Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments have been a crucial oral treatment because they aid in building strong teeth and can be used to prevent tooth decay. It is especially essential when the patient is at a high risk of developing dental cavities and caries because fluoride helps in remineralization and disrupts acid production in the teeth of children and adults.

Where is Fluoride Found?

Fluoride can be found naturally occurring in foods. It is also found in tap water or community water and fluoridated tooth products. The dentist may also prescribe a professional fluoride treatment for patients, whether children or adults. In such cases, it would be worthy to note that the fluoride is in a higher amount than would normally be found in a toothpaste or mouth rinse that is fluoridated. In other cases, a specialist may prescribe fluoride supplements.

Children should be exposed to fluoride between 6 months and 16 years since this is the time when they develop milk and permanent teeth. In adulthood, fluoride is still crucial in fighting tooth decay. If the dentist wants to solve the occurrence of cavities, fluoride can be recommended by the dentist. Apart from water fluoridation to help with the drinking water, children can benefit from these treatments.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride treatments are the professional treatments that contain large amounts of fluoride that a dentist applies to a person’s teeth to reduce cavity risk and improve oral health. These treatments can either be gel, foam, or varnish fluoride treatments. The dentist may use a brush, swab, or tray to ensure the fluoride is applied to your teeth.

The amount of fluoride is much more than would be found in normal toothpaste or water. The dentist will take a few minutes to apply the fluoride and will ask that you do not drink or eat anything for approximately 30 minutes to allow the absorption of fluoride.

It is recommended that you get this treatment at the dental office once to four times a year as the dentist sees fit and depending on your oral health. The dentist may prescribe a fluoride gel or rinse that you can use at home if you are at a higher risk for dental caries. Factors that cause high risk include excessive alcohol abuse and poor oral hygiene. If these factors affect you, you will likely need treatments more than once every 12 months.

You can get fluoride in your diet from tea, fluoridated water, fish bones, and instant formula. The amount of fluoride that is recommended for each age differs as can be explained by your dentist

Benefits of Fluoride Treatment

As already mentioned, professional fluoride treatments help in remineralization in cases where the tooth enamel has been eroded which is vital for dental health. In this way, your body absorbs other minerals such as calcium and phosphate that will help it repair the enamel

It does not remove the decay but helps prevent cavities further occurrence that would affect the inner layers of the teeth. Fluoridated water helps reduce the likelihood of getting dental cavities by up to 40 to 60%.
Fluoride also aids in the development of tooth enamel structure, which makes teeth less vulnerable to cavities and bacteria in the long-run. In this way, it will be easy to prevent premature tooth loss, gum disease, and tooth pain. It is vital that you invest in the right treatment for your teeth because poor oral health is linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and can decrease the quality of life for a patient.

While your dentist may recommend teeth fluoride treatments if you are prone to dental cavities, they may also recommend other preventive measures. Nonetheless, nobody understands how efficient and beneficial fluoride treatments can be for you than your dentist. This is why it is crucial that you seek medical advice whether you will need topical fluoride or just foods for your needs. As you invest in this treatment, ensure that you maintain a dental hygiene regimen that will keep your smile healthy.