identity as First Nations children.