Dental Health Program for children

Does your child need fluoride varnish?

The Fluoride Varnish program is a FREE dental program to help prevent tooth decay (cavities) in young children under 6 years of age. Fluoride varnish helps make teeth stronger and more resistant to tooth decay.

Taking care of your teeth and gums during pregnancy is important. Many of the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can increase your risk of gum disease or even worse periodontal disease (infection of the bone holding the teeth in place. Periodontal disease has been associated with premature, low birth weight babies.

Brush your teeth at least twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste and floss once daily.

Regular dental visits during pregnancy are safe and support you and your baby’s health.

Does your child need silver diamine fluoride?

The Silver Diamine Fluoride program is a FREE dental program to help stop suspected tooth decay (cavities) in young children under 6 years of age. Silver Diamine Fluoride is brushed onto the suspected tooth decay to help stop the tooth decay from growing and worsening.

Northern Health Chief Medical Health Officer: Position statement on community water fluoridation

February 1, 2024

Fluoride is a mineral that is found naturally in our water, air, food, and soil. At low concentrations, access to fluoride through our drinking water, can help prevent tooth decay and can improve our oral health.

By supplementing the naturally existing fluoride in water to an effective level of about 0.7 part per million, it safely and effectively reduces the occurrence/development of tooth decay at a low cost. 

Drinking fluoridated water, can help children develop strong teeth. Studies show that children who drink fluoridated water can expect up to 35 percent less tooth decay than children who drink non-fluoridated water. Adults who drink fluoridated water may also expect to have less tooth decay or other cavity-related oral health problems. 

Water fluoridation is endorsed as a valuable and beneficial public health measure by the following health organizations:

• Health Canada
• The Canadian Dental Association
• The Canadian Medical Association
• The Canadian Pediatric Society
• The Canadian Public Health Association
• The World Health Organization

Water fluoridation provides a fair way to ensure that everyone is protected regardless of income, education, or financial ability to seek dental care. People benefiting the most from water fluoridation are those most likely to develop tooth decay. Typically, these are the poorest and most disadvantaged members of our community. In Northern Health dental surgeries are on the rise and most recently we performed approximately 1000 surgical procedures for dental extractions and restorations.

Adequately fluoridated water could help in preventing most of these surgeries but unfortunately many of our communities do not provide fluoride supplementation to their water supplies. In fact, fewer than 4 percent of the population of B.C. has access to a fluoridated water supply through their community. Northern Health currently has two communities that add fluoride to their water system. Unfortunately, the efforts of anti-fluoride groups have been increasingly successful in eroding public trust and confidence in this safe and effective public health measure.

The world-wide evidence supporting water fluoridation is well-founded and continues to grow. Few other public health measures have been the subject of more intensive scientific review. Over fifty years of animal and human scientific studies have shown water fluoridation to be safe and effective.

The Canadian Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Public Health Service, and its Centers for Disease Control, and the Fédération Dentaire Internationale, continue to monitor fluoride's effects continuing to show positive outcomes with water fluoride systems. In those communities that have stopped water fluoridation, they are now seeing increased rates of tooth decay.

Northern Health includes in the strengthened and updated strategic plan that we will lead the way in promoting health for northern, rural, and indigenous populations. The maintenance of adequate levels of fluoride in drinking water to prevent and reduce tooth decay remains a public health best practice and we encourage communities to implement water fluoride systems if they do not currently have them, and if they do, maintain them for their communities.

Dr. Jong Kim
Chief Medical Health Officer
Northern Health

• Canada's Food Guide - Government of Canada
• Dental care for children - Canadian Dental Association
• Healthy eating for parents and children - Government of Canada
• Meal and snack ideas for your 1 to 3 year old child - Health Link BC
• Oral health for children - Government of Canada
• Oral health tips for children aged 0–3 - Government of Canada
• Oral health tips for children aged 3–6  - Government of Canada

• Benefits - First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)
• Canadian Dental Care plan - Government of Canada
• Find a dentist - BC Dental Association
• Healthy kids - Province of British Columbia
• Jordan's principle - Government of Canada
• Nisga'a Health benefits - Nisga’a Valley Health Authority (NVHA)
• Non-Insured Health Benefits program (NIHB) - Government of Canada
• Reduced cost clinics in BC - BC Dental Association
• Save a Smile program - British Columbia Dental Association (BCDA)