What is Fluoride and Should You Be Using It? - Dental Team FL

What is Fluoride and Should You Be Using It?

Fluoride - Dental implant procedure Jupiter FL

Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in water and numerous foods. In dentistry, your healthcare provider might prescribe fluoride treatment while undergoing dental implant procedure Jupiter to strengthen your teeth and decrease the likelihood of cavities.

Your enamel (your tooth’s protective external layer) loses and gains minerals daily. Mineral loss occurs when acid formation from bacteria, sugars, and plaque in the mouth attack the enamel in a process called demineralization.

On the other hand, you gain minerals such as calcium and fluoride during the consumption of water and food that comprise these minerals. Tooth decay arises from excess demineralization without sufficient remineralization. That’s where fluoride comes in to prevent decay. Here’s what you should know about the mineral.

 

How Fluoride Offers Tooth Protection

Fluoride offers tooth protection in various ways. The mineral works by strengthening the tooth structure for small children aged below seven years, which is a developmental stage for their enamel. If the application of the right quantity occurs throughout this period, the actual enamel structure is strengthened, making it more acid-resistant. This implies that the child will have better protected teeth from the beginning.

During plaque accumulation around and on teeth, there’s direct contact between destructive bacteria and teeth enamel. Consequently, the bacteria wears the enamel gradually and weakens it by decreasing important minerals through demineralization.

Although the mouth repairs the weakened enamel via remineralization, this process can become ineffective if you don’t clean your teeth properly or if you ingest excess sugar regularly. Fluoride also offers tooth protection by ensuring that the replaced enamel throughout the process is stronger and less vulnerable to breakdown.

Furthermore, the mineral works against the destructive acid generated by plaque, which is very crucial in tooth decay prevention. It does so by hindering some of the most destructive enzymes present in plaque, preventing them from generating the acid that causes enamel deterioration.

 

How Much Should You Consume?

The recommended dietary fluoride varies based on your gender, age, and whether your drinking water has fluoride. Generally, the fluoride quantity for an adult female aged 14 years or older is 3 milligrams daily, while an adult of the same age should consume 4 milligrams daily.

Children aged between 4 and 13 years should consume 1-2 milligrams while small children and infants shouldn’t take more than half a milligram.

 

How to Ensure You’re Getting Sufficient Fluoride

The most efficient way of ensuring you’re introducing the mineral into your mouth is by brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste. The best dentist for dental implants Jupiter will advise you to take your time to go around and over each tooth along your gum line and on all sides to make sure you don’t leave any area unprotected or uncleaned.

You can equally introduce dietary fluoride through foods, for instance, milk and red meats. You should also schedule regular dental checkups with the best dentist for dental implants Jupiter, not merely because you’ll benefit from professional cleaning, but also because you’ll obtain fluoride treatment, which might be in the form a gel or foam, which a dentist might apply through dental trays, or it might simply be a rinse.

It’s worth noting that the results of expert fluoride treatment from professionals such as Dental Team Fl last longer than those obtained from dietary consumption or at-home products. Expert treatments are particularly vital for those who are vulnerable to tooth cavities or rot since they boost enamel strength while ensuring very tooth surface is reached.

 

Benefits of Fluoride

Enhance Enamel Health

Fluoride treatment is a significant aspect of sustaining oral health among adults. The treatment from the best dentist for dental implants Jupiter will help prevent decay while reversing early symptoms of enamel damage, for instance, shallow caries and pitting. When used in small quantities, fluoride supplements can prevent caries lesions in permanent teeth.

Teeth Remineralization

When you drink and eat, mouth bacteria feed off the sugars in the foods you consume and generate acid as a byproduct. In turn, the acid reacts with the phosphate and calcium in your enamel, resulting in cavities and erosion.

Fluoride treatment during a dental implant procedure Jupiter can help regenerate lost minerals from enamel. This keeps your teeth stronger while decreasing the likelihood of cavity development. Furthermore, fluoride treatments help decrease tooth sensitivity upon exposure to acidic drinks and foods.

Address Dry Mouth

Aging and certain medical conditions, for instance, autoimmune illnesses, increase the likelihood of dry mouth. Certain medications such as antihistamines and SNRI antidepressants can also produce dry mouth. Without sufficient saliva, the mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. In turn, this can result in an increase of cavities and other dental issues. Fluoride treatments help address dry mouth by decreasing bacteria-causing acid damage.

Save Money

Investing in fluoride treatments can yield savings. After all, fluoride treatment helps prevent decay, decreasing the need for expensive fillings, root canals, or dental crowns in the future.

Although you might obtain dietary fluoride, topical fluoride applications can be very advantageous. Since fluoride application takes place on tooth surfaces, it starts hardening the enamel immediately. Fluoride is safe as long as you avoid excess ingestion. Therefore, if you have young children, ensure fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste are out of reach. If you’re in need of fluoride treatment, you can count on the experts at Dental Team Fl. to address your needs.

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