Jan 01, 2023
Have you been reluctant to visit your dentist for the suggested fluoride treatments at three, six, or 12 monthly intervals? If you have, we recommend you reconsider your reluctance because fluoride treatments near you are a painless and minimally invasive technique to strengthen your tooth enamel to prevent tooth decay. You may have held back, thinking the treatment requires plenty of time and may also involve downtime. Instead, you will express surprise with information that fluoride treatments require a few minutes because the procedure is straightforward and doesn’t need any after-care.
Below is more information about fluoride treatments and the guidelines to care for your teeth after the therapy. Kindly read to understand what you are risking by refusing this excellent treatment that helps prevent cavities in your teeth.
The Fluoride Therapy Process
Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral in oral healthcare, helps strengthen teeth, enamel, and bones. Applying fluoride directly to your teeth adds minerals to the teeth and keeps the teeth strong, and prevents tooth decay. You might receive systemic fluoride by consuming fluoridated water in your community or using fluoride toothpaste to brush your teeth. The ADA and CDC confirm that fluoride in drinking water has helped reduce tooth decay by approximately 25 percent in the country. Suppose you are diligent with routine dental exams. In that case, you receive a professional fluoride treatment from the dentist and recommendations for at-home fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash if you are prone to tooth decay.
When and What to Eat after Fluoride Treatment?
Having mentioned earlier that fluoride treatments require a few minutes to complete without involving downtime, it would be a gross injustice to impose restrictions on you for eating or drinking. However, you might have to wait 30 minutes following in-office fluoride treatment in Baltimore, MD, before you can have the foods and beverages you want without restrictions. The minor inconvenience is allowing your teeth to absorb the fluoride to provide optimal benefits. In addition, the 30-minute interval allows time for fluoride therapy to seal teeth, making them resistant to decay.
In addition, after waiting for 30 minutes, if you want information on what foods you can eat or avoid, the dentist in Baltimore, MD, suggests the following.
Following in-office fluoride therapy, your teeth and gums become sensitive, making it essential to avoid scorching or freezing foods and beverages. In addition, you must also avoid acidic foods responsible for enamel erosion.
The Baltimore dentist suggests avoiding citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, spicy foods, hard textured or crunchy foods, frozen cold drinks like popsicles, and ice cream, besides sugary beverages.
The dentist suggests having soft foods like applesauce, mashed potatoes, yogurt, bananas, soups, liquid foods, and hard-boiled eggs.
The restrictions imposed after receiving fluoride treatment from the Baltimore provider don’t last forever. They are just a precaution for a couple of days, after which you can continue eating anything you prefer and love.
What Does in-Office Fluoride Treatment Involve?
In-office fluoride treatments and minimally invasive and completed by the dentist in a few minutes if you have scheduled a separate appointment to receive this therapy.
If you are undergoing a routine exam and cleaning, the dental hygienist gives you a fluoride treatment after polishing your teeth at the end of your cleaning procedure. However, exclusive in-office fluoride treatments differ because the dentist inquires about your dental and general to determine the optimal fluoride therapy for you.
You will receive the fluoride on your teeth in the form of gel, varnish, and foam applied over your teeth and left in place for a few minutes. After the dentist is convinced your teeth have received the fluoride they need, they ask you to rinse your mouth and provide instructions not to eat or drink anything for the next 30 minutes with the list of foods and beverages you must avoid for a limited period to reap the full benefits of fluoride treatments.
If you think the sensitivity from fluoride treatments is concerning, you can discuss using a desensitizing toothpaste to reduce the sensitivity. However, if it doesn’t subside, consult the problem with the Baltimore dentist to receive a quick fluoride treatment that significantly improves your everyday life.
Suppose you have not received fluoride treatments for some time. In that case, we suggest you contact Canton Crossing Dental to receive this beneficial therapy to safeguard your teeth from tooth decay and cavities. In addition, the treatment is minimally invasive and doesn’t compel you to give up foods and beverages for extended periods while strengthening your tooth enamel.
