Why Are My Gums Bleeding and Receding?
Your gums form the foundation for your beautiful smile. If they’re bleeding or receding, it’s a clear sign something’s wrong. Here, learn some of the most frequent causes of these all-too-common gum problems.
4 Benefits of Getting a Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride treatments are a staple of oral health care plans for kids and adults, offering significant benefits for keeping your teeth healthy and strong. You may know fluoride is an important ingredient in toothpaste and mouth rinses, but you may not know how fluoride works to protect your teeth or why regular fluoride treatments are so important.
At Novi Family Dentistry in Novi, Michigan, Abir Faraj, DDS, provides fluoride treatments during regular dental checkups for kids and adults. In this post, learn four important ways fluoride can benefit oral health for every member of your family.
1. Stronger tooth enamel
Enamel is the hardest substance in your body — harder than your bones. As the outer layer of your teeth, enamel helps keep germs at bay and defend against cavities.
Still, as hard as it is, enamel can weaken over time. Years of biting, chewing, and grinding can lead to worn enamel, as can exposure to acidic or sweet foods.
Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel by remineralizing your teeth, making enamel more resistant to erosion and acids. Over time, regular fluoride treatments can play a critical role in preventing cavities and more serious issues like tooth loss.
2. Reduced bacterial activity
Your mouth is home to millions of bacteria, including bacteria that cause cavities. As these bacteria grow and multiply, they release acids that eat away at your tooth enamel, making your teeth more prone to cavities and infection.
Fluoride treatments help prevent acid erosion by inhibiting bacterial growth and making it harder for bacteria to multiply. When bacterial populations are kept in check, you’re less likely to develop cavities and infections, including infections associated with gum disease.
3. Reverse early decay
Tooth decay happens in stages, with damage intensifying over time. In the earliest stages of decay, fluoride treatments can actually reverse tooth damage by halting bacterial growth and remineralizing areas where your enamel is weak or eroded.
Remineralization is a natural process that occurs when your body takes calcium and other minerals and redeposits them into your teeth, helping to strengthen and protect them. Fluoride facilitates this process so that remineralization is more effective.
By reversing those early stages of decay, fluoride treatments and natural remineralization undo enamel damage, helping you avoid the need for more invasive treatments like fillings. Plus, enhanced remineralization helps prevent decay in the future.
4. Less (or no) tooth sensitivity
In addition to protecting your teeth, your enamel provides a barrier between your tooth nerves and the external environment. When your enamel is worn, that barrier weakens, and your nerves become more sensitive to triggers like temperature changes or sweet or acidic foods.
Fluoride treatment reduces or eliminates sensitivity by fortifying the protective enamel area, helping repair weak or worn areas where sensitivity occurs. With regular treatments, you can experience less sensitivity and enjoy the foods you love.
As part of your regular oral health routine, fluoride treatments can protect your teeth and help you avoid problems requiring more invasive — and costly — therapies. To learn more about preventive treatments or to schedule a checkup, book an appointment with Dr. Faraj and our team by calling 313-646-7903 or scheduling online today.
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