Fluoride has become one of the most important tools average people and that dentists have to fight tooth decay and keep teeth healthy. It has helped many people to reduce the number of dental problems experienced every year. Not everyone is fully aware of why fluoride is so effective and necessary for dental health. You should know what fluoride is and how it works to protect our teeth.
What Fluoride Is
You need to start by understanding what fluoride actually is. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element. It is actually a version of fluorine with one added electron. Fluoride also contains a significant amount of calcium ions. Fluoride appears in many places from food and seawater to rocks and the soil. The presence of fluoride in water sources and wells was one of the factors leading scientists to discover how beneficial it is for the teeth. Although fluoride occurs naturally, much of the fluoride used for dental health is created artificially in laboratories to control the quality of the element. Fluoride today is added to our drinking water and other products to help protect our teeth every day.
It is important to know about demineralization when talking about fluoride and tooth decay. Demineralization is the process that will slowly destroy your teeth leading to cavities, decay and even tooth loss. This occurs whenever you eat or drink something containing a large amount of sugar. The sugar feeds bacteria in your mouth and adheres to your teeth. The bacteria release lactic acid that will destroy the important element calcium in your teeth. If you lose enough calcium, then you teeth become weak and bacteria can take root inside. This leads to tooth decay and cavities. This is the process known as demineralization.
Why Do We Need Fluoride
The connection between fluoride and tooth enamel is that it can prevent or even reverse demineralization. This occurs in a few different ways. Remineralization is the process of rebuilding the enamel in your teeth that was lost to demineralization. If your drink fluoride or use products containing fluoride, then it will slowly start to enter the tiny gaps created when calcium was lost. The fluoride and the calcium it contains can actually begin to replace the lost calcium in your teeth. This type of tooth enamel repair can reverse minor damage. Unfortunately, it cannot repair major tooth decay or large cavities. Remineralization happens automatically when you use fluoride products or drink the fluoridated water available in most communities today.
Fluoride Makes Your Teeth Stronger
Another reason why we need fluoride is that it makes your teeth stronger over time. This is mainly true for children who are still developing the enamel needed for adult teeth. Fluoride actually interacts with the development of new enamel. It modifies the structure of the basic enamel in a way that makes it stronger. The fluoride in the enamel makes the teeth much more resistant to damage caused by bacteria and other acids. The result is a person who will have fewer dental problems as an adult if proper oral hygiene procedures are followed every day. Adults benefit in a similar way because fluoride will rebuild the enamel wall that can keep out bacteria and other harmful substances. This reduces the chance of developing hypersensitivity and cavities.
Fluoride Can Fight Bacteria
A very complex process takes place between the harmful bacteria on your teeth and the fluoride in your mouth. Fluoride can actually prevent bacteria from making the destructive lactic acid that leads to demineralization. This is because the bacteria will attempt to integrate the fluoride sitting on the surface of your teeth. The fluoride starts to change the bacteria. A point will come when the bacteria become unable to produce a specific enzyme necessary to generate lactic acid. Fluoride will reduce how quickly the bacteria can harm your teeth. It can also sometimes reduce the accumulation of bacterial plaque that could cause discoloration.
Professional Fluoride Treatments
Dentists today can provide professional fluoride tooth treatment for people who have certain issues. These treatments can lead to tooth enamel repair and healthier overall teeth. Dentists have a few options. A gel or foam can be applied to the teeth containing a very high level of fluoride. The goal is to restore the teeth and reverse damage that could lead to tooth decay later. There is also a fluoride tooth treatment involving a glaze. The glaze is applied to the teeth to try to encourage or accelerate remineralization. These treatments can be very effective if tooth damage is caught early enough or if the patient is a child.
Fluoride Treatments At Home
You do have access to some fluoride tooth treatments at home. These are not as powerful as the ones administered by dentists. Several products today have fluoride added just to help your teeth. This includes most toothpastes, some mouthwashes and even some specialized treatments designed to whiten and repair your teeth at once. These can be useful if you do not get your fluoride from drinking water every day. These at-home treatments can encourage remineralization when done according to the instructions. They are not a substitute for brushing, flossing and visiting your dentist on a regular basis. This is also not a way to eat sugary foods and soda without any consequences.
People Who Need Fluoride the Most
Everyone needs fluoride in order to maintain healthy teeth and to fight tooth decay. Anyone who eats diet full of sugary and processed foods needs fluoride or a professional fluoride treatment. You need fluoride if you are not seeing a dentist on a regular basis since it will help to delay the development of cavities. Fluoride tooth treatments can help people who have a history of developing cavities or people who have restorative dental work. This is important because those individual are at a higher risk of tooth decay. Fluoride treatments from a dentist can help to preserve your natural teeth for as long as possible.
Contact Park Avenue Dental Today for Your Fluoride Tooth Treatment with Your Next Cleaning!
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