Benefits of Professional Strength Topical Fluoride

Professional strength topical fluoride is a dentist-applied solution that strengthens tooth enamel and prevents cavities. This is much stronger than what’s in toothpaste or over-the-counter rinses; it’s powerful stuff!

The application is quick and painless and comes in a gel, foam, or varnish applied directly to your teeth. This helps prevent cavities, repairs early signs of decay, and provides long-lasting protection.

It’s great for kids, seniors, or those with higher cavity risk, like dry mouth. Professional fluoride treatment is easy and effective to keep your teeth healthy and strong.

What Is Flouride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that can strengthen your teeth when applied professionally. It’s an important part of your mouth and its ability to withstand caries and decay.

This is because every day minerals are being removed and added to your teeth through processes called demineralization and remineralization. Demineralization is the loss of minerals in your teeth due to acids formed by plaque and bacteria in your mouth.

Remineralization is the deposit of minerals like fluoride, calcium and phosphorus in your teeth. When children 6 and under are treated with fluoride it gets into the body and helps to prevent adult teeth from demineralizing. Fluoride treatments have many benefits, and the best way to get the most out of these treatments is with professional-strength fluoride.

How Is Flouride Applied?

Fluoride can be taken in through a variety of methods. It is added to many foods, our water system, and toothpaste. There are also over the counter mouth rinses, however, they’re not as strong as the clinical strength rinses that we could prescribe.

Dr. Bullard offers several fluoride treatments that are clinically proven to be effective. These application methods include foams, varnishes, and gels. Varnishes are painted on the teeth, while foams require a mouth tray to be applied. Gels offer an in-between solution where they can be either painted on or applied using a mouth tray.

For those who are prone to weak teeth, Dr. Bullard will sometimes prescribe fluoride pills and topical treatments. This combination provides the highest probability that your teeth will become as strong as possible.

When Should Fluoride Treatment Be Given?

The most important timeframe for people to be exposed to fluoride is from age six months to sixteen. This is because during these formative years your teeth are growing and are most receptive to the treatment. With that in mind, recent studies have shown that professional strength topical fluoride is beneficial to adults as well.

Fluoride treatment is also beneficial to people who suffer from certain conditions that make their mouth more prone to decay. Chronic dry mouth sufferers are at a high risk for decay because the lack of saliva makes it harder for food particles to be washed away.

Those who have gum disease are also at a higher risk of decay because your tooth roots are exposed. Fluoride can help reduce the chance of your teeth breaking down and falling victim to decay.

Finally, patients with mouth fixtures like braces and crowns are more prone to decay because getting around those appliances isn’t always easy and food particles have a tendency to stick around. Fluoride treatment will help strengthen your teeth so that the food build up doesn’t impact your oral health.

Dr. Bullard has treated a wide range of patients using professional strength topical fluoride. She can help determine if you’re a candidate for fluoride treatment and what the best course of treatment would be.