Floride Treatment for an Adult?

[bean29]

DH went to the Dentist Yesterday and they recommended he get Floride treatment on his teeth. I thought Floride treatment was only done on kids under 18.

It is also my understanding that even for kids it is contoversial if it is necessary. We do have floride added to our local water.

DH says they charged him $42.00. We do not have insurance so the Cleaning + the Floride was 222.30 and he paid at time of appointment.

[Deleted]

I don't think there is any doubt that fluoride in kids is beneficial for oral health. For adults, there is some thinking that it helps keep your teeth healthy.

With fluoride in your water and (I assume) in your toothpaste he should be getting enough, but I am not a dentist. $42 is not that much moolah, but he shouldn't feel bullied into it if he doesn't want it.

[Deleted]

Fluoride is good for your teeth...
DH and I just swish some ACT every day.

[TD2K]

DH says they charged him $42.00.

I've had fluoride treatments, it's a thick liquid they swab over the teeth (in my case, it's the roots that are getting partially exposed) and I've also got a high fluoride toothpaste I use. Mine was less than half of that if I remember correctly.

The theory is that the fluoride remineralize the enamel making it harder for a cavity to start.

[thyme4change]

I do the fluoride treatments every 12 months at the dentist. They also charge me around the same amount. I don't drink municipal water, only filtered - which removes the fluoride - so I like the idea of adding it back in.

And, in 10 years they will find out it is the worst thing ever for you and I'll die of cancer - but I will have beautiful teeth at my cremation!

[The J]

I had fluoride treatments until I was 21. Then my dentist said there was no need. One year later, I had my first cavity. So I started getting them again until I was 25. I haven't had a cavity since.

[illinicheme]

Apr 1, 2011 11:29:12 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I do the fluoride treatments every 12 months at the dentist. They also charge me around the same amount. I don't drink municipal water, only filtered - which removes the fluoride - so I like the idea of adding it back in.

And, in 10 years they will find out it is the worst thing ever for you and I'll die of cancer - but I will have beautiful teeth at my cremation!

Most of the common water filters (Brita, Pur, etc.) do not remove the fluoride.

[illinicheme]

Doh - double post.

This message has been deleted.

[illinicheme]

I was dismayed to learn that the town we recently moved to is one of the few places in our state that does NOT fluoridate their water. Going to be annoying when/if we have kids.

For adults, the benefits of fluoride probably depend on your tooth genetics. I have "soft" teeth, and therefore little doubt that fluoride is still beneficial to me as an adult. I have known people with beautiful teeth who haven't been to the dentist in ages, and then come away with no cavities. Those lucky folks probably don't need to worry about fluoride.

[thyme4change]

Most of the common water filters (Brita, Pur, etc.) do not remove the fluoride.

I buy the 5 gallon jugs at the stores with the RO mega-filters. A city planner told me those removed the fluoride - but I never verified. I'm not sure it will really change my mind on the fluoride treatments. I hate getting fillings - so I'd rather err on the side of getting the fluoride treatments, even if they do nothing, then not getting them and having a money hungry dentist drilling holes in my head every 18 months.

[pig]

Your enamel will not come back and it wears off as you get older. I get flouride treatment (it is NOT the same as drinking flouride) at every dentist visit. The flouride in contact with your teeth can help any degrading enamel. Well worth it imho.

[973beachbum]

I have known people with beautiful teeth who haven't been to the dentist in ages, and then come away with no cavities. Those lucky folks probably don't need to worry about fluoride.

I would bet that where they live they have water that is naturally high in fluoride. That is why they don't have any cavities.

I have heard of places that the natural fluoride is so high the dentists who do need to drill actually find it hard to do because the teeth are so hard.

[azphx1972]

Fluoride also helps with sensitivity. Ask me how I know. ;D

[illinicheme]

Apr 1, 2011 13:07:47 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

I have known people with beautiful teeth who haven't been to the dentist in ages, and then come away with no cavities. Those lucky folks probably don't need to worry about fluoride.

I would bet that where they live they have water that is naturally high in fluoride. That is why they don't have any cavities.

I have heard of places that the natural fluoride is so high the dentists who do need to drill actually find it hard to do because the teeth are so hard.

I'm sure there's some regional differences, but I was referring to people I know who live around me. I think genetics plays a bigger role in dental health than people sometimes realize.

[thyme4change]

I agree that there are genetically bad and good teeth.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

The fluoride treatment was probably done because your DH has some exposed roots. Root caries occur when you have recession of the gingiva and the unenamelled tooth becomes exposed. Because these areas are far more sensitive, you're not as likely to clean them well. This usually it happens in older adults.

As someone else mentioned, it also helps with the deaden some of the sensitivity that occurs with recession.

[busymom]

Fluoride is cheaper than fillings. (And a lot less painful too!)

[Plain Old Petunia]

I have Smile Savers dental insurance, it costs right around $80 per year. When I go to the dentist, I pay $36 for my regular check-up and cleaning.

[973beachbum]

Apr 1, 2011 20:31:49 GMT -5 @patstab said:

We have well water that is not flouridated so our dentist does the flouride treatment. I don't like the idea of putting stuff like that in our water, I am very concerned about how it effects our health. I have lived on well water many a year.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. The fact that you have a well doesn't mean that there is nor fluoride in ti. It only means that it isn't a measured amount like with a municipal supply.

In fact all the cases of fluorosis that I have ever heard about were from wells with naturally high levels of fluoride in the water.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

In fact all the cases of fluorosis that I have ever heard about were from wells with naturally high levels of fluoride in the water.

Yep. Particularly since the levels are not controlled.

[973beachbum]

Apr 1, 2011 21:22:06 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

In fact all the cases of fluorosis that I have ever heard about were from wells with naturally high levels of fluoride in the water.

Yep. Particularly since the levels are not controlled.

Mich the part that scares me, and I have a well , is that it never occurs to most people that they should have the water that comes from a well tested periodically to make sure there is nothing wrong.

[973beachbum]

"Fluoride is present in water as "ions" or electrically charged atoms.27 These ions are the same whether acquired by water as it seeps through rocks and sand or added to the water supply under carefully controlled conditions. When fluoride is added under controlled conditions to fluoride-deficient water, the dental benefits are the same as those obtained from naturally fluoridated water. Fluoridation is merely a supplementation of the naturally occurring fluoride present in all drinking water sources.

Some individuals mistakenly use the term "artificial fluoridation" to imply that the process of water fluoridation is unnatural and that it delivers a foreign substance into a water supply when, in fact, all water sources contain some fluoride."

Short answer is no there is no difference except natural flouride isn't measured before being put into the water.

[midjd]

Somewhat unrelated, but my old dentist told me that if you have a high fever as an infant (before teething), your teeth will often come out "soft". I don't know how true this is, but I have always been very cavity-prone, regardless of my dental habits. I brush my teeth WAY more than DH yet he never gets cavities. Frustrating.

Does your DH get cavities? I don't think the fluoride treatments can hurt - but if you don't want to spend the money, and he rarely gets cavities, probably not a big deal.

[bean29]

Thank you for all the responses.

My DH has hard teeth and rarely gets cavities. He did lose two fillings and need a new filling this time though.

He does floss and brush pretty regularly. I feel better about the fluoride now though.

One reason I was concerned is my Mom is a health nut and I knew fluoride is controversial and that it can be a carcinogen.