The Benefits of Fluoride Treatments for Adults and Children Alike

Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many different kinds of food. Dentists now believe that the foods that you eat can either contribute to remineralization (added enamel protection) or demineralization (lessening of enamel protection), so you have to be careful about your food choices.

Acids coming from highly acidic foods like soda pop, or unrefined carbohydrates that break down into a harmful acid in your mouth, can effectively demineralize your teeth’s enamel and contribute to plaque buildup. The end result could be tooth decay and your teeth feeling more brittle than they should. The solution could well be fluoride treatments.

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How Fluoride Treatments Work from a Family Dentist in Orlando and How Treatments Could Benefit You

Long ago, many cities started realizing the importance of fluoride to people’s health so they began adding it to the water supply. Fluoride along with calcium and phosphorous are in many different kinds of foods and can each remineralize and fortify your teeth’s enamel against harmful bacteria and plaque.

A friendly family dentist in Orlando will tell you that too much demineralization from acidic or sugary foods without enough remineralization from fluoride and other minerals could well create a situation in which your teeth are more prone to decay. The American Dental Association put out a report about how fluoride treatments for your teeth could provide that extra protection needed to hold off tooth decay.

  • Topical Versus Systemic Fluoride

The good news is that fluoride treatments are available for adults and children alike since teeth always benefit from extra protection. Many adults and their kids are fortunately still getting a fair amount of fluoride protection from their toothpastes and mouthwashes, which often contain fluoride, but many high-risk individuals could really benefit from topical and systemic fluorides and fluoride treatments.

Topical fluorides are, as examples, the fluoride in your toothpaste and mouthwash that topically gets applied to your teeth when you brush or rinse with mouthwash. This kind of fluoride doesn’t usually get swallowed. Systemic fluoride, on the other hand, often does get swallowed since systemic fluoride is meant to fortify your teeth from the inside out; fluoridated water and fluoride tablets are examples of systemic fluoride.

  • Beyond Systemic Fluoride: Fluoride Treatments

A professional fluoride treatment from a family dentist in Orlando is fast, safe, and affordable for most patients. Gels and solutions are the main way that a dentist fortifies your teeth against demineralization if it’s determined that you’re at higher risk for tooth cavities.

A history of extensive tooth decay or risk factors (e.g., an overly acidic oral environment that’s resulted in enamel erosion) could make you a great candidate for fluoride treatments. Your family dentist in Orlando will tell you whether you’re a good candidate. If you are, then know that the procedure can take as little as a couple of minutes and doesn’t usually cause any pain.

You’ll have fluoride—in much higher concentrations than most toothpastes—brushed or rubbed onto the surface of your teeth. Then you’ll be asked not to drink, eat, or brush for up to an hour after the fluoride treatment so that the fluoride isn’t washed away. By keeping the fluoride in your mouth, your teeth have a chance to remineralize, especially in areas that have become weakened due to tooth decay.

Your family dentist in Orlando may recommend that you stop by every six months or every year along with your yearly checkup to get another fluoride treatment. Your teeth are constantly choosing to either demineralize or mineralize so making wise food choices and brushing and flossing daily are highly recommended: Your teeth are worth it!