Tooth decay is among the most common chronic diseases experienced by children. We’ve often thought that if there more people were aware of the widespread impact of early childhood tooth decay, they’d also probably be very relieved to learn that early childhood tooth decay is easy and inexpensive to prevent in most of the time.
When your kid goes to the dentist, they learn the value of oral hygiene and ensure their incoming teeth and shifting jaw structures are developing properly so as to not cause future problems. During routine visits, dentists can suggest more ways to protect kids’ teeth from early tooth decay with treatments like sealants. Another tool to prevent decay you might’ve heard mentioned lately, partly because an increasing number of dental insurance plans cover the application of it, is fluoride varnish treatment.
What is Fluoride Varnish?
Fluoride varnish is an application dentists can apply to kids’ teeth and is designed to achieve one or more of these goals:
- Prevent tooth decay
- Slow down tooth decay
- Stop tooth decay from getting worse
It’s essentially painted on the top and sides of teeth with a tiny brush-like applicator. It hardens and coats teeth to strengthen tooth structures like enamel. Fluoride varnish is very easy to apply, and many dental insurance plans have expanded their coverage to include the treatment as a preventive care benefit for kids.
Is Fluoride Varnish Safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved fluoride varnish as a “device.” Because of a large amount of research and data supporting its safety and effectiveness at preventing tooth decay, it can also be used to protect the teeth of infants, children, and adults. Fluoride has been extensively studied since the early 1940s, and it has safely been used all over the world to reduce the prevalence of tooth decay.
Fluoride varnish is safe for people even if they get additional fluoride from sources such as their water supply, fluoride-containing toothpastes, or special re-mineralizing mouthwashes.
How to Get the Most out of Your Fluoride Treatment
One of the best ways to get the most out of any dental treatment or procedure is to make sure you brush twice and floss at least once a day. A good regular oral hygiene routine will do wonders to prevent tooth decay and allow the varnish to do its job.
After your treatment, you should be able to enjoy most foods and drinks, but make sure to avoid any extra sticky foods, like taffy, or crunchy foods for about a day. In some cases, your dentist may recommend waiting until the next day to brush so your varnish can harden overnight.
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