Fluoride Treatment & Dental Health: What to Know
You may be familiar with your dental hygienist asking if you would like a fluoride treatment at the end of your routine dental cleaning. Although fluoride treatments come at the end of a cleaning or hygiene visit, fluoride is not an afterthought when it comes to maintaining your dental health. In fact, fluoride plays both defense and offense when it comes to fighting cavities.
Why is fluoride recommended?
The ADA (American Dental Association) recommends fluoride for both adults and children as an effective way to protect against tooth decay. Fluoride is most typically ingested systemically through fluoridated drinking water. In dentistry, fluoride is applied topically through professional treatments, mouthwash and toothpaste.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride, a naturally-occurring mineral, is released from rocks and soil into groundwater, including rivers and lakes. Though fluoride is present in water sources, the naturally occurring amount of fluoride in drinking water and other consumables is insufficient to effectively prevent tooth decay. Community water fluoridation began in the mid 20th century as a public health measure to increase fluoride intake and reduce the prevalence and severity of cavities.
In addition to fluoridated water, fluoride is also available in dental products and treatments.
How does fluoride treatment prevent tooth decay?
Tooth decay is damage to or the erosion of tooth enamel. Fluoride protects and fights against cavities by repairing and strengthening tooth enamel. How does this process occur? When fluoride and water mix with saliva, the weakened tooth enamel absorbs and bonds with the mineral. The process, called remineralization, can prevent or even reverse tooth decay.
Strong, healthy teeth are more resistant to the acid and bacteria which cause cavities. While beneficial for everyone, dentists strongly recommend fluoride treatments for children or others at high-risk of tooth decay.
What are the benefits of a fluoride treatment?
The benefits of professional fluoride treatments include:
- Strengthens tooth enamel
- Makes teeth less vulnerable to tooth decay (cavities) or other dental infections
- Attacks harmful bacteria
- Ensures consistent and sufficient consumption or application of fluoride to the teeth
In addition to building strong teeth, improved dental health improves overall health and saves money over time. Tooth decay can lead to additional and more serious health concerns. With regular fluoride treatments, patients can enjoy healthy teeth as well as long-term, money-saving benefits by avoiding costly dental procedures required as a result poor dental health.
What is the right amount of fluoride?
Community water fluoridation adjusts fluoride-deficient water to the optimal level for dental health, which is currently recommended to be 0.7 ppm (parts per million). As a result, most people ingest a sufficient amount of fluoride to protect against tooth decay simply by drinking tap water and using fluoridated toothpaste.
Even so, many adults and children require supplemental fluoride treatments to receive a healthy amount of the cavity-fighting mineral. The ADA recommendations vary based on risk level, age, and also the type of fluoride used.
As of 2012, only about 75% of the U.S. population drink from fluoridated community water systems. Additionally, bottled water and other forms of hydration, such as Gatorade and juices, do not contain fluoride. Fluoride supplements may be required for those who drink bottled water regularly, use various filtration systems or do not drink the recommended daily amount of water from a fluoridated source.
Questions about water fluoridation in your area? The CDC maintains information related to water fluoridation levels. To learn more about the amount of fluoride your local drinking water, visit the CDC website: https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF/Default/Default.aspx
If you have any questions about fluoride treatment, please ask your dentist during your next dental appointment. At Smiley Pearls dental office in Sachse, TX, our dentists believe in preventive healthcare and patient education as a foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Parents, help your child understand the benefits of fluoride treatments.
Written specifically for children, the ADA provides helpful information about fluoride treatments. Watch the video or read the article with your kids to help encourage dental healthcare from a young age.