Fluoride treatment is important for protecting a young child’s teeth as it helps to harden tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid in the mouth and it interferes with the development of tooth decay. This is because it helps with re-mineralization. Whenever anyone eats something sugary or high in carbohydrates, the mouth becomes more acidic and minerals such as calcium and phosphate are leached out of the tooth surfaces as the tooth enamel is softened during a process called demineralization. After a short while the mouth becomes less acidic and some of these minerals are redeposited back into the tooth enamel, re-hardening it during a process called re-mineralization. Fluoride aids this process so it is a very important mineral.
Where Can You Find Fluoride?
In order to help teeth, fluoride treatment NJ must be present at the right time. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that’s found in some foods and public water supplies, not to mention in toothpaste and certain mouthwashes. Fluoride can be ingested through food and water or it can be applied topically to the teeth. When fluoride is ingested it’s deposited in the bones and is gradually released back into the blood and from there it’s incorporated into saliva and is able to protect teeth. The fluoride found in toothpaste and mouthwash, as well as professional dental treatments is applied topically to the tooth surfaces.
Adequate Fluoride Treatment NJ
When your child visits our dental office, we will talk to you about fluoride treatment NJ as it’s important to make sure your child is receiving adequate amounts, but equally it’s just as important to make sure they don’t receive too much. We can tell you when to begin using fluoride toothpaste and how much to use on their toothbrush as very young children lack the ability to spit out excess toothpaste and are more likely to swallow it, especially if they like the taste. When a child has too much fluoride, it can cause fluorosis which is the development of white, lacy flecks on their teeth or in more severe cases it can cause brown stains. Although fluorosis can look unsightly, it doesn’t cause any damage to the teeth but we can help you avoid this risk.
Using Fluoride to Protect Children’s Teeth
We often recommend fluoride treatment to protect young children’s teeth as fluoride varnishes and gels can help reduce the risk of tooth decay, regardless of whether your child is exposed to other sources of fluoride. Fluoride treatment NJ can be applied to a young child’s teeth in several different ways. The easiest is for us to use a professional strength fluoride mouth rinse at the end of a checkup. Another method is to use mouth trays that can be filled up with fluoride gel or foam and these are just left in the mouth for a few minutes for the fluoride to penetrate their teeth. We may also suggest using fluoride varnish which is painted onto a child’s clean teeth and is left to penetrate them overnight. The teeth shouldn’t be brushed until the following morning as this increases the effectiveness of treatment.
If you are concerned about the use of fluoride treatment or want to know more about this mineral, please ask us at your child’s next checkup.
