Fluoride Applications

If you live in the U.S., you’ve likely heard the word “fluoride” before. It’s a mineral that’s found in supplements, foods and even the public water supply across most of America – so the name might ring a few bells. But do you know what fluoride actually does – and why it’s added to so many things?

What is Fluoride?

Your tooth enamel is made from micro-crystals, which are in turn made from the minerals in your body. Two particularly important crystals are calcium and fluoride, both of which are depleted by the acids in your body as well as other natural processes.

In order to ensure that your enamel stays healthy, and protect yourself from dental problems like plaques, tartar, tooth decay and damaged teeth, you need both of these minerals. With calcium, this isn’t a problem; a diverse number of foods either contains the nutrient or is heavily fortified with it.

With fluoride, things are different. The mineral is rarer than calcium and few people realize that all of us, and young people in particular, need a substantial amount of it. As a result, few people supplement fluoride, even when they need it – and get weak, discolored or misshapen teeth as a result. If you want to avoid the same fate, you should educate yourself about fluoride and whether you might need it.

Fluoride Application & Supplementation

Ideally, your body should always have enough fluoride to replenish the crystals that form the enamel that your outer tooth is made from. That’s why the very best thing you can do, if you trend towards being deficient in fluoride, is to drink water that’s reinforced with the nutrient – or buy a set of quality pills.

(Just make sure to keep fluoride supplements FAR from small children, because the substance can be toxic when ingested in large amounts.)

Unfortunately, it’s not always smart to get the nutrient this way. You may be deficient in it already – and feel unable (or unwilling) to wait for the supplements to start working.

Alternatively, you may simply realize that you just don’t have the discipline to make sure you’re getting all the fluoride you need. Instead, you may prefer to get your teeth treated with the mineral in a professional setting when you come in for your regular check-ups or other dental work.

If that’s the case, then you’re the perfect candidate for our fluoride application services. In these, an experienced doctor first evaluates whether you need more of the mineral. Afterwards, he or she applies a fluoride solution to your teeth, making sure your enamel stays hard and healthy for months afterwards.

If you’d like to learn about fluoride application at our clinic, or find out more about effective fluoride supplementation for yourself and your kids, call us today at (781) 767-1400. We’ll be happy to consult you completely free of charge!