American tap water contains trace amounts of fluoride to prevent the occurrence of tooth decay among people having the water. In addition, Americans are encouraged to use fluoride toothpaste from childhood when brushing, which most Americans indulge in. The CDC mentions fluoride, a fundamental mineral that helps build strong teeth, has reduced tooth decay by nearly 25 percent.
The American Dental Association recommends if you are at high risk of dental caries, you must receive in-office fluoride treatments from dentists. Professional fluoride treatments are highly concentrated applications of fluoride dentists provide with gels, varnish, foam, and solution. Is it essential for you to receive in-office fluoride treatments from dentists as recommended by the ADA? Do you need highly concentrated fluoride treatments to prevent cavities from forming in your teeth even when you have fluoridated water and brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste?
Recommendations for Professional Fluoride Treatments
The CDC and the ADA suggest that continuous exposure to tiny amounts of fluoride every day is essential to decrease the risk of dental cavities for everyone. However, both August bodies haven’t stipulated that everyone should get professional fluoride treatments if they are drinking fluoridated water with optimal fluoride levels and brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. The recommendation for professional fluoride treatments is for people, including children, who are at a higher risk of tooth decay because the in-office treatments provide additional benefits.
What Are in Office Fluoride Treatments?
In-office fluoride treatments are therapies provided by dentists containing higher fluoride concentrations that fluoride treatment near you applies to your teeth. The application is to improve your health and reduce your risk of cavities. During these treatments, the fluoride dentists utilize is similar to the fluoride available in toothpaste. However treatments deliver higher doses of fluoride to offer instant benefits.
You can also use some high concentration fluoride treatments available over-the-counter at home. However, you must ensure that the user is under the guidance of your dentist.
How Do Fluoride and in Office Treatments Benefit You?
Fluoride assists your body in utilizing minerals like calcium and phosphate because your teeth soak these minerals to repair weak tooth enamel. When the teeth develop, the minerals join into the tooth structure to strengthen the enamel and make them less vulnerable to microorganisms and cavities for life. As a result, fluoride can slow or reverse the onset of cavities by harming the bacteria causing them.
The benefits provided by fluoride help reduce the risk of cavities besides slowing the growth, delaying the need for costly dental work, and prolonging the life of baby teeth. When preventing cavities or slowing down the growth of bacteria, professional fluoride treatments can also prevent gum disease, premature loss of teeth, and reduce toothaches.
The WHO comments that a significant predictor of your overall health is your oral health, and fluoride treatments are beneficial for your oral health. However, poor oral health can also cause other conditions, including cardiovascular issues needing help from various medical professionals.
Fluoride Treatment Recommendations for Adults
Fluoride treatment recommendations at the office of the dentist in Morristown, NJ, differ because the treatment helps people with a moderate or high risk of tooth decay. The Morristown dentist recommends people at high risk of dental cavities get fluoride treatments at their office twice a year.
A fluoride treatment in Morristown, NJ, is happy to discuss the benefits and risks of fluoride treatments they provide. They consider all sources of fluoride people receive, including fluoridated water, toothpaste, and mouthwash, before recommending in-office treatments. People living in areas where fluoridated isn’t available benefit significantly from frequent fluoride treatments.
The Effectiveness of Fluoride Treatments
There is sufficient evidence from controlled studies that establish the benefits of topical fluoride treatments as essential for preventing tooth decay. In addition, a specific review of fluoride varnish confirms substantial effects on preventing cavities in primary and permanent teeth. Therefore the effectiveness of fluoride treatments remains undisputed.
Everyone benefits from in-office fluoride treatments. So long as people do not ingest high doses of fluoride, they will likely not confront any challenges because even the side effects of fluoride are minimal compared to the benefits. However, the information doesn’t mean fluoride treatments are safe for everyone at all times. If you are at risk of tooth decay or cavities, you must discuss your concerns with a dentist you can trust before considering office fluoride treatments.
Suppose you are apprehensive of visiting dentists for in-office fluoride treatments. Why not clear the apprehensions by discussing this therapy with Dental Care of Morristown and receiving the treatment from this facility after clearing your misconceptions.