How Does Fluoride Treatment Benefit Your Teeth?

Fluoride treatment is a professional treatment that applies a strong dose of fluoride to your teeth to promote dental health. It is an in-office procedure that may take the form of varnish, gel, foam, or solution.

Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in rocks, water, soil, and air. It is present in body parts containing calcium, such as teeth and bones. Several dental products use fluoride to support the teeth and prevent cavities and decay.

The fluoride dentists use in treatments is like the one in fluoride toothpaste. But the treatments use more fluoride and may produce faster results.

So, what are the benefits of fluoride treatment?

Safeguards Your Enamel

The most popular benefit of fluoride treatment is its ability to guard your teeth.
 

The foods and drinks you take, like starches and sugars, break down and form acid in your mouth. Without proper cleaning, the acid can slowly eat away at your enamel. When the enamel wears away, your teeth become much more exposed. That leaves them sensitive to hot and cold foods and drinks.

Extreme tooth sensitivity can cause discomfort at any moment. Cleaning your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and getting fluoride treatments at your dentist’s office can help reduce tooth sensitivity and unpleasant sensations.

Stops Cavities and Tooth Decay

Bacteria is present everywhere, even inside your mouth. Eating starches and sugars enable the bacteria to release an acid that erodes the enamel. This process can damage your teeth and cause teeth cavities and decay if not fought with fluoride treatments.

Receiving fluoride treatments and using fluoride dental products at home will lower your risk of tooth cavities or decay. With that in mind, make it a priority to get regular fluoride treatments as part of prevention.

Adds Minerals to Your Teeth

Acid not only harms your enamel but also breaks down your tooth's structure by destroying calcium, fluoride, and phosphorus minerals. These minerals are crucial to your dental health. 
 

Without them, your teeth will weaken and start falling out. Similarly, your jawbone will not have enough strength to support your teeth. Fluoride slows down and reverses the damage by putting minerals back into your teeth. 

This remineralizing process eventually helps rebuild your teeth's minerals and repair damage.

Prevents Harmful Bacteria From Growing in Your Teeth and Gums

Fluoride can stop or kill harmful bacteria in your mouth by reducing their acid tolerance. 
 

Studies show that fluoride wraps itself around bacteria and blocks their activity. It stops the bacteria from carrying out their chemical processes that produce acid. That way, the bacteria cannot demineralize your teeth and cause decay and dental diseases.

Improves Your Oral Health

Fluoride treatment improves your dental health by reducing the bacteria and acid action in your mouth. That helps it strengthen your enamel and slow down tooth decay. Research shows that in some cases, fluoride can stop already-started tooth decay. 

If your dental hygiene is subpar, fluoride treatment could be the key to maintaining oral health. The next time you see your dentist, ask about fluoride treatments and how they can benefit your dental health.

For more on fluoride treatment benefits for teeth, visit Castro Valley Dentistry at our office in Castro Valley, California. Call (510) 674-0900 to book an appointment today.