The importance of fluoride for your dental health is often overlooked due to the amount of misinformation floating around regarding this topic. As many things, a high consumption of fluoride can be a cause for health concerns. However, using it as recommended is extremely beneficial for your oral health and is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). In this blog, we are going to share with you some of the many reasons fluoride is an essential part of your dental health routine.
Benefits of using fluoride on a regular basis
1. Prevents Tooth Decay
Regularly using fluoride helps maintain the strength of your tooth’s surface, preventing cavities from forming. With weak enamel, tooth decay is likely to occur resulting in cavities, root canals, or extractions of the teeth. According to the ADA, the use of fluoride mouth rinse, toothpaste, and/or fluoride treatments at your dental appointments, help keep the surface of your teeth strong and durable.
2. Puts minerals back into your teeth
The enamel on your teeth is broken down by the exposure to too much acidity. Fluoride reverses this damage by adding calcium and other minerals back into your teeth.
3. Minimizes tooth sensitivity
Fluoride toothpaste, and fluoride treatments at the dentist help build up tolerance to tooth sensitivity. It does this by reducing the amount of enamel being broken down. Strong enamel = less sensitivity!
4. Resistant to acidity in the mouth
One of the main reasons fluoride helps prevent cavities from forming is because it’s resistant to acidity. Foods and drinks that are high in acidity, break down your tooth enamel which over time, results in a cavity. The regular use of fluoride can help fight against the over abundance of acidity in the mouth.
5. Less emergency dental visits
Less cavities, tooth decay, and sensitivity will keep you from having to schedule extra office visits at your local dentist office. It’s recommended to see your dentist two times a year for dental check-ups and cleanings. However, by using fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste in between those visits, your enamel will stay strong and healthy. When tooth decay occurs, more dental appointments will be needed. Whether that be the filling of a cavity, a root canal, or a tooth extraction, the procedures can add up quickly. By incorporating the use of fluoride into your dental health routine, you may be saving yourself money in the long run!
Benefits of using fluoride while wearing braces
At Fry Orthodontics, we encourage all of our patients to use a fluoride mouth rinse daily. Wearing braces makes it even harder to keep teeth strong and healthy. Why? Because sugars can easily get trapped around brackets and wires, resulting in more cavities and a weakened enamel. Learning how to take good care of your teeth, especially while wearing braces, is crucial to the overall health of your smile. To learn more tips on how to care for your braces, click here.