The Benefits of Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present in many foods and water and helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay. American communities began fluoridating their water systems in 1945 to boost the dental health of residents. Since then, tooth decay has decreased by 25 percent nationwide.

Everything you eat is broken down by the bacteria in your mouth. When the bacteria react with sugars and carbohydrates in your food, a chemical reaction occurs, creating acids. These acids eat away at your tooth’s enamel, cause mineral loss, and eventually a cavity.

What is Fluoride Treatment?

Fluoride treatments combat the processes that cause cavities. They are conducted by a dentist, usually at a routine cleaning visit. These treatments come in the form of a rinse, foam, varnish, or gel. They have a much higher concentration of fluoride than toothpaste and produce quicker results.

Benefits of Fluoride Treatments

Regular fluoride treatments during dental visits have lifelong benefits for your teeth, like:

• Preventing cavities. Part of the process that creates a cavity is called demineralization, when the minerals on your teeth are broken down by acids. Without those minerals, cavities begin to form. Fluoride helps with remineralization by replacing the minerals your teeth need.

• Strengthening enamel. Fluoride deposits minerals that also help to strengthen your enamel layer, making your teeth less prone to cavities.

• Reversing the development of cavities. Even if you already have a cavity forming, fluoride treatments can stop and reverse the process by killing the bacteria that causes cavities.

Fluoride treatments should be given at each dental visit, about every six months. Visit Hale Family Dentistry to learn more about fluoride treatments or to have one yourself!