Am I too old for Fluoride? No way!


You’re never too old to be concerned about preventing tooth decay!

Children routinely get fluoride treatments with their 6 month annual cleanings. Unfortunately, many adults are unaware that they, too, can benefit from the fluoride treatment at our 6 month cleanings. Actually, fluoride plays a big role against decay throughout your entire life.

Fluoride is a natural element that helps make our teeth strong and prevent decay. Fluoride helps protect our teeth from acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in our mouth by remineralizing, or hardening, your tooth against the acid attack. Around 6 months – 16 years old, our primary & permanent teeth are coming in. Fluoride will help strengthen the tooth enamel while the teeth form and erupt. It also helps protect the teeth from decay. As we get older, our teeth are fully formed and we can still benefit from fluoride and it’s decay prevention.

Inside the mouth’s of teenagers & college students are where we find many sudden and/or new cavities, and these age groups are more likely to need root canals. Mostly due to a poor, high sugar diet that is found in fast foods, candy, pops and other drinks. Fluoride is very beneficial to this age range… As you can imagine. We love seeing our college patients and hearing all about college life. Funny – They never seem shocked when Dr. Hahn informs them that she found a cavity!  🙂

As we age and get older our gums start to recede and our root surfaces soften. This makes for a more high-risk opportunity for tooth decay where it once was pretty resistant. Some older patients will start to see a decrease in saliva. This is called dry mouth. Dry mouth is usually caused from medications or medical conditions. Our saliva is needed to prevent infection by controlling bacteria that is in our mouth. So if you have dry mouth, fluoride will help protect from the bacteria.

If you are an adult & have any of the following listed – you could benefit from Fluoride!


  • -frequent decay
  • -gum recession
  • -sensitive teeth
  • -dry mouth
  • -drink sodas, juice
  • -eat a lot of fruit
  • -high sugar diet
  • -infrequent brushing & flossing
  • -are currently in braces
  • -deal with reflux or ‘GERD’
  • -defects in teeth
  • – head or neck cancer with radiation

 

If you have any of the following red flags, call our office and let us know. Anytime you are in for a visit, Dr. Hahn will be able to do a check and see if you are a candidate for Fluoride.

Will insurance cover fluoride? Most plans cover up to age 16 years old and two times a year. All insurance plans are different. If your insurance won’t cover it – that does not mean you don’t need it! Flouride is VERY inexpensive, especially when compared to the costs of restorative dental care. Remember, your employer chooses your plan based on cost, not your dental needs. Insurance is here to HELP pay a portion of the treatment cost , not the whole amount. Look at it as a form of payment to help reduce your out of pocket expenses. By getting the fluoride treatment you will be reducing your future dental treatment needs and costs. Le tadalafil https://www.tricotin.com/lib/pages/ed.html est disponible sous différentes marques en France et vous n’avez pas besoin de recette pour acheter chez nous.

Fluoride is beneficial to our teeth from infancy – senior! Fluoride is safe, easy, painless and quickly applied. Call Rhoades Family Dentistry today to add Fluoride treatment to your next cleaning appointment.


See ya soon,

Your Teeth Protecting Crew at Rhoades Family Dentistry