Protect and strengthen tooth enamel and shield molars from cavities and decay.
Children in particular benefit from fluoride treatment. As adult teeth come in, fluoride treatments help combat tooth decay through a process called remineralization. Acids from plaque and from the food we eat can wear down tooth enamel by sapping teeth of certain essential minerals. Fluoride treatment stops and reverses this process making tooth enamel stronger and more resistant to decay.
The biting surfaces of molars have plenty of grooves and fissures that can easily trap acidic plaque or food particles which may be difficult to clean. When children get new molars, dental sealant can be used to keep gunk out, protect their natural teeth and prevent decay. Dental sealants provide a protective shield for those vulnerable areas.
The Canadian Dental Association supports the appropriate and selective use of sealants for both primary and permanent teeth based on a risk assessment and diagnosis by a dentist. According to the CDA, sealants are an important component of a comprehensive preventive program, which includes nutritional counselling, optimal fluoride exposure, good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations.
Fluoride treatments are usually added on to your child’s routine teeth cleaning and exam once a year. Sealants are applied as needed, usually, after a new molar erupts or if the dentist recognizes a problem area on the biting surface of a tooth.
The fluoride treatment we use is stronger than store-bought because it is administered by medical professionals in our office. Our most common fluoride treatment comes in the form of foam or gel in an upper and lower tray. Fluoride only takes a few minutes to apply at the end of your teeth cleaning. We will ask that the patient avoids eating or drinking for 30 minutes after treatment for maximum benefits.
Dental sealants are very easy to apply and completely painless. There is no drilling required and you won’t need freezing. The dentist will carefully clean and dry the tooth. A mild acidic gel will be applied to the tooth to make the surface a little rough for the strongest bond. The dentist will rinse the gel off after a few seconds, dry the tooth again and then press and apply sealant into the grooves of the tooth. A speci
Your dentist or hygienist will advise you to wait 30 minutes after fluoride treatment before eating or drinking. This waiting period gives the fluoride a chance to absorb into your tooth enamel and do its thing.
Did you know that fluoride is actually a naturally occurring mineral? Small concentrations of fluoride are naturally present in some sources of drinking water. Scientists caught on to the benefits of fluoride when it was noticed that people who lived near fluorinated sources of water had less tooth decay. Since then, fluoride has been added to other sources of drinking water and to routine dental care regimens. Fluoride treatment has been safely preventing dental decay all over the world for generations.
Dental sealant is bonded to the biting surfaces of molars and acts as a shield to protect the vulnerable grooves and fissures of teeth from decay.
Dental sealants can last up to 10 years with routine oral hygiene and regular checkups. Make sure to brush and floss regularly and avoid acidic food and drink, especially before bed. If dental sealants become chipped or worn, a dentist or hygienist can easily repair it.