Fluoride Treatments
What are Fluoride Treatments?
Fluoride treatments are essential for keeping your child’s teeth healthy and strong. Fluoride can often be found in a variety of dental products as well as public water sources. However, your child might benefit from additional treatment if they are more susceptible to decay or are not getting enough fluoride through other sources. Treatment is easy and quick, since it can be done in just seconds in the office.
Why might Fluoride Treatments be needed?
Fluoride is helpful when it comes to protecting your child’s smile. The way that fluoride works is by strengthening the teeth themselves as well as preventing decay. What this means for parents is that they’ll experience fewer trips to the dentist because of cavities and other dental-related problems. We often recommend fluoride treatments to all of our patients coming into our office for care.
Who is a candidate for Fluoride Treatments?
Most children are good candidates for fluoride treatments. We will first examine their teeth to determine if they might need fluoride and if so, when they should have it applied. We often apply fluoride to our patients’ teeth at their checkup visits as part of a comprehensive preventative care plan. You can request fluoride treatments for your child at any time.
What can be expected during Fluoride Treatments?
The process to apply fluoride is incredibly quick and easy. In fact, we often apply fluoride in conjunction with other treatments and procedures, like a checkup visit. Our doctors will apply a clear liquid varnish to your child’s teeth. This fluoride varnish may have a slightly bitter taste to it, but the taste wears off quickly. Your child should not brush, eat or drink for about 30 minutes following treatment. This helps the fluoride to fully absorb into the teeth and create the layer of protection that your child needs for a healthy and full smile. Fluoride treatments can be reapplied at any future visits.
If you’d like to learn more about how fluoride treatments can benefit your child, call us today to speak with one of our professional team members.