The severity of dental fluorosis varies and while many people won’t have their appearance
dramatically affected, others will. What exactly is dental fluorosis and what can you do about it?

Why Fluorosis Happens

Fluorosis happens when a person is exposed to too much fluoride as a child while the teeth are still developing. This fluoride could be from any source, whether it be drinking water or toothpaste with fluoride. Fluorosis usually presents as white spots on the teeth.

Once the teeth have erupted through the gum tissue, it’s no longer possible to get dental
fluorosis [1]. The change is exclusive to teeth that are still developing beneath the gumline, so usually the risk for fluorosis decreases once the permanent teeth begin to come in.

Available Treatments for Fluorosis

Once fluorosis happens, there’s no way to stop its effect on teeth. However, there are several available treatments for fluorosis that can help minimize or eliminate its appearance on your smile.

These treatments include a professional teeth whitening, microabrasion, and dental veneers[2]. For people who have mild fluorosis, teeth whitening can help reduce its appearance and may be the only treatment you need.

Microabrasion is a procedure your experienced dentist can perform that can help people who have more obvious fluorosis or white spots that won’t respond to a professional whitening.

During microabrasion, a small amount of tooth enamel is removed to restore the appearance of the teeth. Most dentists will use a fluoride treatment afterward to ensure tooth sensitivity is kept to a minimum following the procedure.

If the appearance of your dental fluorosis is severe or doesn’t respond to teeth whitening, you may opt for dental veneers. Dental veneers can cover the teeth affected by fluorosis and give you a new, brighter smile that permanently masks your fluorosis and looks natural.

Preventing Fluorosis

You can help prevent fluorosis in children, but once the permanent teeth are in, you’ll need to rely on professional dental treatment to improve the appearance of fluorosis.

To prevent this condition, ensuring your child gets the right amount of fluoride is best. You can talk to your dentist about your child’s fluoride exposure to determine if it’s appropriate for their age and health. Remember, the American Dental Association doesn’t recommend using fluoride toothpaste for children until they reach the age of two [3].

Your dentist can talk more with you about what’s best for your child to help prevent fluorosis from occurring.

Do You Have Fluorosis?

Do you have white spots on your teeth that have a somewhat chalky appearance? You don’t have to live with these spots and can receive dental treatment to help minimize their appearance on your smile. Schedule a consultation with your dentist today to discuss treatment for your dental fluorosis!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/f/fluorosis
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883808/
3. https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(14)60226-9/fulltext?dgcid=PromoSpots_EBDsite_fluoride-toothpaste-young-children

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The truth is that even if you have all these healthy habits, professional teeth cleanings are still
important. Even the most vigilant of brushers and flossers have plaque in spaces that are just
impossible to reach without the right tools. People often don’t realize they can still have plaque
or tartar in their mouths after brushing.

Fortunately, a simple trip to the dentist can get your teeth sparkly clean and typically takes less
than an hour. What can you expect during your regular teeth cleaning?

Exam and Tartar Removal

The majority of dental cleanings are done by a trained and experienced dental hygienist. Before
the official cleaning process starts, the hygienist will check your mouth for tooth decay, gum
disease, and other potential concerns.

If evidence of gum disease is present, the hygienist will consult with your dentist who may
discuss the possibility of a deeper cleaning process, also called a root planing and scaling [1].

Almost everyone will accumulate tartar—the hardened version of plaque—on their teeth that
will need to be removed during their cleaning with a scaler, or, a tool that scrapes tartar and
plaque off the teeth.

Your dentist may also conduct an oral cancer screening during your appointment, which is a
simple physical exam that looks for signs of cancer in the mouth.

Teeth Cleaning and Polishing

Once the tartar and plaque removal is done in addition to the exam, your hygienist will apply a
grainy toothpaste to your teeth and use an electric brush to deeply clean your teeth and
remove any remains of plaque.

This process is also known as teeth polishing and will help restore the shine and smoothness of
your teeth. Although the gritty material is designed to scrub your teeth, using a gentler
toothpaste and a soft toothbrush at home will help protect your teeth and gums in between
cleanings.

Flossing

It may feel silly for a hygienist to floss your teeth, especially if you do floss regularly at home.
However, it’ll feel even better to have a professional floss your pearly whites to remove any
possible leftover plaque. This essential step gets your teeth squeaky clean!

Rinse and Fluoride Application

Once all the harmful bacteria and plaque have been removed from your teeth, you’ll get a full-
mouth rinse before your hygienist applies a fluoride treatment.

This fluoride treatment will protect against cavities in between your teeth cleanings. The
fluoride application is designed to harden after approximately one minute, so there are no
eating or drinking restrictions after your appointment. Fluoride will help keep your tooth enamel strong and may be applied in a liquid, gel, or even a foam form by your dentist.

