What Is the Minimum Age for Fluoride Treatment?
Children visiting dentists regularly with their parents receive fluoride treatments, a safe remedy to battle tooth decay and prevent complications later. Fluoride treatments help protect children’s oral health for many years.
The dental clinic Greeley’s dentists serve families and their children in the region by establishing a trusting relationship with your child to help address questions or concerns parents and children may have about fluoride treatments.
What Is Fluoride Therapy?
Fluoride, a mineral occurring naturally in the environment and an element of fluorine present in some foods, water, rocks, and soil, helps battle tooth decay by strengthening the enamel, the outermost protective layer of the teeth. As a result, people drinking fluoridated water tend to protect their teeth better to have fewer cavities over time than in other communities. In addition, the CDC has confirmed that fluoridated water has helped reduce tooth decay by approximately 25 percent. Therefore when children receive fluoride treatments from the Greeley dental clinic, it allows them to develop strong and healthy teeth.
How Do Teeth from Fluoride Treatments against Cavities?
Calcium and phosphate make up the outermost layer of everyone’s teeth, including children’s, to protect and strengthen them. Fluoride treatments in Greeley, CO, or fluoridated water with phosphate and calcium further help strengthen the enamel. The American Dental Association confirms fluoride treatments at regular intervals can help prevent and reverse early tooth decay.
The Safety of Fluoride for Children’s Teeth
Fluoride treatments applied by a pediatric dentist to children’s and adult’s teeth are safe and standard practice during any routine appointment with the dentist for exams and cleanings. Children receive the quick and painless fluoride treatment, which the dentist completes in a few minutes, allowing them to continue their regular activities immediately after. In addition, children at high risk of tooth decay are recommended to use concentrated fluoride toothpaste at home to protect their teeth.
How Soon Can Children Receive Fluoride Treatments?
Recommendations for fluoride treatments for children have been updated by the ADA recently, stating children must receive fluoride from the time their first tooth erupts, which generally is around six months or a year. Fluoride treatments near you from dentists are also suggested if your child is at high risk of cavities and does not have access to fluoridated water. Children undergoing orthodontic treatment and drinking non-fluoridated water also benefit from fluoride therapy because it helps strengthen tooth enamel.
Happenings during Fluoride Therapy
Taking your child for routine exams and cleanings also helps them get fluoride treatments from the dentist at the end of the cleaning and polishing session. Dental hygienists or dentists apply fluoride varnish to children’s teeth, available in different flavors, and dry on their teeth immediately after contact with saliva. Children can also choose a flavor they like during their visit.
How Often Should Children Receive Professional Fluoride Treatments?
Taking your child to the Greeley dental clinic at half-year intervals confirms they receive fluoride treatments every six months. However, if your child is at high risk of developing or showing early signs of tooth decay, the professional might recommend fluoride supplements at home to protect their teeth better.
Is Fluoride Treatment Expensive?
If you possess dental insurance provider covers the costs of fluoride treatments for children, ensuring you don’t pay any money. However, if you are at risk of tooth decay and think you might benefit from the treatment, you can discuss its prices with confidence that you can get the treatment at affordable costs.
Benefits of Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride enables teeth to remineralize themselves by restoring minerals to tooth surfaces affected by enamel erosion. In addition, fluoride inhibits harmful mouth bacteria to prevent the incidence of cavities further.
Fluoride doesn’t remove existing decay. However, creating a durable outer surface for children’s teeth helps stop erosion from penetrating further into the deeper parts of the teeth. As a result, fluoride benefits children and adults, and the sooner they are exposed to fluoride, the likelihood of them developing cavities diminishes significantly.
Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps prevent cavities by restoring minerals to the tooth enamel and preventing harmful bacteria from adhering to the teeth. However, children’s oral health significantly impacts other bodily functions and overall health. Therefore besides getting fluoride treatments, children are better supervised when brushing their teeth for two minutes each twice daily, flossing once, and avoiding sugary foods and beverages. In addition, they must also receive six monthly exams and cleanings when they get a fluoride treatment to strengthen their teeth further.
If you have confusions about how soon children need fluoride treatments, Toothtown of Greeley can help you clear your thoughts by providing fluoride therapy to children of all ages. Consult your practice with your child to get them fluoride treatments today to prevent unnecessary expenditure on dental treatments.