Fluoride Treatment

We at Precious Pearls are constantly on the lookout for new dental technologies and procedures to help all of the children we treat. In order to provide the best treatment possible, we have decided to switch from fluoride foam treatments to fluoride varnish.

What makes fluoride varnish better? First off, it is almost twice as powerful as the traditional foam treatments. Where foam contains only 12,300 ppm fluoride, the varnish contains 22,600. It comes in the form of a thick sticky paste that adheres to teeth to minimize swallowing.

Fluoride varnish is very well tolerated as well. Infants, younger children, special needs individuals and anyone else coming to our offices for treatment will find it much more comfortable than traditional foam treatment. Moreover, it eliminates the need for bulky and uncomfortable foam trays.

Varnish is proven in many ways to slow, stop and even reverse the formation of cavities. Everyone is at risk of developing cavities, from the youngest infant to the oldest teens we treat. Here are some of the risk factors:

  • Infant use of a bottle past one year of age. Infant sleeping with a bottle containing juice, milk or other non-water liquids
  • Frequent breastfeeding without proper mouth cleaning afterwards, especially at night
  • Constant use of sugary medications
  • Constant consumption of sugary or starchy foods and beverages
  • Dental history of calcium loss, cavities and other oral issues
  • Many developmental disabilities
  • Fluoride varnish is unfamiliar to many patients, so here are some key points of information for parents and children who have varnish treatments.
  1. Fluoride varnish will make your child’s teeth look dull, not as shiny as they usually do when leaving the dentist. Their shine will return as the varnish wears off, usually within 24 hours.
  2. In order for the varnish to have the most benefit, it needs to remain in place as long as possible. This means your child should not brush or floss until the next morning.
  3. To help prevent early removal of the varnish, avoid abrasive or hard foods for the rest of the day. A soft diet is ideal for the day the varnish is applied.

Fluoride varnish treatments should be applied every six months for most children. Some children who have a high risk of cavities will benefit from a more frequent application of fluoride varnish, and we may recommend three-month intervals instead.