Fluorine is a naturally occurring mineral found in the Earth’s crust, making it the 13th most abundant element found at this level. Fluoride can also be found in water, some foods, toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Fluoride helps control early tooth decay in several ways. Because of its anticariogenic and antimicrobial bonds, fluoride ion (F-) has been widely used in the treatment of dental caries. Firstly, the fluoride has the role of stopping the demineralization process of teeth caused by acid in the oral cavity. At the same time, it helps to remineralize carious lesions, so the enamel will become more resistant to acid attacks.
Another important role of fluoride is that it can decrease the amount of acid produced in plaque, thus preventing dental problems.
Fluoride accumulates in the enamel both in the pre-eruptive phase, where the uptake of ions is maximal, and in the post-eruptive phase of the teeth.
Fluoride is beneficial for both children and adults. The earlier children are exposed to fluoride, the less likely they are to develop tooth decay.
It is important to know that products with low concentrations of fluoride (toothpastes, mouthwashes) are for frequent use, while those with high concentrations (gels, varnishes) are for regular use, on the advice of your dentist.
Before the fluoride solution is applied, it is necessary to brush the teeth, after which the dentist will isolate the teeth with cotton wool rolls and dry the tooth surfaces. For 2-4 minutes the solution will work, after which rinsing is not recommended.
Indications
Topical fluoride products are prescribed for the following people:
Children over 6 years of age and adults with a low to medium caries risk or increased susceptibility.
Patients with braces,
To halt demineralization and initiate the remineralization process in patients with non-carious carious lesions
Fluoride is safe in adequate doses, but if children use this mineral in excess, it can cause enamel discoloration.
This disadvantage occurs especially when children swallow fluoride toothpaste, so it is important that they are supervised during brushing by an adult.
Most cases of dental fluorosis do not cause pain and do not affect the health or function of the teeth, but they do affect the appearance of the teeth by white spots on the affected tooth surfaces. Other rarer side effects of fluoride include bone fractures, skeletal fluorosis and even bone cancer.
Tooth decay is a preventable disease and fluoride is one of the prophylactic measures that can be taken to prevent the onset or development of carious lesions.
There are several ways of using fluoride, each with its own recommended concentration, frequency of use and dosing schedule.
If the directions given by your dentist are followed and the dose recommended by your dentist is not exceeded, fluoride can provide a number of benefits for both children and adults.
