Dentists have used in-office fluoride treatments for decades to help protect the oral health, especially in patients who may be at a higher risk due to: Poor oral hygiene Active tooth decay Eating disorders Drug or alcohol abuse Lack of regular professional dental care Poor diet Active orthodontic treatment combined with poor oral hygiene
Full Answer
Why do I need fluoride for my teeth?
Gum disease: Gum disease, also called periodontitis, can expose more of your tooth and tooth roots to bacteria increasing the chance of tooth decay. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis. History of frequent cavities: If you have one cavity every year or every other year, you might benefit from additional fluoride.
How can I get more fluoride in my mouth?
Mouth rinses containing fluoride in lower strengths are available over-the-counter; stronger concentrations require a doctor's prescription. A dentist in his or her office can also apply fluoride to the teeth as a gel, foam, or varnish. These treatments contain a much higher level of fluoride than the amount found in toothpastes and mouth rinses.
Is there an over-the-counter fluoride mouth rinse?
Mouth rinses containing fluoride in lower strengths are available over-the-counter; stronger concentrations require a doctor's prescription. A dentist in their office can also apply fluoride to the teeth as a gel, foam, or varnish. These treatments contain a much higher level of fluoride than the amount found in toothpastes and mouth rinses.
Should I talk to my doctor about my concerns about fluoride?
Nonetheless, if you do have concerns or questions about the amount of fluoride you or your child may be receiving, talk to your child's dentist, pediatrician, or family doctor. A few useful reminders about fluoride include:
Why is fluoride important for teeth?
How to get fluoride?
What is the purpose of fluoride?
How old should a child be to brush their teeth?
What are the risks of cavities?
How much does insurance cover for fluoride?
What happens if you break down enamel?
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Is the fluoride treatment at the dentist really worth it? ”
Yes, you should take advantage of the in office professional fluoride treatment. Most dentists are now using the varnish just like for children which incorporates over 6 hours you can eat and drink.
What is Flouride? Who Shouldn't Get Dental Flouride? What are ... - WebMD
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and water. Every day, minerals are added to and lost from a tooth's enamel layer through two processes, demineralization and remineralization.
Fluoride treatment: Benefits, side effects, and more
Fluoride treatment may offer benefits to those at risk of tooth decay. Natural health advocates, however, question the safety of fluoride. We look at the benefits and side effects of fluoride and ...
Topical fluoride for adults: Is an unneeded "profit center" ethical?
By DIANNE GLASSCOE WATTERSON, RDH, BS, MBA. Dear Dianne, My boss went to a meeting and heard a speaker say that we should be applying topical fluoride on all patients.
Marion Military Institute
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Fluoride treatment: Benefits, what to expect, side effects
Schedule a dentist appointment to learn more about how fluoride treatment can benefit your dental and oral health.. Are there side effects to fluoride? Like anything, too much fluoride can result in negative side effects and complications. If you’ve been prescribed a fluoride medication or treatment, follow the dosing instructions.
How does fluoride affect teeth?
In children under 6 years of age, fluoride becomes incorporated into the development of permanent teeth, making it difficult for acids to demineralize the teeth. Fluoride also helps speed remineralization as well as disrupts acid production in already erupted teeth of both children and adults.
What to do if you have concerns about fluoride?
Nonetheless, if you do have concerns or questions about the amount of fluoride you or your child may be receiving, talk to your child's dentist, pediatrician, or family doctor. A few useful reminders about fluoride include: Store fluoride supplements away from young children.
How much fluoride is removed from water?
Reverse osmosis systems remove between 65% and 95% of the fluoride. On the other hand, water softeners and charcoal/carbon filters generally do not remove fluoride. One exception: some activated carbon filters contain activated alumina that may remove over 80% of the fluoride.
What is the cause of tooth decay?
The lack of saliva makes it harder for food particles to be washed away and acids to be neutralized. Gum disease: Gum disease, also called periodontitis, can expose more of your tooth and tooth roots to bacteria increasing the chance of tooth decay. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis.
How is fluoride lost?
Every day, minerals are added to and lost from a tooth 's enamel layer through two processes, demineralization and remineralization. Minerals are lost (demineralization) from a tooth 's enamel layer when acids -- formed from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth -- attack ...
What is the term for minerals that are lost from the enamel of teeth?
Minerals are lost (demineralization) from a tooth 's enamel layer when acids -- formed from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth -- attack the enamel. Minerals such as fluoride, calcium, and phosphate are redeposited (remineralization) to the enamel layer from the foods and waters consumed. Too much demineralization without enough ...
