Useful
Why would you need teeth fluoridation?
Numerous patients of various dental clinics are in need of additional strengthening of their teeth’ enamel. Strengthening teeth’ enamel may be required for prevention of tooth decay or due to increased teeth’ sensitivity, also known as hyperesthesia. The need to strengthen the teeth may also resurface due to lack of fluoride and calcium. One of the strengthening procedures is teeth fluoridation using fluorine-containing solutions and varnishes. Fluorides strengthen teeth resistance to the effects of acidic environment and significantly reduce bacteria’s metabolism. Fluoridation allows you to saturate tooth enamel with fluoride ions, which significantly slow down the caries formation process along with tooth decay.
Fluoridation may be simple and comprehensive. Simple tooth fluoridation is a common and absolutely painless process - a special lacquer is used, which is applied with a brush to the surface of one’s teeth. This method requires the procedure to be carried out in 3 - 4 sessions. Thanks to these techniques, highly dispersed calcium fluoride does not deposit in the depth of the pores of the tooth enamel that has begun to deteriorate, as it does in case of comprehensive fluorination.
The "comprehensive fluoridation" term and the technology itself were initially developed by a German professor - A. Knappvost. Enamel-sealing solutions are used for comprehensive fluoridation. First of all, it is crucial to clean the teeth and the interdental space from plaque and tartar. Then the teeth are dried using warm air and an enamel-sealing liquid is applied with a swab for 1 - 2 minutes, after which the teeth are dried with warm air yet again. Then the teeth are carefully processed with a swab filled with calcium hydroxide milk and one’s mouth is being rinsed with water. When one’s teeth are processed with enamel-sealing liquid, it penetrates into the pores of deteriorating enamel. Calcium hydroxide inside the pores is interacting with a complex of silicic fluoride, forming smallest crystals of calcium fluoride and a silicic acid gel. Due to their physicochemical characteristics, formed crystals are so small that they successfully penetrate the pores of the enamel, creating a concentration of fluoride ions, which is 5 times higher than when using simple tooth fluoridation. When carrying out comprehensive fluoridation, no damage is done to mineral substance of one’s teeth, since calcium is not removed.
As you know, fluoride plays a genuinely major role in teeth formation process. Deficiency of fluorine in water and food contributes to rapid formation of caries in children. Therefore, specialists from different dental clinics recommend applying a complex dental fluoridation system on a regular basis, beginning with an early age. According to statistics, every third child of our country at the age of 10 to 12 years has a dental structure disorder, whereas in Europe, due to water fluoridation, only a single child from a hundred has caries issues. Depending on clinical situation, both simple and comprehensive fluoridation of children's teeth can be used to greater benefit. Thanks to comprehensive fluoridation of children's teeth, the hardness of enamel is improved ten times, the risk of caries is significantly reduced, and teeth hypersensitivity is decreased as well.
Silvering technique is used as an alternative to fluoridation, making it possible to effectively combat tooth decay of milk teeth. Child’s teeth are covered with a solution containing silver, forming the thinnest membrane and significantly slowing down caries development. In most of the cases, this method allows you to stretch time to the age when the child will be ready for proper tooth treatment. Silvering is not a cure. This is a kind of preservation of affected tooth tissues, which allows us to "catch" and "freeze" caries during the early stages. The procedure is simple, painless and does not cause negative emotions for the child to begin with.
An integrated system of comprehensive teeth fluoridation for both children and adults is recommended to be based on individual cases as well as doctor’s recommendations.
Denta Vita clinic doctor-therapist Elena Kondratyuk.