Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Fluoride – Should I?




Fluoride provides a benefit to teeth by armoring them against decay. Most people understand how important this is for children, who tend to be very decay prone, but they forget that a certain segment of the adult population can also have an increased risk of decay.

“Periodontal disease often results in gum tissue receding. When that happens more tooth structure is exposed to decay. That’s not good,” says Dr. Denine Rice from her Riverside Periodontal Practice. “And to make it worse, many adults take one or more medications that list dry mouth as a side effect.”

The combination can prove detrimental to your oral health.

Additional fluoride can be provided in several ways. “You can find over the counter products, but they may have a lesser percentage of fluoride. You can also get a prescription, but perhaps the easiest way is taking care of it when you are in to see your dentist.”

Most dental providers will offer fluoride in gel, rinse, varnish or foam. “Doing it when you are at the office ensures that you are getting the protection your teeth need to stay healthy,” Dr. Rice adds.

And a healthy and happy mouth is what we should all want!


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