The frequency of your dental cleanings should be determined by your dentist based on your
unique oral health [2]. Some patients may need cleanings more frequently, some will need to
come in less often. Your regular cleaning is an excellent time to ask your hygienist or dentist any
questions about cleaning your teeth or any symptoms you’re experiencing and can help you
have a healthy smile for life!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/s/scaling-and-root-planing
2. https://www.ada.org/en/press-room/news-releases/2013-archive/june/american-dental-association-statement-on-regular-dental-visits

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We know that fluoride can help prevent tooth decay—but does it actually work to reverse cavities? Here’s what you need to know when it comes to fluoride’s abilities to return teeth to their normal state.

Fluoride Can Reverse Early Tooth Decay

Fluoride works by preventing the loss of essential nutrients from your tooth enamel. Largely composed of calcium, tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, it’s no match for acidic foods such as sugar that can quickly produce bacteria that actually eats away at the tooth enamel.

When it comes to fluoride, this element actually helps to prevent the loss of these minerals and works to replace them. Therefore, if you have a cavity in the very early stages—such as a white spot on your enamel that indicates a cavity is likely—fluoride can actually help to prevent the cavity from actually forming.

Fluoride Strengthens Tooth Enamel

Fluoride can support the body’s natural healing process—this includes your teeth! Your teeth can repair themselves, especially if the problem is caught early.

However, once a problem such as a cavity or gum disease has progressed, it’s harder to reverse. If you have an actual hole in your tooth enamel caused by decay, fluoride alone won’t be able to reverse the cavity, and you’ll need to seek treatment from your dentist to get the cavity filled.

If you catch your cavity early, fluoride treatments may be able to help prevent the cavity from worsening and stop harmful bacteria from damaging your teeth further.

Considering Fluoride Treatments

If you want to try and reverse your developing cavity with fluoride, it may be best to seek a fluoride treatment with your professional dentist.

This is a simple treatment in which your dentist will apply a fluoride solution on your teeth. Fluoride treatments help many people to avoid cavities and may be helpful in reversing your enamel damage to prevent decay and reverse early decay. Your dentist can let you know if your smile would benefit from a fluoride treatment and discuss the procedure with you during your appointment.

Are you worried that you have a cavity because of enamel damage? Don’t delay in seeking help from your dentist. With the application of fluoride, you may actually be able to reverse the cavity from damaging your tooth. However, remember that if your cavity has already progressed, your dentist will need to fill it. Ask your dentist about how fluoride can help your smile!

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How does dental fluorosis happen and what can you do about it? Here’s what you need to know about this condition that can impact your smile.

Dental Fluorosis Happens in Childhood

Essentially, dental fluorosis is a hypomineralization of the tooth enamel. This is caused by consuming too much fluoride in childhood while your teeth are still developing.

Dental fluorosis can only affect teeth that are still forming underneath the gumline. Once teeth erupt through the gumline, fluorosis cannot happen. It only happens during the developmental stage, so a risk for dental fluorosis exists until about age 8.

Excessive consumption of flouride could be from any source, including swallowing toothpaste or consuming too much drinking water that’s been treated with fluoride. Your dentist can help you determine the proper amount of fluoride needed for your child—not too much and not too little—to help prevent dental fluorosis in children.

Does Not Affect the Health of Teeth

Dental fluorosis isn’t an oral disease and doesn’t actually affect the health of your teeth. In many cases, the visual effect of dental fluorosis is so subtle that it won’t need treatment. Sometimes the effect of fluorosis can’t be seen by anyone except your dentist during checkups. Other times, the chalky appearance of the white marks on your teeth will be visible to anyone who sees your smile. In this event, you’ll likely want to get your dental fluorosis treated to minimize the appearance.

Treatment for Dental Fluorosis

Although dental fluorosis can be treated, the white marks are permanent and cannot be made to totally go away, although you may be able to minimize or eliminate the appearance of these marks.

You have several treatment options that you can discuss with your dentist, including:

 Teeth whitening. This can help remove surface stains and minimize the appearance of your fluorosis, especially if it’s subtle.

 Dental bonding. This is a good form of treatment when dental fluorosis is limited to certain areas. Bonding involves using a composite resin that bonds to the tooth enamel to minimize or cover up the appearance of your fluorosis.

 Dental crowns. For some patients, this may be the only option to minimize the fluorosis or completely cover it up.

 Dental veneers. Veneers are a good option when fluorosis is extreme and is visible to the naked eye. It’s important to discuss this option thoroughly with your dentist, as this treatment is irreversible.

 Microabrasion. This involves abrading off the surface layer of the enamel. This will help normalize your appearance but you will lose some enamel in the process.

