Post Care Guide to Keep in Mind After Fluoride Treatment

The teeth are essential in human beings. Without them, biting, tearing, chewing, and grinding food will be impossible, speech production and word pronunciation will be difficult, and the face will sag and develop wrinkles because the teeth are responsible for the shape of the face and support of the jaws.

Despite the numerous functions that the teeth perform, it is also easy for them to become damaged through dental defects and diseases. Therefore, it is essential to fortify them through preventive dental care measures like fluoride treatment in Oakland, CA.

A dental fluoride treatment is a professional preventive dental measure that involves the application of a high concentration of fluoride to an individual’s teeth. Fluoride is a natural mineral found in teeth and bones. It is also found in natural resources like water, air, plants, soil, rocks, etc.

Fluoride strengthens the enamel (outer layer of the teeth) to improve oral health and reduce the risks of dental cavities and other diseases. Fluoride treatment can come in a liquid solution, fluoride varnish, gel, or foam.

Fluoride helps the teeth reabsorb minerals like phosphate and calcium, which help repair a weak tooth’s enamel. When absorbed into the tooth structure during development, fluoride strengthens the teeth and fortifies them against bacteria and cavities. It also slows down and even reverses dental cavities’ growth and destroys the bacteria that causes it.

These are reasons why you should consider getting a fluoride treatment with Franklin Dental care. Although fluoride is present in some toothpaste and most of America’s tap water, it cannot be as effective as getting fluoride treatment near you.

What Happens During A Professional Fluoride Treatment?

Professional fluoride treatments are painless and usually only take a few minutes. The fluoride applied on your teeth can come in a gel, a highly concentrated rinse, a foam, or fluoride varnish and can be used with a swab, brush, tray, or mouthwash.

Before fluoride is applied to your teeth, you might have to undergo professional teeth cleaning procedure to remove excess dental plaques and tartar from the surface of the teeth. That ensures that your teeth’ surface is smooth for fluoride application.

Once the teeth are clean, fluoride will be applied to the surface of the teeth. To ensure your teeth’ total absorption of the fluoride, you should avoid eating or drinking for about 30 minutes after the procedure.

Depending on the state of your oral health, your dentist might recommend fluoride treatments every six to twelve months. Fluoride treatments should not be done frequently to avoid fluorosis (discoloration of the teeth due to fluoride exposure). Suppose you are at higher risk of tooth decay and dental cavities. In that case, your dentist might recommend other preventive measures such as antibacterial mouth rinses, over-the-counter fluoride mouth rinses or gels, etc.

Fluoride Treatment Aftercare

To ensure positive, long-lasting results after a professional fluoride treatment, there are precautions you must take. These include:

• Avoid using other additional fluoride treatments because high amounts of fluoride can destroy the teeth.

• Avoid brushing or flossing for about four to six hours after professional fluoride treatment. That is to prevent you from wiping off the fluoride before your teeth absorb it.

• Avoid smoking, alcohol, or alcoholic products.

• Stick to a soft diet for a couple of hours after professional fluoride treatment.

• Avoid drinking hot beverages for at least about six hours after treatment.

What To Eat After Fluoride Aftercare

It is advisable to wait for 30 minutes after a fluoride treatment to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride before eating. If you must eat after 30 minutes, take soft foods because they will not reduce the effectiveness of fluoride treatment, unlike hard foods. You can make mashed potatoes, mashed bananas, blended soups, scrambled eggs, applesauce, yogurt, etc.

You are to avoid citrus fruits, crunchy or hard textured foods, sugary drinks, spicy foods, and frozen or freezing foods after a fluoride treatment to ensure effectiveness.