Fluoride treatments are professional dental procedures that involve applying a high-concentration fluoride solution, gel, foam, or varnish to your teeth. This helps strengthen tooth enamel and reduce the risk of cavities.
While fluoride toothpaste is a common daily preventive measure, professional fluoride treatments offer more concentrated doses, leading to faster and more significant benefits.
Our teeth lose minerals every day when acids produced by plaque and sugars in our mouth attack the enamel layers of our teeth. This process is called demineralization. When demineralization occurs, our teeth weaken making them more prone to developing cavities or tooth decay. Luckily, minerals found in our food and water such as fluoride, calcium, and phosphate can help protect and remineralize our teeth. Fluoride from other sources such as toothpaste and mouthwash also helps remineralize our teeth.
Gels and foams
Toothpaste (used 2-3 times a day)
Mouth rinse
Fluoride varnish
Water fluoridation (public water supply)
Dietary fluoride supplement
Daily fluoride treatment can be in the form of toothpaste or mouth rinses, however, these types have low fluoride content. For a more specific treatment with a higher concentration of fluoride, one must look into professional fluoride applications. Professionally applied fluoride can be in the form of gels or varnish.
The fluoride gel is usually placed in a foam tray, just enough to cover all the teeth in the arches. The teeth are dried with a few blasts of air then the fluoride tray is inserted into the patient’s mouth. The patient is asked to bite the tray to keep it stable and is kept in the mouth for 1 to 3 minutes.
Patients should not rinse, eat, smoke, or drink for at least 30 minutes after fluoride application.
Fluoride can make our teeth healthier stronger and more resistant to dental cavities. It helps reduce teeth sensitivity.
Too much fluoride can cause white patches (fluorosis) on your teeth.
Fluoride treatment prevents cavities for up to 4 months with good oral hygiene.