WARNINGS
Prolonged daily ingestion may result in various degrees of dental fluorosis
in pediatric patients under age 6 years, especially if the water fluoridation
exceeds 0.6 ppm, since younger pediatric patients frequently cannot perform
the brushing process without significant swallowing. Use in pediatric patients
under age 6 years requires special supervision to prevent repeated swallowing of the dental cream which could cause dental fluorosis. Read directions
carefully before using. Keep out of reach of infants and children.
PRECAUTIONS
Not for systemic treatment. DO NOT SWALLOW.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility: In a study conducted
in rodents, no carcinogenesis was found in male and female mice and female rats
treated with fluoride at dose levels ranging from 4.1 to 9.1 mg/kg of body
weight. Equivocal evidence of carcinogenesis was reported in male rats treated
with 2.5 and 4.1 mg/kg of body weight. In a second study, no carcinogenesis
was observed in rats, males or females, treated with fluoride up to 11.3 mg/kg
of body weight. Epidemiological data provide no credible evidence for an association
between fluoride, either naturally occurring or added to drinking water, and
risk of human cancer.
Fluoride ion is not mutagenic in standard bacterial systems. It has been shown that fluoride ion has potential to induce chromosome aberrations in cultured human and rodent cells at doses much higher than those to which humans are exposed. In vivo data are conflicting. Some studies report chromosome damage in rodents, while other studies using similar protocols report negative results. Potential adverse reproductive effects of fluoride exposure in humans have not been adequately evaluated. Adverse effects on reproduction were reported for rats, mice, fox, and cattle exposed to 100 ppm or greater concentrations of fluoride in their diet or drinking water. Other studies conducted in rats demonstrated that lower concentrations of fluoride (5 mg/kg of body weight) did not result in impaired fertility and reproductive capabilities.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy Category B. It has been shown that fluoride crosses
the placenta of rats, but only 0.01% of the amount administered is incorporated
in fetal tissue. Animal studies (rats, mice, rabbits) have shown that fluoride is not a teratogen. Maternal exposure to 12.2 mg fluoride/kg of body
weight (rats) or 13.1 mg/kg of body weight (rabbits) did not affect the litter
size or fetal weight and did not increase the frequency of skeletal or visceral
malformations. Epidemiological studies conducted in areas with high levels of
naturally fluoridated water showed no increase in birth defects. Heavy exposure
to fluoride during in utero development may result in skeletal fluorosis,
which becomes evident in childhood.
Nursing Mothers: It is not known if fluoride is excreted in human milk.
However, many drugs are excreted in milk, and caution should be exercised when
products containing fluoride are administered to a nursing woman.
Reduced milk production was reported in farm-raised fox when the animals were fed a diet containing a high concentration of fluoride (98-137 mg/kg of body weight). No adverse effects on parturition, lactation, or offspring were seen in rats administered fluoride up to 5 mg/kg of body weight.
Pediatric Use: The use of EtheDent™ (sodium fluoride) in pediatric age groups 6 to 16
years as a caries preventive is supported by pioneering clinical studies with
1.1% sodium fluoride gels in mouth trays in students age 1114 years conducted
by Englander, et al. 2, 3, 4 Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients
below the age of 6 years have not been established. Please refer to the CONTRAINDICATIONS
and WARNINGS sections.