Fluoride Treatments Park Ridge

Fluoride is a mineral that can be found in many foods and water. It benefits the teeth because it helps to rebuild the tooth’s enamel layer as acids attack it. Strengthening the teeth through remineralization helps to prevent tooth decay. Though it is possible to get fluoride naturally through your diet every day, you can give your teeth an extra boost with a treatment at Complete Health Dentistry of Park Ridge. This treatment helps to keep teeth strong and protected against cavities and other oral issues in Park Ridge.

Fluoride is a powerful tool in promoting your oral health. It plays four key roles in protecting your teeth from cavities:

Teeth can’t heal the way your skin, muscles, or even bones can heal. That’s because your tooth enamel is mostly mineral–95% by weight–and it has no living cells. The closest we can get to healing a tooth is remineralizing it–replacing minerals removed from the enamel. Your saliva contains minerals to help with this, but fluoride is more effective.

Since demineralization is the first stage of tooth decay, remineralizing your teeth essentially reverses the early process of cavity formation. It doesn’t work once you have developed actual holes in your teeth, but when you have white or brown spots on your teeth from demineralization, fluoride can reverse the process to prevent these from becoming cavities.

Fluoride also protects your teeth from demineralization. That’s because it bonds with your tooth enamel, creating a new material that’s more resistant to acidic attack.

Finally, this can kill harmful oral bacteria. When applied to your teeth, the concentration is greater than these bacteria can tolerate, so it kills them and makes it harder for them to recover. It’s a powerful boost for the natural antibacterial compounds in your saliva.

Any patient in Park Ridge can request a fluoride varnish treatment during their visit to the dentist, but because it is important for children to receive a sufficient amount of fluoride between the ages of six months and 16 years, it can be especially beneficial for them. Studies show that children of this age get a very large benefit from treatments. They may see their cavity risk decrease by 40% or more.

In addition, some adults may benefit from fluoride treatments if they have:

If you have a history of cavities, it’s worth it to take whatever extra steps you can to prevent future cavities from developing, especially when it’s an inexpensive and easy step like fluoride treatments.

Dry mouth increases your risk of tooth decay. As we said above, saliva does all the things that fluoride does, and if you have less saliva, you need the additional boost that fluoride treatments give.

White spot lesions are places where your teeth are a different white color and have a flat luster rather than glossy. Although not cavities yet, this type of tooth decay can progress rapidly if not treated. This is a type of demineralization that fluoride is very effective at reversing.

When gum disease causes your gums to recede, it makes it look like your teeth are growing, but they’re not. Instead, more of the tooth is being exposed, which might include the roots. Tooth roots are more vulnerable to cavities than the crowns that are normally visible. In addition, root cavities can be harder to treat and are more likely to lead to tooth loss. If you have receding gums, the extra fluoride protection makes sense.

Finally, it might make sense to get fluoride treatments if you have restorations or appliances that might increase your cavity risk, such as braces or removable dentures.

In addition to foods and water (most major cities now fluoridate public water sources), fluoride can be found in toothpaste and mouth rinses. These are both lower strengths of fluoride. If you need a higher concentration, we can provide a prescription. It can also be applied at a dentist’s office, such as at Complete Health Dentistry, directly to the tooth surface (topically) as a gel, foam, or varnish.

A fluoride treatment takes just a few minutes to complete. Your teeth will first be prepared by being cleaned thoroughly. They will then be dried to receive the application of fluoride. The fluoride can be applied using a cotton swab or brush; it can also come in a rinse or in a tray that is worn on the teeth for several minutes.

Following the treatment, you will be able to use your teeth as normal again, but it is recommended that you avoid rinsing, eating, or drinking for about 30 minutes directly after your appointment to allow the fluoride to fully absorb into the teeth.