How Long Do Kids Need Fluoride Treatments?

As a parent, it’s normal to feel responsible for your child’s dental hygiene, especially when they are still young and learning how to do things on their own. But helping your child brush their teeth every night and morning may not be enough to protect them from cavities. You might also need to start taking them for regular fluoride treatments to strengthen their teeth, so they don’t easily get cavities.

But as children get older and start growing permanent teeth, you might start wondering when the treatment would be unnecessary so you can stop taking your child for fluoride therapy. We thus came up with this article to discuss the benefits of fluoride treatment and how long kids need to keep getting it.

What Is Fluoride Treatment?

Fluoride treatment is a form of preventive dental care treatment which involves the application of fluoride products to the tooth surface to make teeth stronger and less susceptible to decay. There are various ways you can apply fluoride to your child’s teeth at home. However, we recommend taking your child to a pediatric dentist Houston TX for in-office fluoride treatment. In-office fluoride treatment is carried out by professionals who ensure the fluoride is applied to each of your child’s teeth, therefore, guaranteeing better results than at-home fluoride application. Below is how we usually apply fluoride varnish when you take your child to our pediatric dentist for in-office fluoride treatment.

How Fluoride Varnish Is Applied

There are other products we could use for fluoride treatment. However, we tend to prefer using fluoride varnish instead since it is safer for children and hardens quickly once it comes in contact with saliva. You don’t need to worry; your child will not be able to lick the varnish off nor feel any pain when we apply it.

Fluoride varnish application takes just a few minutes to complete and has a short recovery time that does not involve any pain or discomfort. Since some children tend to feel anxious during their first dental visit, we may ask you to hold yours as our dentist applies the varnish, so your child feels comfortable and less anxious.

Why It’s Important to Take Your Child for Fluoride Treatment

Children like consuming sugary food and drinks, often in the form of candy, juice, and ice cream. Although these food items are not always harmful to their health when taken in moderation, they can sometimes cause future dental problems. Sugar and starch release acids that can erode the tooth enamel, a protective layer that keeps off bacteria. When this happens, bacteria inside the mouth can damage the tooth’s inner layers, resulting in tooth cavities.

When you take your child for fluoride treatment near you, the fluoride gel or varnish applied to their teeth will make them less susceptible to decay. This is because fluoride forms a protective layer on the tooth surface, which makes it stronger and more resistant to acid attacks. In addition, fluoride can remineralize a tooth that had been demineralized due to acid attacks.

If your child is still very young and hasn’t lost their baby teeth, the fluoride applied can get into their developing permanent teeth, thus ensuring they are less susceptible to cavities after they erupt.

How Long Should Your Child’s Fluoride Treatment Last?

We recommend you start taking your kid to at least 2 fluoride treatments each year. The treatment is most crucial when teeth are still developing, so you should at least wait for your kid to turn 16 before taking them off fluoride treatment.

You can also continue with fluoride treatment in your adult years. The treatment was tested for several years, and the findings were positive. So if you are an adult and want to safeguard your teeth from cavities, visit any dental clinic near you for fluoride treatment. There is no age limit, and the treatment is affordable, so you can continue fluoride therapy for as long as you like.

Conclusion

Fluoride treatment is one of the most affordable and effective dental treatments available. The procedure is non-invasive, painless, and only takes a few minutes to complete. If you haven’t started taking your child for fluoride treatment, you should consider doing so as soon as possible, so they don’t fall victim to tooth decay. Take your child to Urbach Pediatric Dentistry today for the best pediatric dental care and fluoride treatment in Houston, TX.