Dental care is very essential as it plays a vital role in your overall body’s health. Most people who eat sugary foods or people who don’t brush properly and regularly suffer from dental issues. Bacteria residing in teeth and gums produce acid and cause tooth decay forming a sticky layer on your tooth. It results in the decomposition of enamel, which results in severe other dental ailments.Â
In order to prevent these conditions, one must adopt regular brushing and other dental care procedures in a proper way. To further increase your teeth’ life, fluoride varnish treatment is one of the best options. It is one of the excellent dental treatments by which you can strengthen and make your teeth better.
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What is Fluoride?
Fluoride helps teeth in many ways. It is an important component for maintaining the oral cavity’s health by building strong teeth and preventing your teeth from cavities for long periods. It maintains the health of your teeth and provides a protective layer on your teeth for long-term protection. The fluoride fights against bacteria, which is the cause of cavities or tooth decay.
You will always find this component in many types of toothpaste and mouthwash. We can obtain this compound from other sources besides toothpaste, such as food, water, and vitamins. Fluoride is present in fish, bones, tea, and baby supplements. This is the thirteen most occurring mineral found in rocks, soil, and water.
Fluoride Varnish Treatment
A fluoride varnish treatment is a common dental treatment provided worldwide by professional dentists such as Southaven MS Dentist. The professional team of dentists uses a concentrated form of fluoride and applies it to the teeth with a swab, tray, brush, and any other useful tool. The fluoride taken for this treatment comes in various forms, such as foam, gel, varnish, or simple rinsing is also applied.
The permanent treatment employs more fluoride as compared to your regular toothpaste amount. It is a less expensive preventive therapy as compared to tooth repair. In this treatment, a few minutes are taken by your tooth enamel to absorb the compounds on the surface. The varnish or any other form is visible to you after the treatment, or you can feel it by rubbing your tongue.
How Long to Leave Fluoride Varnish on Teeth After Dentist
The fluoride varnish treatment should remain untouched for 4 to 6 hours after the dentist. Afterward, you can remove it from your teeth by brushing or flossing. The fluoride varnish absorbs on the tooth enamel and gives protection and strength to it. It is recommended by many dentists that this fluoride varnish treatment should be done after three, six, or twelve months in a year. This is the only way by which you can get the maximum benefit from this treatment.
What Should you Do After Fluoride Varnish Treatment?
When you have done your fluoride treatment, then you have to take some precautionary measures to make the fluoride stay for 4-6 hours approximately after treatment.
- Brushing and flossing should be avoided after the treatment
- Don’t take hot drinks such as coffee and tea.
- Hard and crunchy food should be avoided until six hours after the treatment.
- Don’t eat spicy, frozen, and sugary food items.
- Alcohol containing products should be avoided.
- Fluoride containing items like gels, toothpaste, and rinses should not be used.
- After the fluoride varnish treatment, any type of fluoride medication, such as Gel-Kam or Periomed, should be avoided for at least three days.
- You are allowed to eat hard boiled eggs, soup, liquid, and soft food such as mashed potatoes, bananas, and yogurt.
How Much Fluoride is Given to Patients?
The dose of fluoride in the treatment depends on several factors, such as the patient’s age. The dose for babies under three years is 1.5mg. Patients between the ages of 4 to 6 years should be treated with 2.5mg fluoride. Children of 7 to 10 years are given 2.5 to 5 mg, and adults are given 4 to 5 mg of fluoride.
Advantages of Fluoride Treatment
It protects your tooth by providing a stronger layer that protects teeth from decay. In this way, if one tooth is affected, the other sensitive parts and teeth remain safe. The fluoride restores the minerals of your teeth and inhibits the growth and spreading of cavities and plaque to other teeth. Overall this process is non-invasive, painless, quick, and easy.
Is it Safe for People of All Ages?
The fluoride varnish treatment is safe for all age groups as a minimal amount, according to age, is used so that it can’t be swallowed. The handling and absorption of this fluoride is easy. As far as safety is concerned, it depends upon the type of brands used for this treatment. If you use a low-quality brand, your teeth may turn yellow or dull after this treatment.
Conclusion
Fluoride varnish treatment is one of the best ways of getting strong and hard enamel. The treatment should be done repeatedly in a year. It has proven beneficial for people suffering from cavities and tooth decay. The amount depends upon the age of the person. For better results, patients should adopt all the necessary measures to make it stay on their teeth for a prescribed period.
