How Often Should My Child Have a Fluoride Treatment?

We, at Dental Care of Greensboro, are proponents of prevention rather than treating dental decay and cavities after they develop. We are proud to offer quality preventive services, including fluoride treatments, to help our young patients maintain strong teeth and healthy smiles. The question is, how often does your child require a fluoride treatment for maximum protection? 

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral naturally found in water, soil, plants, rocks, and water. Touted as “nature’s cavity fighter” by the American Dental Association, fluoride has been shown to strengthen teeth and make them more resistant to decay and cavities. 

How Often Should Your Child Get a Fluoride Treatment?

At Dental Care of Greensboro, we typically recommend periodic fluoride treatments during your child’s twice-a-year routine dental exams and cleanings. Children prone to developing dental decay may require more frequent treatments. 

How Do Fluoride Treatments Help?

Fluoride helps strengthen your child’s teeth and makes them more resistant to cavity-causing bacteria, reducing the likelihood of future decay. An in-office fluoride treatment is one of the safest and most effective ways to prevent tooth decay and cavities altogether. Best of all, it helps repair areas with minor acid damage and reverses early tooth decay by re-mineralizing the tooth enamel. 

Do Baby Teeth Require Fluoride Treatments?

Baby teeth will eventually fall out, so they don’t require preventive fluoride treatments. Right? Wrong! The importance of maintaining healthy baby teeth cannot be overemphasized. Making sure these tiny pearly whites stay healthy and strong will safeguard your little one’s current and future oral health.

Baby teeth play an integral role in proper speech development and help with biting and chewing. Tooth decay in baby teeth can damage your child’s adult teeth developing behind the scenes, leading to long-term oral health problems. Moreover, losing primary teeth prematurely due to decay may result in the neighboring teeth shifting out of alignment and interfering with the permanent teeth when they are ready to come in. That can result in crooked teeth or a crowded mouth, meaning your child will likely require orthodontic treatment down the road. 

Are Fluoride Treatments Only for Children?

Children and adults can all benefit from fluoride treatments. Certain conditions make the procedure a necessary component of adult preventative dental care. At Dental Care of Greensboro, we may recommend in-office fluoride treatments for patients with an elevated risk of cavities due to insufficient fluoride intake, poor oral hygiene practices, smoking, gum disease, and dry mouth (xerostomia). Patients with dental crowns, bridges, or braces will also benefit from fluoride treatments. 

Quality Preventive Dental Care in Greensboro

Contact Dental Care of Greensboro to learn more about our fluoride treatments for strong and healthy teeth. We are all about prevention as the first line of defense against cavities and dental disease. Call us to schedule an appointment today!

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