What are the benefits of fluoride treatment?
In addition, people with certain conditions may be at increased risk of tooth decay and would therefore benefit from additional fluoride treatment. They include people with: 1 Dry mouth conditions: Also called xerostomia, dry mouth caused by diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome, certain medications (such as allergy medications, antihistamines, anti anxiety drugs, and high blood pressure drugs ), and head and neck radiation treatment makes someone more prone to tooth decay. The lack of saliva makes it harder for food particles to be washed away and acids to be neutralized. 2 Gum disease: Gum disease, also called periodontitis, can expose more of your tooth and tooth roots to bacteria increasing the chance of tooth decay. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis. 3 History of frequent cavities: If you have one cavity every year or every other year, you might benefit from additional fluoride. 4 Presence of crowns and/or bridges or braces: These treatments can put teeth at risk for decay at the point where the crown meets the underlying tooth structure or around the brackets of orthodontic appliances.
What is a dental fluoride treatment?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in several foods and water. When consumed or applied, it strengthens teeth and prevents the growth of oral bacteria that can attack your teeth and gums.
Ways We Get Fluoride
Because of its many benefits, fluoride is commonly added to the tap water of public water supplies. And even though it occurs naturally in several foods, it is also added to many processed foods and drinks. Moreover, fluoridated water is also available for purchase.
What are the benefits of fluoride?
When added to your oral care regimen, fluoride strengthens your tooth enamel. It is especially beneficial for children who are at risk of tooth decay. Young patients are often given topical dental fluoride treatments to help foster a healthy environment for tooth development and guard against decay and cavities.
When is fluoride most important?
Age doesn’t matter when it comes to protecting your teeth. Both children and adults should have plenty of exposure to keep their teeth healthy. It is, however, especially important for children to help their teeth become strong and to prevent tooth decay.
What types of applications do dentists provide?
Dentists can provide dental fluoride treatments in the form of gel foam or varnish. These topical treatments offer a stronger concentration than what you can get over the counter, so you can receive the maximum benefits from the treatment.
What happens during a dental fluoride treatment?
The treatment performed in your dentist’s office is a simple procedure.
Is there such a thing as too much fluoride?
While supplements provide many benefits to our teeth, an excessive amount can have negative effects. Too much fluoride, which many dentists refer to as dental fluorosis, can cause severe staining of tooth enamel.
How much money do Americans spend on dental fraud?
That’s as much as $13 billion of the $136 billion Americans spend annually on dental care lost to dental fraud. Silber said he saw the X-rays of one patient after she’d seen another dentist and was shocked to learn she’d had two crowns put in when she needed only one minor filling.
How much does a dentist charge for a dental cleaning?
Dentists can charge between $800 and $1,200 for each procedure, while a standard cleaning nets them only about $100. Dr. Michael Davis, a dentist practicing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said some dentists look for procedures for which Medicaid pays more.
Can you get a pulpotomy if you have a baby tooth?
Children who still have their baby teeth are prime targets for pulpotomies — the removal of the pulp of a tooth — whether they need them or not. Unethical dentists also perform shortcut versions of otherwise covered procedures for a patient, while billing the insurer for the full amount — a practice known as upcoding.
What is the best way to protect your molars from plaque?
5) Sealants . Dental sealants are preventative coatings applied to the surface of your molars to prevent plaque from accumulating in the pits on their surfaces. They can be useful in some cases — especially for cavity-prone kids — but are also overprescribed by some dentists.
Why do dental offices use deals?
The reason for this is that advertising-driven offices often use deals as a tool to get patients in the door and then pressure them to accept an expensive treatment plan, whether they need work done or not. Oftentimes, they're corporate-owned chains, like Aspen Dental .
What does a dark spot on a tooth mean?
A dark spot or blemish, in general, corresponds to a cavity. And in general, the dentist should be willing and able to explain why you need certain procedures, both by using X-rays and other means. if the first dentist seems reluctant to let you get it, that's a bad sign.
Do dental plans have a cap?
Most dental plans come with a hard cap on the total amount of treatment they'll pay for in a given year — the exact opposite of the out-of-pocket maximums in medical insurance plans. Even more problematically, insurance plans put perverse incentives in place for in-network dentists.
Can you opt out of dental insurance?
As a result, people can opt out of dental insurance, then build up treatment needs over the course of several years, then opt in. Dental companies know this, and so to turn a profit, they're forced to cover relatively little, in terms of treatment.
