When you visit your dentist for a routine checkup, one of the services usually offered is a fluoride treatment. You’ll either be asked to sit for a short time with a fluoride paste on your teeth, or your enamel will be painted with a fluoride varnish before you leave. While the benefits of these procedures may not be obvious, they are providing a vital mineral that strengthens your enamel.

Why Fluoride Treatment Is Important

Your dental enamel is hard white tissue on your teeth made up primarily of minerals like calcium and fluoride. Over time, bacteria in your mouth secrete an acid that weakens your enamel, allowing minerals to seep out of it. This makes your teeth softer, pitted, and more susceptible to cavities and infection.

Your body can replenish your enamel using minerals found in your food. But unlike the other essential minerals in this process, fluoride is not found in high enough levels in your food. Adding it to water can help, and many states do treat their drinking water with fluoride, but the most effective option is to have your dentist apply concentrated fluoride products directly to your teeth.

How It Works

The paste or varnish your dentist uses contains high levels of fluoride. By putting it directly against your teeth for a few minutes, your dentist allows the fluoride to seep in so it can be incorporated into your enamel. Afterward, you'll be asked not to eat or drink for a little while. This helps the fluoride already on your teeth to stay there a little longer, giving it a chance to be absorbed. It also reduces the bacterial activity in your mouth to avoid weakening the enamel further.

While a fluoride toothpaste can also help in similar ways, it is not concentrated enough or on your teeth for long enough to completely reverse the fluoride loss caused by bacteria, which is why this type of treatment is needed at your regular dental visits.

If you're overdue for a fluoride treatment, contact Tkatch Dentistry in High Point, NC. Drs. Tkatch, Patel, and Ferrell use their skills and training to ensure safety, high standards, and thorough education for patients from across Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, and Randolph counties. To make an appointment with a dentist, call (336) 889-9916 or send a message online.