Carolina Kids Dentistry- Has Fluoride Gone Out of Style?
After more than 60 years, fluoride is still one of the best ways to strengthen your child’s teeth and help in the fight against tooth decay. It’s an element that is found naturally in the Earth’s crust, and it has been added to our public water supply for several decades. It’s been proven to strengthen the teeth by hardening the enamel from the inside and from the outside.
Harder teeth are more resistant to tooth decay, and your pediatric dentist in Charlotte NC will typically recommend various forms of fluoride to keep your children’s teeth as strong as possible.
As most of us remember from our childhoods, the fluoride treatment was the highlight of our dental checkups. With a sweetly flavored rinse, swish, gel, or foam, we were warned not to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes, and we could leave the dental office knowing that our teeth were healthier and stronger.
Today, your child can still benefit from a strong dose of fluoride at the end of each dental visit, although it may be administered with a slightly more modern approach. Fluoride can now be painted directly onto the teeth in the form a varnish, which resembles a clear coat of nail polish. It sticks to all surfaces of the enamel for most of the day, even as your child enjoys normal meals and beverages. In fact, there is no longer a need to wait 30 minutes for a snack, since the fluoride is not easily washed away.
Compared to other methods, a varnish reduces the chance that your child could swallow more than the recommended dose of fluoride, it’s perfect for children who do not like the taste of mouthrinses or foams, and it ensures that the enamel can absorb as much fluoride as possible.
Between dental visits, fluoride is still available in most toothpaste brands, some mouthwashes, and virtually all public drinking water sources. This widespread availability, combined with periodic dental treatments, will reduce your child’s chances for getting cavities and can even reverse tooth decay in the earliest stages.
To learn more about why fluoride is still the right choice for your child, contact your Charlotte NC pediatric dentist today.