What is Fluoride Treatment?

At your routine dental cleaning appointment, you’ll most likely receive a brush-on fluoride treatment. While you know this is a routine part of your check-up, you may not know the purpose of the treatment. Fluoride can be put on in many ways, including through brushing on varnish, as a foam painted on, or on a tray. It’s a mineral that makes teeth stronger and helps prevent cavities.

So what are the benefits of receiving a fluoride treatment at your next dental appointment?

Higher Strength Than At-Home Treatments

While it’s beneficial to use products with fluoride such as mouthwashes or toothpastes, fluoride treatments done in a dental office have a much higher concentration of fluoride. This allows for maximum benefits in a faster amount of time. This type of treatment is only available at a medical office and cannot usually be done at home, unless under the direct supervision of a dentist.

Strengthens Teeth

Fluoride helps strengthen your teeth in many ways. It helps your body use minerals such as phosphate and calcium more efficiently. Your teeth will reabsorb minerals in the fluoride to repair any weak tooth enamel. The fluoride will join the tooth structure while the teeth are developing to strengthen the enamel, and this essentially helps protect the teeth against bacteria and cavities for life.

Fluoride can also:

• Reduce risks of cavities
• Slow cavity growth
• Prevent tooth decay
• Delay expensive dental work
• Prolong life of baby teeth

Protects Against High-Risk Patients

Because of the many benefits of fluoride, it’s a great treatment for those who are at a higher risk of tooth decay or erosion. Suffering from dry mouth, weak enamel, having crowns, or having poor overall health puts you at a higher risk for tooth decay. These types of patients would certainly benefit from receiving fluoride treatment.

Contact Us Today

Take control of your dental health by scheduling a dental check-up and asking about a fluoride treatment. Even if you are not a high-risk patient and have not had any dental issues, fluoride can be beneficial because it can keep your teeth strong so you can continue to avoid dental problems. We are able to do fluoride treatment for adults as well as children.

Contact our dental office in Evanston, Illinois to receive your next fluoride treatment!

The post Benefits of Fluoride Treatment | Family Dentist in Evanston appeared first on Stephens Dentistry .