Six Big Reasons for Adults to Get Fluoride Treatment

The enamel layer of your teeth is built of minerals such as calcium, phosphate, and fluoride. Daily demineralization causes the loss of minerals from your enamel through the effects of plaque bacteria and sugar. It is essential for your oral health that the normal demineralization process is balanced with remineralization that restores those lost essential minerals.

Fluoride treatments restore minerals to teeth enamel to protect your teeth from tooth decay and cavities. Studies have consistently shown fluoride application to be beneficial for children and adults.  There are several situations — medical and otherwise — that make fluoride treatments for adults especially important.

Medical circumstances with saliva-related side effects

Saliva contains mucus that actively protects teeth from the bacteria that causes cavities, Streptococcus mutans. Loss of saliva flow in your mouth undermines that protection and increases the risk that you’ll develop cavities. Several commonly prescribed and essential medications — antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antispasmodics, and anti-Parkinsonian drugs — reduce saliva flow. If you take those medications, fluoride treatments near you are even more essential.

Another medical situation that reduces saliva flow and increases the risk of cavity development is receiving radiation treatment for cancer. Radiation causes damage to your salivary glands which reduces saliva flow and produces a dry mouth. If you’re receiving radiation treatment, ask your dentist if fluoride treatment near you is appropriate to protect your teeth.

Receded gums

The roots of your teeth are more vulnerable to tooth decay than the enamel on the biting surfaces and exposed surfaces of your teeth. If you suffer receding gums for any reason — due to periodontal disease, for example — you should ask your dentist in Winnipeg about receiving fluoride treatment to protect your exposed teeth roots from decay and cavities.

Dental restorations

Crowns and bridges themselves are impervious to tooth decay and cavities. That’s not true about the margins of those restorations — the seams where the restoration meets your natural tooth material. Those need to be well-maintained with brushing, flossing, and mouthwash to eliminate the risk of cavities in those areas. Fluoride can provide essential cavity prevention in those areas.

Recent tooth decay

Teeth that have recently been treated for tooth decay are particularly vulnerable to recurrent tooth decay. If you have recently been treated for tooth decay, you should follow up on that treatment with fluoride treatment to minimize the risk that your tooth decay will reoccur.

Downfalls when it comes to your daily diligence

Fluoride treatments near you are not a substitute for daily oral hygiene habits — brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. Having said that, fluoride can provide essential backup if you have been neglecting those daily habits. Be honest with your dentist in Winnipeg about your commitment to daily oral hygiene. Your dentist will encourage you to up your game, but provide you with fluoride back up, too.

Sensitive teeth

Fluoride treatment may be especially important and rewarding if you suffer from sensitive teeth caused by things like an acidic diet, gum recession, or use of teeth whitening products. Fluoride treatments can reduce your tooth sensitivity by helping to restore the mineral content of your tooth enamel.

There are risks associated with taking excessive amounts of fluoride. Be sure to tell your dentist about all the possible sources of fluoride in your diet and lifestyle — sources like fluoride in well water and fluoridated toothpaste. Your dentist will ensure you get all the benefits of fluoride without being exposed to any inappropriate risks.

Do you experience any of these six circumstances that suggest fluoride treatment near you is even more important than it ordinarily would be? Discuss those circumstances with your dentist and ask for their advice about how to maximize your oral health and minimize the risk of cavities. Fluoride treatments can help — at any age.