What Does Fluoride Treatment Do To Protect Your Smile?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in most foods and water. Every day, we add minerals to the body that help strengthen the tooth enamel. In addition, it helps to fight off bacteria lodged on the tooth enamel. Fluoride treatment near you has been a tooth treatment for decades and especially effective if you are a risk of developing tooth decay and cavities.

So, what should you expect from a fluoride treatment in Baltimore, MD? How does the treatment work? Does it have any side effects, and how much of it do you need? Here are more details about fluoride treatment.

What To Expect During a Professional Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments at Canton Crossing Dental are available in many different concentrates. It can be in the form of a mouth rinse, foam, gel, or dental varnish. Also, your dentist may provide the treatment through a sab, dental brush, trays, or primarily mouthwash.

Although there may be fluoride in your water, the fluoride concentration in these treatments surpasses what is provided through toothpaste.

The fluoride treatment takes only several minutes to apply, depending on your dentist’s method and type of treatment. For example, a mouthwash treatment may be faster than a tray treatment. Also, your dentist may ask you to avoid eating for 30 minutes following the treatment to allow the fluoride to absorb fully.

It’s essential always to give your dentist your complete medical history to enable them to choose the best treatment for you.

When is Fluoride Treatment Most Crucial?

Infants, children and teenagers below the age of 16 must be exposed to fluoride more frequently. This is the transition time between milk teeth to permanent teeth. Still, adults need to get fluoride treatments too. Research indicates that standard mouthwashes and fluoride toothpaste are essential in fighting tooth decay and reinforcing developing teeth.

Additionally, a fluoride treatment may benefit people with certain dental conditions that raise their risks for tooth decay. Such conditions are:

• Dry mouth conditions: Dry mouth results from diseases like Sjogren’s syndrome, medications like antianxiety drugs, and treatments like radiation therapy of the head and neck. Also, lacking saliva makes it difficult to clear off food particle remnants on the enamel that form corrosive acids.
• Gum disease: Also called periodontitis, it can expose the teeth roots to bacteria, increasing the risk of tooth decay. Periodontitis should be treated at the gingivitis stage.
• History of recurrent cavities: People that have cavities frequently with each passing year may benefit significantly from fluoride treatments.
• Having crowns and other dental devices: The presence of these dental devices exposes the teeth to high risk of dental decay at the points where the crowns meet the underlying tooth structure. The brackets around orthodontic appliances are also susceptible areas for decay.

Ask the dentist in Baltimore, MD, if fluoride treatment will benefit you.

How Does Fluoride Treatment Work?

Fluoride works by rejuvenating the degenerative effects of bacteria in the mouth which may have eroded the enamel. It does this by restoring beneficial minerals to the enamel. Fluoride also stops the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth, preventing further cavity prevalence.

Note that fluoride cannot treat tooth decay, but strengthening the tooth enamel effectively prevents the decay from penetrating the tooth enamel into the deeper parts of the tooth.

Children and adults all benefit from fluoride, and the earlier the fluoride exposure in children, the less the risk of cavity formation. According to a study on cavity prevalence, children and teenagers receiving fluoride treatment had a 43% less chance of developing decay and cavities.

Additionally, before introducing fluoride in tooth pastes, people taking more fluoridated water have 40 – 60% fewer chances of developing cavities.

Does Fluoride Treatment Have Side Effects?

Like any other medication, fluoride treatment at Baltimore, MD, has some negative implications. It can come from getting an overdose or getting an over concentrated dosage. It’s rare for fluoride poisoning to occur today. However, exposure for extended periods can affect kids’ developing bones and teeth, the reason most children’s toothpaste does not contain fluoride.

Some common side effects of excessive fluoride include:

• White specs on permanent teeth
• Sained and pitted teeth
• Bone homeostasis problems
• Intensely dense and deficiently strong bones

Intense toxicity like overdosing on fluoride pills has these side effects:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Excess sweating

Worst case, it can cause death. Fluoride treatment must always be kept from children’s reach.