You encourage your kiddo to brush teeth twice a day, along with flossing. Also, you take them to the Powell, TN dental office to get the daily dental checkups done. Such regular appointments with the dentist are all vital steps for keeping your child’s smile cavity-free. So, one of the crucial preventive steps that dentists recommend is dental fluoride treatment.
It is the most effective method to avert tooth decay and maintain optimum dental health among kids. Such treatment becomes more safe & efficient in reducing the cavity when combined with dental sealants in 95% of cases. So, what’s this treatment, and what are the benefits & side effects? Let’s discuss everything in detail!
Fluoride: Overview
It’s a naturally existing mineral found within the earth’s crust, water, foods, and widely throughout nature. As it’s the best way to prevent tooth decay, fluoride is often included in tap water supplies for drinking purposes and in toothpaste for adults and kids.
Why is Fluoride Essential?
When adults or kids eat or drink, the bacteria feed on starches and sugars and liberate acids that deteriorate the teeth’s protective layer, enamel. Cavities or tooth decay occur when enamel disintegrates. Fluoride infiltrates the enamel, making it robust and more invulnerable to acid attacks, which can deter premature tooth decay. Remineralization, the process by which minerals are redeposited into enamel after being washed away by acids (demineralization), is another benefit of this treatment.
For younger kids with baby teeth, fluoride merges into their growing permanent teeth. When the permanent teeth flash, they are less vulnerable to cavities. In older kids and adults, fluoride controls acid production and helps with remineralization. This implies fluoride can deter cavities in people of all ages.
Advantages of Dental Fluoride Treatments For Children
Flouride has innumerable advantages for the teeth:
- It helps kids better use minerals, including phosphate and calcium. The teeth reabsorb these minerals to mend feeble tooth enamel.
- It combines into the tooth structure when teeth grow to reinforce their enamel, making them less susceptible to cavities and bacteria.
- It minimizes or even flips the growth of cavities by destroying the bacteria-causing cavities.
When combined, these advantages might help to:
- Minimize the cavity risk.
- Postpone the pricey dental work requirement.
- Reduce the cavity growth.
- Maximize the life of baby teeth.
- Mitigate the amount of time and hard-earned cash individuals spend at the dentist.
By averting cavities and reducing the proliferation of bacteria, fluoride treatment might also:
- Minimize toothache.
- Prevent gum disease.
- Prevent premature teeth loss.
Flouride treatment may bolster oral health, which, per WHO, is a significant forecaster of overall health. 
Side Effects of Flouride Treatment
Tooth discoloration – It’s the most common side effect of fluoride treatment. Fluorosis is known as leaving white streaks on a kid’s teeth. It ensues when a kid ingests excessive fluoride while permanent teeth grow under the gums. Between infancy and 8 years of age, kids can develop fluorosis.
Toxic effects – Fluoride can be harmful if an individual applies it imprecisely or at significant doses, which is uncommon. ADA recommends the utilization of professional fluoride varnish on kids under 6 years old. Fluoride varnish is the most suitable option for young kids, as they tend to swallow gels or foams, which might cause vomiting and nausea.
Conclusion
Kids must get fluoride treatment twice yearly in Powell unless they have a high risk for tooth decay. At your kid’s first dental visit, which must be arranged at age one, the dentists will discuss your kid’s fluoride intake and decide when to begin the treatment. Nevertheless, these treatments must be followed until at least sixteen years of age.
