Fluoride is essential for your teeth and helps keep your enamel strong and healthy. Your Elk Grove, CA, dentist sometimes recommends fluoride treatments if your enamel is compromised or you’re prone to breakage and decay.
Let’s explore fluoride and its importance for a healthy smile.
Essential Benefits of Fluoride for Teeth
Fluoride is a mineral found in many foods and drinks, including specific types of canned fish, raisins, oatmeal, tea, coffee, and water. Your dentist can also provide fluoride treatments to your teeth during regular exams and checkups.
Fluoride benefits your teeth by strengthening enamel and helping it resist acids. It restores minerals to the teeth to slow or stop tooth decay. Additionally, fluoride helps prevent the formation of acids through bacteria. It is acids that weaken tooth enamel, causing cavities and damage.
Because fluoride benefits teeth, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends only using fluoride-rich toothpaste carrying the ADA seal of approval.
Preventive Dentistry and Oral Hygiene
Prevention is crucial for a long-term healthy smile, and fluoride through toothpaste and drinking water is an essential part of prevention.
Additionally, you should see your dentist every six months for dental checkups and teeth cleanings. This is the
schedule recommended when teeth are healthy. Your dentist provides a customized schedule if you have gingivitis or gum disease.
Besides visiting the dentist every six months, brushing your teeth at least twice daily and flossing at least once is vital.
Finally, contact your dentist if you notice changes between checkups and teeth cleanings, including tooth sensitivity, sores that don’t heal, loose teeth, chronic bad breath, bleeding gums, or other issues.
Schedule Your Next Checkup and Teeth Cleaning in Elk Grove, CA
To learn more about our treatments and services or book a preventive checkup and dental cleaning, contact a helpful team member today.
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