Facts You Need to Know about Fluoride Treatment & Its Side Effects

Fluoride is a fundamental mineral that helps build strong teeth and prevents cavities. For decades fluoride has remained an essential oral health treatment because it supports healthy tooth enamel by battling the bacteria harmful to the teeth and gums. The tooth enamel is the outermost layer of your teeth.

You will find fluoride treatments especially beneficial if you are right high-risk of dental caries. Cavities occur when microorganisms build up on your teeth to form a sticky layer of dental plaque. Dental plaque produces acids to erode the teeth and gum tissue. When the plaque erodes the enamel layer, the bacteria infect and harm the nerves and blood vessels at the tooth’s center.

Please continue reading to learn how to benefit from fluoride treatments and their side effects.

Happenings during a Promotional Fluoride Treatment

Dentists provide fluoride treatments in Courtice & Oshawa, ON, using a highly concentrated fluoride rinse, varnish, foam, or gel. The dentist applies the therapy using a tray, brush, swab, or mouthwash.

Fluoride varnish treatments have more fluoride than is available in water or toothpaste. The dentist completes the treatment in a few minutes but requests you to avoid eating or drinking for 30 minutes after the therapy to ensure your teeth fully absorb the fluoride. Before receiving fluoride treatments, you must always provide the dentist with your entire health history to ensure they select the suitable treatment.

Insurance providers cover fluoride treatments for children. However, adults are required to pay a small fee out-of-pocket. Therefore you must ask the dentist in Oshawa about the costs of the treatment before receiving the therapy.

What Is Your Requirement of Fluoride?

The Canadian Dental Association recommends professional fluoride treatments by your dentist every quarterly, six months or annually, depending on your oral health. In addition, your dentist might prescribe a special fluoride rinse for at-home use if you are at high risk of dental cavities.

Your risk of dental cavities can increase through excessive drug or alcohol consumption, eating disorders, poor dental hygiene, lack of professional dental care, poor diet, xerostomia or lack of saliva and weak enamel. You can receive optimal fluoride intake of water, food, toothpaste, and supplements.

How Does Fluoride Benefit Your Teeth?

Fluoride functions by restoring minerals to tooth surfaces where bacteria have eroded the enamel. Fluoride also inhibits the growth of harmful microorganisms and prevents cavities. While fluoride cannot eliminate decay, it can stop the rot from penetrating the deeper parts of your teeth by creating a robust outer layer.

Children and adults both benefit from fluoride treatments. The sooner children receive fluoride exposure, the better their chances of not developing cavities. Children receiving fluoride treatments for a year are 43 percent less viable to have tooth decay or cavities.

Side Effects of Fluoride Treatments

The side effects of fluoride treatments need monitoring to achieve the desired results. However, fluoride treatments are safe for children and adults and recommended in the prescribed quantities by the Canadian Dental Association. The side effects of providing treatment include the following:

• Tooth Discoloration: excessive fluoride consumption when brushing or having supplements can result in discoloured teeth leaving yellow or brown spots on them. However, by brushing your teeth regularly, you can avoid staining, and the discoloration does not pose a health risk.
• Tooth Decay: excessive intake of fluoridated water can weaken the tooth enamel, generally affecting children with developing teeth.
• Skeletal Weakness: excessive fluoride can impact the teeth and the skeletal system. Patients with endemic skeletal fibrosis struggle with issues where their joints weaken, increasing the risk of fractures.
• Neurological Problems: Fluoride affects not only the bone and teeth but can also impact brain development in young children. Exposure to fluoride before birth can result in poor cognitive outcomes later.
• High Blood Pressure: water containing too much fluoride significantly correlates with high blood pressure.
• Acne: people are usually concerned with the side effects of fluoride treatments provided in their mouth without realizing fluoride can also affect the external appearance because regular fluoride intake can result in fluoro derma, which can cause acne and painful sores.
• Seizures: fluoride treatments will not cause seizures. However, it can put patients with episodes at risk. It is why dentists request your entire health history to avoid life-threatening attacks from fluoride therapy if you are susceptible to the condition.

Fluoride treatments are generally safe and recommended for adults and children at intervals determined by dentists. Dentists ensure you do not become a victim of fluoride side effects by providing the treatment to strengthen your tooth enamel in your battle against cavities.

If your children need fluoride treatments without the side effects accompanying them, Brightway Dental is the practice you must visit for the therapy. Carry your entire medical history to the dental practice to ensure you receive suitable fluoride treatments to strengthen tooth enamel and avoid cavities.