Role of Fluoride Treatment in Dentistry

Dental health is necessary for everyone, regardless of age. It is not only about brushing your teeth every day. Dental health is concerned with all attributes of the oral cavity. This includes the nutritional choices, to affect the strength of your teeth. When it comes to boosting your dentition, what you consume matters a lot. it is why dental experts include fluoride treatment in preventive dentistry. While children are the major beneficiaries of fluoride treatment, even adults can benefit from it too.

What is Fluoride Treatment?

It is the use of fluoride to protect teeth from damage, by boosting their strength. Ideally, fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in the foods we consume. A major way to get fluoride is by consuming fluoridated water. Some other sources of natural fluoride include fish with bones, foods cooked in water, tea, and even infant formula. However, sometimes the fluoride you get from foods and water is not enough. A dentist will, therefore, stress the need to supplement the concentration of fluoride.

The main role of fluoride treatment in dentistry is to boost the strength of teeth. If therefore, your dentist detects a weak tooth structure in you, he/she is likely to recommend a fluoride treatment. this is not a treatment that is offered following tooth damage. As mentioned earlier, fluoride treatment is used as a preventive measure in dental health.

What is The Role of Fluoride Treatment?

If you are regular in visiting your dentist, then this treatment is not a new concept to you. However, if you are not in the habit of allowing professional intervention in your dental health, there is more to learn about fluoride treatment. the role of fluoride treatment can be covered by the following benefits:

• Preventing cavities – oral cavities are the greatest inhibitors to excellent oral health. Despite increased sensitization on the importance of oral health, many people still succumb to dental cavities. A dental cavity always indicates a weakened enamel structure. The fluoride treatment protects the enamel of the tooth, which then strengthens it enough to fight dental cavities.
• Fighting tooth decay – cavities are the first sign of dental decay. Therefore, if you can prevent cavities, you may never get to dental decay. The decay process escalates from cavities. The cavities create an access hole for bacteria and infection to get into the tooth. This decay process can be eliminated with a fluoride treatment.
• Boosting the strength of your teeth – sometimes, you are not even suffering from cavities or oral decay. However, you still need strong teeth. This treatment will significantly boost the strength of your teeth. This improves your teeth’ resistance to cracks, chips, and even breakages.
• Preventing eating issues – sometimes you have a hard time eating properly because of your teeth. Problems like hypersensitivity, pain when chewing can be reduced with a fluoride treatment.
• Preventing enamel thinning – bacteria and acidic foods tend to corrode teeth. To counter this effect, fluoride treatment adds a coat of protection to your enamel. This will help you resist enamel thinning.

What Happens During A Fluoride Treatment?

The fluoride treatment is not a complex procedure. You will notice some tools like mouthwash, foam or gel, a swab, and a brush. Ideally, the treatment involves using a high concentration of gel that is rich in fluoride. The gel is then applied on your teeth, and then allowed some time to sit. Your dentist will ask you to avoid eating or drinking anything for the first 30 minutes. This is important so that the fluoride gel has ample time to be absorbed in your teeth.

Short as this treatment may be, the procedure may not happen in those exact few steps. In most cases, your treatment will begin with deep teeth cleaning. This step will help your dentist get rid of any plaque and tartar on your teeth. It will ensure that the treatment is absorbed on your teeth without any room for sabotage by plaque or tartar.

Summary

While we praise fluoride treatments for their benefits in dental health, you must be cautious about fluoride supplements. Taking the supplements by yourself at home can put you at risk of acute toxicity, or damaging your teeth altogether. This is why you must talk to your dentist about the treatment.