Importance of Fluoride Treatment & Its Side Effects
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral resource that helps to prevent dental cavities and develop strong teeth. For over seven decades in the United States, tap water running through houses contained fluoride in small amounts. The purpose was to help reduce tooth decay in people living in the States. It was reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that this strategy was effective and helped reduce tooth decay by 25%.
What is Fluoride Treatment?
Fluoride treatment is used to forestall tooth decay in many people. As beneficial as fluoride treatment can be in protecting the teeth, it is important to know that not everyone can get fluoride treatment.
Fluoride treatment is the application of concentrated fluoride in form of a solution, gel, foam, or varnish to a person’s teeth to reduce the risk of dental cavities. It is usually done by a fluoride dentist or a hygienist and can be for in a dentist’s office. Some fluoride treatments in Kingwood, TX can be used at home but under the specific direction of a Kingwood dentist in 77339.
You may already know that your toothpaste contains some amount of fluoride. The fluoride used in fluoride treatment is the same as the one in your toothpaste, the difference is that the one used for fluoride treatment is more concentrated and the result is immediate.
The Usefulness of Fluoride and Fluoride Treatment
In the presence of fluoride, the body uses calcium, phosphate, and other minerals to repair weak tooth enamel. Also, fluoride is used during the formation of tooth enamel to amplify the strength of the enamel, make them immune to bacteria, and protect them from dental cavities for life. In people who are at risk of having cavities, fluoride can be instrumental in reducing the development of the cavity by destroying the cavity-causing bacteria.
Summarily, fluoride treatment from a dentist near River Falls Drive will reduce the possibility of the occurrence of a cavity, impede the development of a cavity, help you save time and money that will be spent to get a fluoride treatment, prolong the health of a baby tooth and so on. Other benefits of getting a fluoride treatment include the prevention of gum disease and the eventual loss of teeth. It also helps to lessen tooth pain.
According to the World Health Organization, a person’s oral health is a major determinant of the person’s general health and fluoride treatment helps to enhance oral health. This means that fluoride treatment can help to ensure your general health and help you prevent health conditions like heart disease that can occur as a result of poor oral health.
Side Effects of Fluoride and Fluoride Treatment
- Fluoride treatment helps to protect the teeth. However, certain natural health activities have stated that there might be disadvantages to using concentrated fluoride in high doses.
- They also asserted that this treatment might not be safe for children and the fluoridated water passing through water taps throughout the states might cause an outbreak of a disease.
- Some people have exhibited some side effects to fluoridated water or fluoride treatment but it has not been proven that this treatment can cause an outbreak of a disease. Some of these side effects are tooth discoloration, allergy, and so on.
- The most common side effect of fluoride is tooth discoloration or Fluorosis which is common in children. It occurs when children take in too much fluoride and it affects their baby or adult teeth that are still developing in their gums.
- Fluorosis occurs from mostly occurs in children from 0 to 8 years of age. As a result of this, the United States Public Health Service has regulated the quantity of fluoride that should be added to public water to prevent tooth decay and reduce the occurrence of tooth discoloration. Parents are also implored to make their children spit out toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- In rare cases, some people also exhibit allergies to fluoride. If fluoride is applied in very high doses, a person might also experience some toxic effects. However, it is recommended that daily intake of small amounts of fluoride is the best way to avoid tooth decay.
- Studies have proven the advantages of fluoride treatment and also that the side effects are very minuscule. If you have any questions about fluoride treatment, make sure you discuss your questions with your doctor before the treatment.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a professional Fluoride Treatment in Kingwood, TX, you can book an appointment with Houston Oral Healthcare Specialists.