July 1, 2023
The Benefits of Fluoride Treatments for Children’s Teeth
Most toothpaste brands contain fluoride, but supplemental fluoride treatments help children’s teeth grow robust and healthy. Fluoride treatments are safe and
pediatric dentists in Frisco, TX, recommend children receive them as required.
Here is the information you must have about fluoride treatments and how they benefit your child’s oral development and health.
Why Fluoride Is Essential for Children’s Dental Health?
The mineral fluoride occurs naturally and contributes to the development of strong teeth to help prevent tooth decay. Fluoride treatments are crucial in the early phases of dental caries because topical fluoride treatments help address dental caries in its microscopic stages before the infection significantly damages the teeth.
Fluoride is essential for children’s dental health because they have softer enamel and are not diligent with dental hygiene regimens, becoming more vulnerable to tooth decay and cavities. Fluoride treatments help strengthen tooth enamel, making it more resistant to mouth bacteria. As a result, they prevent children from becoming victims of dental caries early and frequently needing restoration from the
dentist near me.
The Role of Fluoride in Preventing Cavities in Kids
The bacteria clinging to the teeth and turning into dental plaque is the culprit for cavities. As dental plaque sticks to the teeth, it erodes the tooth enamel and gum tissue. While brushing and flossing with regular visits to the dentist in Frisco can help remove excessive plaque, it develops constantly. The lack of proper dental hygiene practices in children ensures they always have a buildup of plaque on their teeth. Fluoride treatments from the Frisco dentist provide additional protection against the damage dental plaque creates.
How Fluoride Treatments Can Help Strengthen Children’s Teeth?
Besides preventing cavities in the teeth of children or adults, fluoride treatments can also reverse early tooth decay. The tooth’s outer hard layer, the enamel, acquires or loses minerals daily. When dental plaque acids erode the tooth enamel, it results in the loss of minerals or demineralization—excessive demineralization results in tooth decay. Fluoride treatments from the
dentist in Frisco, TX, help remineralize the teeth by helping repair early decay to strengthen the teeth.
When children receive fluoride treatments by six years of age, fluoride incorporates itself into their developing permanent teeth, making them more robust and resilient. Children receiving fluoride treatments have teeth invulnerable to tooth decay.
Who Should Receive Fluoride Treatments?
Children between six months and 16 years must have some version of fluoride daily in the form of fluoridated toothpaste or drinking water, recommends the American Academy of pediatric dentistry. Fluoride treatments, if required, are provided in minor applications. The Frisco pediatric dentist determines the dosage after considering your child’s age, the risk of dental caries, and existing fluoride intake from sources like fluoridated toothpaste, drinking water, diet, et cetera.
The Application of Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments are painless and require minimal time because the dentist can brush a fluoride varnish or gel on children’s teeth, completing the treatment in a few minutes. Children can have food and drinks soon after but must wait 30 minutes to allow children’s teeth to absorb the application entirely.
Although fluoride treatments are beneficial, they also have adverse effects and are best applied every three to six months and to baby teeth when they erupt. Adverse effects of fluoride treatments can occur unless you follow the treatment suggested by the Frisco dentist. For example, permitting your child to swallow fluoride toothpaste or lay their hands-on supplements at home can result in fluorosis, leaving their teeth discolored with white or brown patches. However, if used as the dentist recommends, fluoride treatments are unlikely to cause damage to the teeth because they help strengthen tooth enamel to battle cavities and not harm the teeth.
The Safety of Fluoride Treatments
The safety of fluoride treatments is confirmed by the CDC, which claims fluoride has reduced tooth decay by 25 percent since it was added to water seven decades ago. In addition, fluoride toothpaste and in-office treatments have increased the benefits of fluoride significantly in preventing tooth decay among children and adults. Therefore if the dentist in Frisco recommends fluoride treatments for children, kindly accept the suggestion to provide your child an additional barrier on their teeth to help them prevent cavities and need frequent treatments from dentists to restore their teeth.
If you want to benefit from the advantages of fluoride for children, kindly consult Regina Y Powe, DDS, in Frisco, with your child to learn how your child benefits from receiving the therapy. You can also have your child receive fluoride treatments during the consultation without worrying about the safety of the treatment.