Do dentists disagree about fissures?
Two honest dentists can disagree about whether a tiny fissure requires a filling or not, and all dentists fall on a continuum of philosophies ranging from conservative to aggressiv e in their treatments . Some dishonest ones, though, abuse this uncertainty to increase their profits.
Do dental school students do quality work?
And in general — and contrary to many people's idea of dentists-in-training — dental school students do quality work by the time they're treating actual patients, after learning on models.
Why do dentists put veneers on teeth?
Lots of dentists also push veneers (artificial tooth surfaces) on many patients, because they're extremely lucrative. But it's important to remember that, in most cases, veneers are a cosmetic choice, and one that costs thousands of dollars.
Do you need to replace silver fillings?
And though fillings do crack and decay over time, you rarely need all of them replaced at once. Some will claim that old silver fillings need to be removed for safety reasons — specifically, because they leech mercury — but that idea is a total myth.
Do you need to have all your fillings ripped out?
1) You probably don't need all your fillings ripped out and replaced. Oftentimes, someone visiting a new (and unscrupulous) dentist will be told that he or she needs a ton of work done. Frequently, this involves ripping out all existing fillings and replacing them with new ones.
Is dental insurance bad?
Medical insurance is essential. But dental insurance is often a bad deal. That's because it can set up a conflict-of-interest for dentists: when you go in to get a cleaning and check-up, their base reimbursement fees from the insurance companies are very low.
Do you need a night guard for teeth grinding?
Two other products that are often used as moneymakers are night guards (which stop you from grinding your teeth at night) and sealants (which cover a tooth's surface so plaque doesn't accumulate). It's certainly true that some people genuinely need a night guard, especially if they have jaw pain.
Do dentists have to turn over X-rays?
Further, your X-rays are legally your property, and your dentist is required to turn them over to you to bring to other dentists. Keeping this in mind and doing it whenever you feel uncomfortable with a prescribed treatment will protect you in the long term.
Can you use sealant on kids?
Unless you're doing so at an especially fast rate, you're fine. Sealants are similar: a product that can be useful in some cases (mainly among kids, who don't brush as well), but definitely shouldn't be prescribed for everyone.
1. Know Your Reason: Why Or Why Not
The first thing you need to do when you go to tell your dentist “no” to fluoride is to be knowledgeable about your choice. Why are you doing or not doing it? What’s the reasoning behind it?
2. Share Your Backup Plan
Most of the time, when you’re planning on veering from the mainstream, people are going to want to know what you plan on doing if you’re opting out of something – in this case fluoride – to keep your kids healthy and prevent whatever it is that can happen to them – dental decay and cavities.
3. Be Polite, Confident, And Firm
Authority. It’s there for a reason. We all have authorities over us. They are there to lead and guide us… to help us. As a parent, we are our children’s authority. Sometimes this means telling them what to do or not do, and sometimes it means to give them a choice to make.
Why is fluoride important for teeth?
Tooth enamel is the outer protective layer of each tooth. Fluoride is especially helpful if you’re at high risk of developing dental caries, or cavities.
How to get fluoride?
You can get fluoride two ways: topically from toothpaste and treatments at the dentist. systemically in water and dietary supplements. According to the ADA, it’s best to get fluoride both topically and systemically. So, you still need to use fluoride toothpaste, even if your local water is boosted by added fluoride.
What is the purpose of fluoride?
Fluoride is a natural mineral that prevents cavities. It restores minerals to tooth enamel and prevents harmful bacteria from building up in the mouth. Overdosing on fluoride can cause negative complications.
How old should a child be to brush their teeth?
If your child is under 3 years old, they should only brush their teeth with close supervision. Apply only a thin layer of fluoride toothpaste to their toothbrush. The toothpaste should cover less than half of the bristles or be no bigger than a grain of rice.
What are the risks of cavities?
The following can increase your risk of cavities: excessive drug or alcohol use. eating disorder. poor oral hygiene. lack of professional dental care. poor diet.
How much does insurance cover for fluoride?
Insurance usually covers fluoride treatments at the dentist for children. Adults, however, may pay $10 to $30 out of pocket, or more. Always ask your dentist about costs before treatment.
What happens if you break down enamel?
If the plaque breaks down the enamel layer, bacteria can infect and harm the nerves and blood at the core of the tooth. Read on to learn about fluoride treatment benefits, side effects, cost, and what to expect.