How Do Teeth Benefit from A Fluoride Treatment?

When was the last time your Oshawa dentist talked to you about fluoride treatment? As adults, it is not common to have discussions about fluoride treatment. The treatments are quite common in pediatric dentistry, ensuring that children have a strong dental foundation to ensure they excel in oral health for many years to come. However, at Conlin Dentistry, we recommend fluoride treatments to adults too. Whether you know it yet or not, you stand to benefit greatly from remineralizing your teeth with fluoride minerals.

What Is a Fluoride Treatment?

It is a dental measure in preventive dentistry done to strengthen the enamels of teeth. A fluoride treatment in Oshawa, ON, involves a process called dental remineralization that combats demineralization, which is the process of mineral loss of teeth. Over time, the enamels of your teeth suffer damage as crucial minerals like fluoride, calcium, and phosphate are lost. It happens when food residues, saliva, and bacteria in your mouth combine to release harmful acids that corrode your teeth.

The dental fluoride treatment repairs the structure of your teeth by boosting the absorption of necessary minerals. As the minerals are redeposited to your teeth, they become strong, and their resistance to plaque and tartar increases.

What Does Fluoride Treatment Entail?

The treatment is a short dental procedure that lasts for few minutes, where a dentist in Oshawa, ON applies a fluoride varnish on your teeth. The concentration of fluoride used in the treatment is much higher than that present in fluoride toothpaste and other natural sources like tap water. Once applied, the varnish will stay on your teeth for a few minutes to allow the enamels to absorb the minerals maximally.

However, fluoride treatment cannot be done without a dental cleaning procedure. A Oshawa dentist must first ensure that your mouth is free from plaque and tartar for maximum mineral absorption. The process, therefore, will first involve deep cleaning your mouth, then the application of the fluoride varnish will come later.

Does Fluoride Treatment Benefit Your Oral Health?

The treatment is most effective for children between 6 months and 16 years. However, adults too can benefit from fluoride treatments. Some ways that the treatment will impact your health include:

1. Boosting your teeth’ strength – teeth are only as strong as the external layer, that is, the enamel. As such, when the enamels of your teeth are not strong enough, you will start experiencing certain dental issues like hypersensitivity, chipped or cracked teeth, dental decay, to mention a few.

2. Fighting dental cavities – when you get fluoride for your teeth, you have a strong fighting chance against dental cavities. The fluoride mineral boosts the strength of the enamels to resist dental caries much better.

3. Reversing the early effects of dental decay – fluoride treatment can help reverse any early signs of dental decay and tooth cavities.

4. Combating the effects of gum disease- although fluoride treatment does not treat gum disease, it can help overcome some effects of the infection on your teeth, especially for patients with a high-risk factor of getting gingivitis. When you have gum disease, the gums recede, exposing the tooth roots. Exposed tooth roots are more predisposed to dental infections. With fluoride treatment, you can reduce the chances of having infected tooth roots.

5. Preserves your dental health when you have a dry mouth – the condition causes a decreased amount of saliva in your mouth, making your mouth very conducive for breeding plaque and tartar. Usually, saliva is needed to wash off food particles and neutralize acids thereof. Fluoride treatment will preserve your teeth’ health even as you seek treatment for your dry mouth.

6. Useful for dental restorations – if you get a tooth filling, a dental crown, or wear braces for several months, you are at a high risk of dental caries. Dental restorations can put your teeth at a high risk of dental cavities, especially at the points where the dental appliance meets the tooth.

Is the Treatment Expensive?

Fluoride treatment for children’s teeth is usually covered by dental insurance. However, adults may need to pay for these services, which can range between $20 -$50, if your insurance plan won’t cover any part of the treatment.