Fluoride is a type of naturally-occurring mineral found in your everyday drinks and food, which both adults and children need. But you may not be getting enough of those healthy minerals to maintain healthy teeth.
Acids, plaque, and sugars strip the tooth enamel by demineralization, allowing bacteria to build up. As a result, bacteria build-up produces plaque, and that plaque causes cavities and tooth decay.
Dental professionals provide treatments to add fluoride to the tooth enamel through remineralization to help fight against cavities.
Island Family Dental provides fluoride treatments for adults and children who face these risks of tooth decay.
Reasons to Get a Professional Fluoride Treatment
With the right amount of fluoride on your teeth applied by a dental professional, you can help prevent the spread of damaging bacteria. More specifically, fluoride treatments can:
Prevent tooth decay in adults – As adults grow older, tooth roots get weaker and more susceptible to various types of gum disease. Fluoride treatments restrengthen teeth to help with aging effects.
Reduce the need for future treatments – Fluoride treatments are a type of preventative care that can minimize the need for future procedures, such as root canals and fillings.
Prevent tooth decay in children – As children lose their baby teeth, fluoride is crucial to help their adult teeth grow in properly.
Restore Minerals in Your Tooth Enamel – If you want better protection against tooth decay and cavities, you need remineralization via fluoride treatments. However, it’s important to note that they are not a total cure for tooth decay.
Overall, fluoride treatments are safe and easy procedures for both child and adult dental care. Despite their controversy, fluoride treatments include safe amounts of fluoride — and are performed under the supervision of trained professionals.
Are There Side Effects to too Much Fluoride?
Although consuming too much fluoride can have adverse effects, overdose only occurs on the rare occasion of taking too much medically-prescribed fluoride.
Fluoride overdose is more likely to occur in children, which is why many brands of childrens’ toothpaste don’t include it.
Speak to a medical professional about what healthy levels of fluoride look like for you.
In What Forms Is Fluoride Available?
Fluoride is naturally found in your food and water, and municipal services add various kinds of it to water supplies.
The city of Portland (Portland Water Bureau) and Clark County (Clark Public Utilities) do not add fluoride in their water. However, the city of Vancouver, WA does add sodium fluoride to their local water supply.
Store-bought toothpaste and mouth rinses include fluoride, but in lower concentrations than found in dentist offices. Higher-strength fluoride products, such as supplements, are available via prescription written by a dental professional.
In fluoride treatments, it comes in concentrated gel, foam, or varnish forms.
What Happens During a Professional Fluoride Treatment?
Since it’s a preventative treatment, dental staff can perform fluoride treatments during routine visits.
After settling in the dental chair, a staff member applies a light coat of fluoride (of the patient’s choosing) to your enamel, then rinses it off after a few minutes. Afterward, you’ll have to avoid eating or drinking for 30 minutes.
For future care, a dental professional might recommend fluoride treatments every 3-12 months, depending on the state of your teeth. If additional at-home care is needed, dental staff might provide a prescription.
Island Family Dental staff keeps your safety and comfort in mind for your oral health, including the duration of these treatments.
Protect Your Smile with a Professional Fluoride Treatment
With the leadership of Dr. Newkirk, Island Family Dental staff will help you craft a treatment plan for your teeth, which could contain fluoride treatment.
For invoice payments, staff will help you navigate the billing process, including insurance and out-of-pocket costs. Insurance companies typically cover childrens’ fluoride treatments.
You’re one step away from a healthy smile by booking an appointment at Island Family Dental.
Please call us at 360-718-8861 if you have any questions.