Is Fluoride Necessary for Your Teeth?

Without bacteria in your mouth or concerns about eating foods to nourish yourself, you might never need fluoride, a natural mineral that helps build strong teeth to prevent cavities. Fluoride strengthens the tooth enamel, the solid outer protective layer on every tooth.

Fluoride becomes necessary if you are at high risk of dental caries or cavities. Holes start forming on your teeth when bacteria accumulate on them after forming a sticky film of dental plaque when bacteria feed on the food particles and deposit acids on the teeth to erode tooth enamel. The fundamental mineral inhibits bacteria from causing tooth decay and even reverses early decline, making it an essential requirement for your teeth.

From this article, continue reading to learn whether fluoride is necessary for your teeth.

What Happens When Receiving Fluoride Treatment?

If you have chosen to receive a fluoride application from the dentist in Summerland, you accept the therapy as a highly concentrated fluoride foam, gel, or varnish. The dentist applies the treatment using a swab, brush, tray, or mouthwash.

These treatments from dentists have more fluoride than in water or toothpaste. The dentist requires a few minutes to complete the therapy, but they refrain from eating or drinking the next 30 minutes after your fluoride treatment to help your teeth absorb it. Before receiving the treatment from the dentist, you should give your entire health history to ensure they select the appropriate treatment for your needs.

Is Fluoride Treatment Expensive?

Insurance providers cover the costs of fluoride therapy for children, but you might have to spend a few dollars to receive the treatment as an adult. Therefore it helps if you discuss the prices with the dentist to ensure there is no misunderstanding.

How Much Fluoride Do You Need?

The American Dental Association suggests you receive fluoride therapy from the dentist near you at three, six, or 12 months depending on your dental health. If you are at high risk of caries, the dentist might also prescribe a fluoride rinse for use at home.

Your risks of cavities increase because of habits like excessive drug or alcohol use, eating disorders, poor dental hygiene, lack of professional dental care, xerostomia or dry mouth, and weakened enamel.

You can get sources of dietary fluoride from food cooked in water, fish eaten with bones, infant formula, water, and tea. Food, water, and supplements provide optimal fluoride intake levels. Experts suggest that adults receive 1.5 to 4 fluoride and children between seven and ten 1.5 to 2.5 MG. Children under three must be supervised when brushing their teeth by providing them with a thin layer of fluoride toothpaste on their toothbrush. Between three and six children can receive a pea-sized brain of fluoride toothpaste. However, you must ensure you supervise them and get them to spit out the toothpaste after brushing.

Benefits of Fluoride

Fluoride helps to restore lost tooth minerals from the surfaces where bacteria might have eroded the enamel. Fluoride also inhibits the growth of detrimental oral bacteria to prevent additional holes. Fluoride does not remove tooth decay but helps create stronger tooth enamel to stop the pollution from penetrating the deeper parts of your teeth to develop severe infections affecting the dental pulp.

Children and adults benefit from fluoride, and the sooner children are exposed to fluoride, their chances of developing cavities diminish significantly. Studies on children for a year receiving fluoride treatments revealed 43 percent of children and adolescents were less likely to have tooth decay and holes in their teeth. Before adding fluoride to toothpaste, studies noted that people with access to fluoridated were less likely to get cavities by 40 to 60 percent. As a result, the CDC and the ADA recommended adding trace amounts of fluoride to drinking water to prevent people from developing tooth decay. The CDC confirms that the incidence of cavities diminished by 25 percent among people drinking fluoridated tap water. Unfortunately, not every community in the country has access to fluoridated water making it essential for people to receive fluoride treatments from dentists to benefit their dental health.

Conclusion

Fluoride is a fundamental mineral that helps prevent cavities. When considering oral health treatment to deal with tooth decay, it helps if you brush your teeth twice daily, floss once, avoid sugary foods and beverages, quit smoking, and visit the dentist nearby for evaluations and cleanings twice annually when you also receive fluoride therapy from them to prevent cavities.

If you haven’t received fluoride therapy for quite some time and are wondering why tooth decay affects you may have become a victim of enamel erosion caused by the bacteria in your mouth. Consult Summerland Dental Center to receive an application of fluoride over your teeth in a painless and safe therapy that costs a pittance but saves plenty of money in the long run.