Fluoride: Cavity Fighter….!!!!

October 20, 2023 dental_admin 1 comment

Tooth decay (Cavity) is simply dissolution of enamel (tooth) by the acid formed in the mouth.

Topical Fluoride is a compound or chemical, which is applied on the outer most tooth surface, The Enamel. It makes the enamel strong and prevents teeth from cavities.

There are two ways how it can be done:

  1. Through Toothpaste
  2. By the Dentist
  1. THROUGH TOOTHPASTE:

Commonly available kids tooth paste for kids, except for few special ones, contain 300-400 ppm of fluoride which gives a superficial effect, every time the child brushes their teeth. It helps to prevent cavities, also helps to restrict the growth of cavities if at all they have developed. It is best advised for kids aged above 6 years.

But if the child has already developed too many cavities or is on frequent milk/food intake, like more than 6 meals in a day, the parents should shift to topical fluoride “BY THE DENTIST”

2. BY THE PEDIATRIC DENTIST:

Unlike the fluoride in the toothpaste which in range of 300-400 ppm, fluoride applied by the dentist contains 25000-30000 ppm of fluoride. Its like a bombarding of fluoride on enamel surface so that fluoride gets rapidly absorbed in the enamel withing few seconds. This helps  children with high risk of cavities or with rampant cavities.

Fluoride treatment done by dentists for kids is not a teeth-whitening treatment

NOTE: Fluoridated toothpaste is strictly for children above 6 years of age.