Fluoride Treatment

When it comes to taking care of your teeth and gums, Van Alstine Family Dentistry is proud to offer fluoride treatments, which can improve the overall health of your mouth significantly. Fluoride is a mineral integral to the upkeep of your teeth, as it is a great method of providing support and strengthening your teeth. There are various ways that you can give your teeth access to this essential part of a healthy daily routine, but when you come into our office, we will make sure we provide the best we can to fill in any potential gaps.

What Is Fluoride Treatment?

Fluoride itself is a mineral that is naturally occurring in a wide range of foods and is also in your water. Your tooth’s enamel loses (and gains) different minerals throughout the day, including fluoride. When you have a plaque on your teeth, the bacteria that thrive there along with sugars combine and create an acid that breaks down your enamel, which means that fluoride, calcium, phosphate, and other minerals are lost. They are for the most part replenished, however, when you eat and drink. If not enough of the minerals are replenished, then you lose too much enamel and may find yourself suffering from tooth decay.

Fluoride treatment is a dental therapy that we provide here that allows us to replenish the lost minerals throughout your daily life. This helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It can also be particularly effective if you have early signs of decay as it can reverse the effects. Finally, if you start fluoride treatment young (under six years old), the fluoride is integrated into the permanent teeth. It acts as a catalyst for remineralization and stops the harmful acids from being produced in the first place.

How Does It Work?

It is important to acknowledge that you get helpful fluoride outside of our offices as well, generally in your foods and water. Many kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes also contain it, further boosting your teeth when used as a part of a regular oral care routine. Rinses with stronger doses of fluoride are also available, but some require a prescription.

In our office, however, there are different ways to provide you with this support. We most commonly use foams, gels, or varnishes. These each is used in a different way. Foams are placed into trays and sit in your mouth for a predetermined amount of time before rinsing and spitting. Varnishes and gels are painted onto each of your teeth. Any option that we provide contains a highly-concentrated level of fluoride that is not available in rinses or pastes. There are also liquid, and pill forms available as well, but those are prescription based medications.

Van Alstine Family Dentistry wants your teeth to have the proper ammunition to fight off decay and infection. Fluoride is one of the ways that we can provide just that. For more information on how fluoride helps you, give us a call today or ask us at your next appointment. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.