Fluoride Treatment – Dix Hills, NY

Strengthening Enamel To Prevent Tooth Decay

Do you want to help your child prevent tooth decay from developing? Sometimes, it’s not always easy making sure they are brushing and flossing as they should. While you might stress the importance of good oral hygiene, your child may or may not feel the same. This is why Dr. Raj Gaur at Dix Hills Family Dentistry offers fluoride for kids to help strengthen your child’s tooth enamel, making it harder for bacteria to form and tooth decay to appear. Administered during a regular checkup and cleaning appointment, this treatment is beneficial to any child or adult! To help boost your child’s oral health, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

What is Fluoride?

You’ve probably heard of fluoride before but never really investigated what it actually is or how it works. Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in food and water. Even before your teeth erupt as an infant, water that is consumed helps to prevent tooth decay from forming. Studies have shown that communities of people who consume fluoridated water have less trouble with tooth decay than those who don’t, which is why many dental and medical associated endorse the use of fluoride in water.

Why is it Beneficial to Oral Health?

Because of its ability to prevent tooth decay and ultimately, cavities, fluoride is incredibly beneficial to you and your child’s oral health. Not only does it help to strengthen tooth enamel in baby and adult teeth prior to pushing through the gum line, but fluoride also hardens the enamel on already emerged adult teeth.

When fluoride touches your teeth, is it absorbed into the enamel. Known as remineralization, the fluoride will replace any calcium or phosphorus that has been lost and harden the tooth and its enamel.

What Happens During the Fluoride Treatment Process?

As a preventive service for children, your kid’s dentist in Dix Hills offers topical fluoride treatments. These are applied directly to the tooth enamel. Taking just minutes to apply, Dr. Gaur may use a gel, foam or varnish. Every dentist is different, but some even offer it as a rinse or place the fluoride in a tray, which is placed in your child’s mouth for a few minutes.

Once your child’s fluoride treatment is complete, he or she will need to avoid eating or drinking for 30 minutes. This will allow the fluoride to fully absorb into the teeth. However, with the use of varnish, this can eliminate the need to wait a half hour to eat or drink! Other important things to remember include:

• Let your child only eat soft foods or drinks that are cold or warm, not hot, immediately after treatment.
• For at least 4 to 6 hours, do not let your child brush or floss their teeth. It’s also important that they spit when rinsing.

It’s important to note that fluoride treatments cannot be the only way to prevent cavities. In fact, your child will need to brush their teeth with the right amount of fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly, eat a healthy diet, and receive proper dental care to ensure tooth decay stays away!