What Does Fluoride Do For Teeth?

Many oral hygiene products such as popular brands of toothpaste and mouthwash contain fluoride. This helpful mineral is also often added to public water supplies due to its positive effects on oral health. Dr. Mark Sowell of Aesthetic Dentistry Centre is a Plano, TX dental provider who understands that the maintenance and care of your smile is an integral part of your overall health and well-being and we are privileged to be a partner in this endeavor. Read on below to learn more about how fluoride strengthens tooth enamel.

What Does Fluoride Do?

Fluoride has chemical properties that enable it to strengthen your tooth enamel. The enamel is the hard outer surface layer of the tooth that protects the sensitive tissues inside, and cavities can develop there when enamel has been weakened. Fluoride is often referred to as “nature’s cavity fighter” because of its amazing ability to strengthen teeth and restore weakened enamel.

How Does Fluoride Work?

Fluoride is a mineral naturally found in small amounts in all water sources. Our bodies cannot produce fluoride on their own so we must obtain it from outside sources such as drinking water or topical fluoride sources such toothpaste or mouthwash.

When we consume fluoridated products, it is absorbed by the tooth enamel from the inside out. It reverses early stages of tooth decay by helping the teeth replace calcium and phosphorus that rebuild and harden the enamel. Minerals present during this process, called remineralization, need fluoride to allow the enamel to absorb them to help keep it strong.

Why Kids May Need Fluoride Treatments

In children, fluoride works beneath the gum line before teeth have even emerged to ensure they are developing properly. Since children are still learning good oral hygiene, their dentist may suggest a topical treatment such as an at-home gel or an in-office fluoride varnish to ensure they are maximizing fluoride’s enamel-reinforcing benefits during this crucial stage of development.

Keep Enamel Strong At All Ages

Adults need fluoride, too. This is why many public water supplies have fluoride added to them, and most toothpaste and mouthwash include added fluoride as well. Combining topical treatments with drinking fluoridated water and using dental products made with fluoride helps keep teeth strong and provides large scale dental benefits across communities.

Fluoride Alone Won’t Do

Don’t forget to also schedule your routine dental exam in order to maintain good oral health and hygiene. Aesthetic Dentistry Centre in Plano, TX, is focused on the long term maintenance of a healthy, beautiful smile that provides you added confidence and the best possible quality of life. Schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Sowell online or call (972) 382-6855 to start restoring your smile today. Fluoride treatments are just one of the many ways you can help your smile stay healthy and strong for a long time to come.