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|Karidium

SODIUM FLUORIDE (Systemic)

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

• Fluoritab
• Fluorodex
• Flura
• Flura-Drops
• Flura-Loz
• Karidium
• Luride
• Luride Lozi-Tabs
• Luride-SF Lozi-Tabs
• Pediaflor
• Pharmaflur
• Pharmaflur 1.1
• Pharmaflur df
• Phos-Flur

In Canada—

• Flozenges
• Fluor-A-Day
• Fluoritabs
• Fluorosol
• Karidium
• PDF
• Pedi-Dent
• Solu-Flur

Generic name product may be available in the U.S. and Canada.

Category

• Dental caries prophylactic
• Nutritional supplement, mineral

Description

Fluoride (FLURE-ide)has been found to be helpful in reducing the number of cavities in the teeth. It is usually present naturally in drinking water. However, some areas of the country do not have a high enough level in the water to prevent cavities. To make up for this, extra fluorides may be added to the diet. Some children may require both dietary fluorides and topical fluoride treatments by the dentist. Use of a fluoride toothpaste or rinse may be helpful as well.

Taking fluorides does not replace good dental habits. These include eating a good diet, brushing and flossing teeth often, and having regular dental checkups.

Fluoride may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care professional.

This medicine is available only with a prescription, in the following dosage forms:

• Oral
• Lozenges (U.S. and Canada)
• Oral solution (U.S. and Canada)
• Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
• Chewable tablets (U.S. and Canada)

Importance of Diet

People get needed fluoride from fish, including the bones, tea, and drinking water that has fluoride added to it. Food that is cooked in water containing fluoride or in Teflon-coated pans also provides fluoride. However, foods cooked in aluminum pans provide less fluoride.

The daily amount of fluoride needed is defined in several different ways.

• For U.S.—
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the amount of vitamins and minerals needed to provide for adequate nutrition in most healthy persons. RDAs for a given nutrient may vary depending on a person"s age, sex, and physical condition (e.g., pregnancy).
• Daily Values (DVs) are used on food and dietary supplement labels to indicate the percent of the recommended daily amount of each nutrient that a serving provides. DV replaces the previous designation of United States Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs).

• For Canada—
• Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to determine the amounts of vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to provide adequate nutrition and lessen the risk of chronic disease.

There is no RDA or RNI for fluoride. Daily recommended intakes for fluoride are generally defined as follows:

• Infants and children—
  • Birth to 3 years of age: 0.1 to 1.5 milligrams (mg).
  • 4 to 6 years of age: 1 to 2.5 mg.
  • 7 to 10 years of age: 1.5 to 2.5 mg.
• Adolescents and adults—1.5 to 4 mg.

Remember:

• The total amount of fluoride you get every day includes what you get from the foods and beverages that you eat and what you may take as a supplement.
• This total amount should not be greater than the above recommendations, unless ordered by your health care professional. Taking too much fluoride can cause serious problems to the teeth and bones.

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your health care professional will make. For sodium fluoride, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—It is especially important that you are receiving enough vitamins and minerals when you become pregnant and that you continue to receive the right amount of vitamins and minerals throughout your pregnancy. The healthy growth and development of the fetus depend on a steady supply of nutrients from the mother. However, taking large amounts of a dietary supplement in pregnancy may be harmful to the mother and/or fetus and should be avoided. Sodium fluoride occurs naturally in water and has not been shown to cause problems in infants of mothers who drank fluoridated water or took appropriate doses of supplements.

Breast-feeding—It is especially important that you receive the right amounts of vitamins and minerals so that your baby will also get the vitamins and minerals needed to grow properly. However, taking large amounts of a dietary supplement while breast-feeding may be harmful to the mother and/or baby and should be avoided. Small amounts of sodium fluoride pass into breast milk.

Children—Problems in children have not been reported with intake of normal daily recommended amounts. Doses of sodium fluoride that are too large or are taken for a long time may cause bone problems and teeth discoloration in children.

Older adults—Problems in older adults have not been reported with intake of normal daily recommended amounts. Older people are more likely to have joint pain, kidney problems, or stomach ulcers which may be made worse by taking large doses of sodium fluoride. You should check with your health care professional.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines or dietary supplements should not be used together at all, in other cases they may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your health care professional may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking/using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of sodium fluoride. Make sure you tell your health care professional if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Brown, white, or black discoloration of teeth or
• Joint pain or
• Kidney problems (severe) or
• Stomach ulcer—Sodium fluoride may make these conditions worse

Proper Use of This Medicine

Take this medicine only as directed by your health care professional . Do not take more of it and do not take it more often than ordered. Taking too much fluoride over a period of time may cause unwanted effects.

For individuals taking the chewable tablet form of this medicine:

• Tablets should be chewed or crushed before they are swallowed.
• This medicine works best if it is taken at bedtime, after the teeth have been thoroughly brushed. Do not eat or drink for at least 15 minutes after taking sodium fluoride.

For individuals taking the oral liquid form of this medicine:

• This medicine is to be taken by mouth even though it comes in a dropper bottle. The amount to be taken is to be measured with the specially marked dropper.
• Always store this medicine in the original plastic container . Fluoride will affect glass and should not be stored in glass containers.
• This medicine may be dropped directly into the mouth or mixed with cereal, fruit juice, or other food. However, if this medicine is mixed with foods or beverages that contain calcium, the amount of sodium fluoride that is absorbed may be reduced.

Dosing—The dose of sodium fluoride will be different for different individuals. Follow your health care professional"s orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of sodium fluoride. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your health care professional tells you to do so.

The amount of solution or the number of lozenges or tablets you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking sodium fluoride .

• For oral dosage form (lozenges, solution, tablets, or chewable tablets):
  • To prevent cavities in the teeth (where there is not enough fluoride in the water):
    • Children—Dose is based on the amount of fluoride in drinking water in your area. Dose is also based on the child"s age and must be determined by your health care professional.

Missed dose—If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. If you have any questions about this, check with your health care professional.

Storage—To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children, since overdose is especially dangerous in children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Protect the oral liquid from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Precautions While Using This Medicine

The level of fluoride present in the water is different in different parts of the U.S. If you move to another area, check with a health care professional in the new area as soon as possible to see if this medicine is still needed or if the dose needs to be changed. Also, check with your health care professional if you change infant feeding habits (e.g., breast-feeding to infant formula), drinking water (e.g., city water to nonfluoridated bottled water), or filtration (e.g., tap water to filtered tap water).

Do not take calcium supplements or aluminum hydroxide-containing products and sodium fluoride at the same time. It is best to space doses of these two products 2 hours apart, to get the full benefit from each medicine.

Inform your health care professional as soon as possible if you notice white, brown, or black spots on the teeth . These are signs of too much fluoride in children when it is given during periods of tooth development.

Side Effects of This Medicine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some individuals. If you notice any other effects, check with your health care professional.

Revised: 08/07/1995

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