You may also have the option of combining treatments to effectively treat your dental fluorosis. Regardless of how dental fluorosis has impacted your smile and your confidence, you can talk with your dentist about treatment options to help normalize your smile. Are you ready to minimize the appearance of your fluorosis? Schedule a consultation with your dentist to reveal your beautiful smile!

The post What Is Dental Fluorosis and How Is It Treated? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

The appearance of dental fluorosis can vary from person to person. Some people may have white lines in their enamel that look subtly different from the rest of their teeth. Other may have white flecks or spots in their enamel. However, dental fluorosis could also be present as brown stains on the teeth. Your enamel may even be grooved and make these dark areas difficult to clean. The good news is that although dental fluorosis isn’t harmful, it can still be treated if you’re self-conscious of your white marks.

Causes of Dental Fluorosis

Dental fluorosis is caused by a lack of minerals in your tooth’s enamel. This usually comes from the excessive consumption of fluoride. Fluoride is naturally present in water, but some cities add additional fluoride to their drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Although fluoride is generally considered a good thing by oral health care professionals, too much fluoride is just as bad as not enough. Between multiple sources of fluoride such as those from drinking water, toothpaste, and mouth rinses, children may be exposed to excessive amounts of fluoride that could lead to dental fluorosis.

How to Prevent It

The interesting thing about dental fluorosis is that it only happens during the formation of teeth in the jaw. This means the only time dental fluorosis can happen is during childhood after the primary teeth fall out and before the permanent teeth come in. In fact, it’s impossible for dental fluorosis to develop after the adult teeth have come in. Talk to your dentist about how much fluoride your kids actually need and what fluoride sources they’re exposed to. Your dentist can advise you if you should cut back on the fluoride. Ensure your kids don’t swallow their fluoride dental products. Some kids swallow because they taste good, but this can increase their fluoride intake and be dangerous!

Treatment Options

Fortunately, dental fluorosis isn’t a disease, just a cosmetic problem. Sometimes the uneven whitening is only noticeable by your dentist. For others, the white areas are more severe. For most people who have dental fluorosis, the whitening isn’t severe enough to warrant treatment as the appearance will be subtle.

Although fluorosis won’t cause other dental health problems, the stains will be permanent. Treatment can help mask the stains and improve the appearance of your smile. Your dentist might suggest professional teeth whitening to even out the white areas, crowns, or veneers to help alleviate the appearance of your dental fluorosis.

Having dental fluorosis can be a nuisance to your physical appearance, but there aren’t any lasting effects of this condition on your oral health. Talk to you dentist if you’re concerned about the look of your dental fluorosis, or if you want to know more about the appropriate amount of fluoride for your children’s teeth!

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Get That Cavity Filled

If your tooth decay is confined to a cavity or two, you can easily call your dentist and have him or her fill in the cavity with a non-mercury filling. You’ll have the choice of different materials when it comes to your filling, and your dentist can help you decide which one is right for you. Often, a composite resin material is best to fill those cavities and match the natural color of your teeth. You may also choose from glass ionomer or porcelain or ceramic fillings, the pros and cons of which you can discuss with your dentist.

Fluoride Treatments

If your decay is extensive or spreading throughout your mouth, a fluoride treatment could be beneficial! Fluoride can help to strengthen your enamel, and this mineral is found in many conventional toothpastes. Fluoride treatments can help your teeth to resist the bad bacteria and strong acids that lead to the erosion of your enamel. During this treatment, the fluoride is simply applied to your teeth to help re-mineralize them and help them resist decay naturally. You can talk with your dentist to discover if a fluoride treatment would benefit you.

Root Canals

If your tooth decay has spread to the center of your tooth (where your tooth’s nerves are), you may need to have a root canal procedure done to remove the decay or infection and replace it with a synthetic material. This can effectively halt the decay process and save your natural tooth, therefore avoiding an extraction. Your root canal procedure will be finished with a crown or filling to further protect your tooth.

Extractions

Unfortunately, there are times when the decay is extensive, so an extraction (or several extractions) are your dentist’s only option for your treatment. With proper care and regular checkups of your teeth, you may never need extractions for tooth decay. If you have poor oral hygiene habits and have been putting off the dentist, however, you may need extractions to treat your tooth decay.

Diet

Our diet plays a huge role in our oral health, and you can help your tooth decay to heal naturally by ensuring that you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D, all of which play vital roles in keeping our smiles healthy. Healthy fats and omega-3s can help to prevent decay and heal existing decay. Remember, processed foods and sugar are terribly for your teeth, and are the main contributors to tooth decay.

Treating tooth decay doesn’t have to painful. You can prevent tooth decay by eating healthy, getting regular checkups, and of course, brushing and flossing. For those times when you have a cavity or are concerned about tooth decay, visit your dentist for treatment!

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