Fluoride Treatment

Do you remember, as a child, going to the dentist and getting a fluoride treatment? At Sheer Smiles, we believe your children would also benefit from fluoride treatment in Frisco, Texas. This preventive treatment is valuable, helping strengthen your children’s teeth against decay. This procedure, performed by Dr. Shir, and associates, is painless and only takes a few minutes, but it can help prevent decay in the future. After the treatment, it is wise for the child to refrain from eating or drinking anything for 30 minutes to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride treatment.

Benefits of fluoride therapy

Did you know that your teeth have a built-in defense system to help protect them from cavities and tooth decay? It’s called enamel and it forms a hard, protective shell over the surface of your teeth. However, bacteria can eat away at tooth enamel if you don’t properly clean and take care of your mouth. Dentists recommend receiving regular fluoride treatments to help strengthen your enamel and reverse the effects of tooth decay. Fluoride treatments can also help children develop strong, healthy teeth for years to come.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral that can be found naturally in food and water. Fluoride treatments help strengthen tooth enamel and repair any holes in it by replacing the nutrients that are lost over time. After your teeth have been exposed to fluoride, they tend to become more resistant to acid, making it less likely that they will decay in the future.

Fluoride therapy for children

Although fluoride is highly beneficial for children, it also has certain risks. Dentists give fluoride treatment to children to aid with the development of healthy permanent teeth and to lower the risk of tooth decay. However, if children are exposed to too much fluoride, it can cause a condition called fluorosis. Fluorosis causes teeth to become brown and can actually cause tooth decay. Children should use fluoridated toothpaste at home twice a day. However, parents need to monitor their children’s brushing to ensure that they do not use too much toothpaste. Children over the age of two should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. This is especially important when dealing with young children because they tend to swallow toothpaste instead of spitting it out. Children under the age of two should not brush their teeth by themselves. As their parent, you should use a soft bristle brush to apply fluoridated toothpaste to their teeth and help them rinse out their mouth.

In some cases, dentists may also prescribe fluoride supplements for children. Dentists usually only prescribe supplements to children who have a high risk of tooth decay, including children who eat a lot of sugary foods or children who don’t get enough nutritional fluoride in their diet. Fluoride supplements are used sparingly in children because of the risk of overdose. If your child needs fluoride supplements, make sure to keep the supplements out of his or her reach and follow all directions provided by your child’s dentist. Many recent studies have demonstrated that when used correctly, fluoride treatments greatly help reduce the risk of tooth decay, especially in young children. It’s important to make sure your teeth get enough fluoride so that you won’t get cavities. Most adults can take care of their teeth by brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. If you are concerned about whether you’re getting enough fluoride, talk to your dentist about supplements. Your dentist will let you know if they are necessary and prescribe the proper dosage. Also, see Silver Diamine Flouride treatment.