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Fluoride
| The outer layer of the crown of a tooth is made of closely packed mineral crystals. Every day, minerals are lost and gained from inside the enamel crystals in processes called demineralization and remineralization.
Demineralization is when acids in the mouth dissolve the enamel crystals that make up the outer layer of the crown of the tooth. These acids are formed by the combination of plaque bacteria and sugar in your mouth. This process is balanced by remineralization, in which minerals such as fluoride, calcium and phosphate are deposited inside the enamel. Too much demineralization without enough remineralization to repair the enamel leads to tooth decay.
Fluoride helps teeth in two ways. When children eat or drink fluoride in small doses, it enters the bloodstream and becomes part of their developing permanent teeth and makes it harder for acids to cause demineralization. Fluoride also works directly on teeth in the mouths of children and adults by helping to speed remineralization and disrupt the production of acids by bacteria.
Fluoride in foods, fluoride supplements and fluoridated water enter the bloodstream through the stomach, then are absorbed into the body. In children, the fluoride then becomes available to the teeth that are developing in the jaw.
Topical fluoride products are applied directly to the teeth. They include toothpaste, mouth rinses and professionally applied fluoride treatments. Topical fluoride treatments are in the mouth for only a short time but fluoride levels in the mouth remain higher for several hours afterward. Fluoride found in the water and in food products also works this way because the water washes over the teeth and some fluoride remains in the saliva.
Fluoride treatments are given in a dental office and are applied as a gel, foam or varnish during a dental appointment. The fluoride used for these treatments is at much higher strength than mouthwashes or toothpastes. Fluoride supplements also are available by prescription, and usually are reserved for children who live in areas without community water fluoridation. Children who need supplements receive them from ages 6 months to 16 years. | | Send this story to a friend | Printer Friendly |
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