Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments may not be your kid’s favorite thing at the dentist, but the application of this varnish is an essential component of preventive pediatric dentistry. Fluoride is applied after every teeth cleaning and dental exam conducted by Dr. Mitchell Loeb at Kid Grins in Edina, MN, and goes a long way toward keeping your child’s teeth strong and healthy.
How Fluoride Treatments Work
When it comes to children and teeth brushing, their skills take time to develop. They might be working hard, but there needs to be some backup in place that can help protect that young tooth enamel, whether baby teeth or newly erupted adult teeth.
Fluoride is a mineral compound that occurs naturally in water and soil and is found in some foods and drinks. It is considered effective in preventing tooth decay by promoting remineralization. The fluoride varnish offers the following perks:
- Helps ward off tooth decay.
- Strengthens soft tooth enamel and dentin.
- Adds minerals to teeth.
- Helps permanent teeth grow healthy.
- Can help deter early decay and micro-cavities.
- Makes enamel more resistant to acids from plaque and bacteria.
Types of Topical Fluoride
Fluoride is available in different forms, including varnish, gel, or foam, and is left in place for a few minutes after application. At Kid Grins, topical fluoride is applied directly to the surface of the teeth after a child’s teeth-cleaning and exam. The material is quickly absorbed to offer a layer of protection.
Pediatric dentists can also prescribe a special toothpaste for kids to use daily as an additional cavity prevention effort at home. Every little bit helps, especially with kids who don’t yet have a great brushing technique or who are prone to cavities.
Natural Ways to Get Fluoride
It is possible to consume fluoride through drinking, eating, or taking supplements. Whenever systemic fluoride is taken into the body, it is absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract and travels through the body’s blood stream and into the saliva. Eventually, fluoride is deposited into developing teeth, including those that have yet to erupt, strengthening smiles.
Where You Can Find Fluoride
If your pediatric dentist recommends that your child increase their fluoride consumption to help protect their teeth, you can find this mineral in other places besides the dental chair:
- Public water supply (call your water company if you’re not sure it’s added in).
- Fluoridated bottled water.
- Fluoride-added toothpaste or mouthwash.
- Fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, pickles, and spinach.
Fluoride is effective in preventing cavities when it is used regularly. Always ask your pediatric dentist about the dosing amount for fluoridated toothpaste or water so your child does not go over the maximum amount for their age.
Fluoride: Preventive Dentistry for Children
Tooth decay is preventable, but it takes effort to get the job done. An excellent at-home oral health care routine combined with visits to the pediatric dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning, examination, and application of fluoride varnish keeps kids’ teeth in great shape.
Nearly all kids benefit from regular fluoride treatments until around age 16 when all their adult teeth have fully erupted, orthodontics are complete, and teeth are established in their mouth.
Get Fluoride Treatments at Kid Grins in Edina
It’s so important to keep kids’ teeth healthy when they’re young, not only to save them from the discomfort of a cavity or more serious infection but also to set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.
At Kid Grins, we explain fluoride to all our patients and let them know just how important this varnish application at every regular appointment. Keeping teeth clean and prioritizing good oral hygiene at every age is critical. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or separate fluoride treatment.
