Excess presence of which of the following causes tooth decay in children?

Fluoride is a mineral added to water and toothpaste to prevent tooth decay. However, too much fluoride can damage teeth and cause dental fluorosis.

When children consume excessive fluoride while teeth are forming, it can cause white spots or brown stains. This happens in areas where drinking water has very high natural fluoride levels.

While small amounts of fluoride protect teeth, excess fluoride harms them. This makes fluoride the correct answer when present in excessive amounts.