When it comes to protecting your smile, having a good defense is often the best offense. Proper preventive care strengthens your teeth and gums, making you less susceptible to common oral issues like cavities, injuries, or gum disease.
One way your dentist can help you avoid issues is with topical fluoride treatments. This is commonly offered to children to reinforce their enamel as it develops, so many adults wonder whether they can also take advantage of this service. Continue reading to learn more about who can benefit from dental fluoride!
What Is Fluoride?
Before diving into who can benefit from these topical procedures, it’s important first to establish what this ingredient is and how it impacts your oral health. Fluoride is a mineral that’s found naturally in water and soil but is often included in different products to fortify your enamel. For instance, many brands of toothpaste and mouthwash include this ingredient to help reduce the likelihood of developing cavities. Many public sources of tap and drinking water also include this mineral to improve a population’s dental health.
What Are Dental Fluoride Treatments?
Fluoride is known to help your grin resist cavities by enhancing its acid resistance, and can even reverse early stages of tooth decay by regenerating lost mineral content in the protective outer layer of your teeth. As a result, most dentists offer topical treatments containing this active ingredient to prevent or address caries.
For instance, they might have you bite into a tray filled with fluoride foam for several minutes or paint it on your teeth directly. Some dentists also provide a prescription for a fluoride gel that’s brushed onto your teeth at home.
Who Benefits from Dental Fluoride Treatments?
Fluoride treatments are often recommended for children to help them avoid oral issues by making teeth more resistant to cavities. This prevents problems in their primary teeth, which can impact how their permanent ones develop and grow. Because it’s often applied to still-developing smiles, you might wonder whether this service is also offered to adults.
Thankfully, your dentist can help preserve your grin with topical fluoride regardless of your age. Many adults develop cavities in their later years as their body produces less saliva and their chances of developing tooth decay increase. Plus, daily biting and chewing can eventually erode your enamel over time.
If you’re afraid of acid damage to your teeth or worried about thinning enamel, feel free to contact your dentist and ask whether a fluoride treatment could help!
About the Practice
At Mauck & Ricci, DDS, you and your family benefit from two dentists dedicated to helping you build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. Dr. Mauck and Dr. Ricci share more than 20 years of combined experience, and collaborate to offer a comprehensive menu of services at one convenient location. Whether you need basic preventive care or a more complex procedure, they are happy to help! They take the time to get to know you, then utilize state-of-the-art technology to tailor treatment plans to meet your unique needs. If you think you could benefit from topical fluoride, you can request an appointment on the website or call (303) 745-1400.