We recommend supplementing with fluoride, especially for children. Since adding fluoride to public drinking water, there’s been a dramatic reduction in cavities. When taken as prescribed, fluoride is not only safe but vital for healthy teeth.

Fluoride is all-natural! It is actually a mineral found in water, soil, and plants.

Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, repairs demineralized areas by adding calcium back into the tooth, and makes enamel more resistant to decay and the acids and plaque that cause decay.

Topical fluorides are fluorides applied to the outside of your teeth like toothpaste and fluoride mouth rinses. Topical fluoride, like fluoride in toothpaste, helps make the teeth harder and more resistant to decay from the outside of the tooth. Read the label on your toothpaste and be sure it contains fluoride and is ADA approved.

Fluoride varnish, gel, or foam applied in your dental office is another topical fluoride that contains more fluoride than your toothpaste or mouth rinse can provide. Children wearing orthodontic braces and appliances should use fluoride more frequently to prevent cavities when thorough brushing is more difficult. In addition to fluoride treatments at dental visits, orthodontic patients should also be using fluoride rinse or prescription toothpaste or rinse with higher fluoride levels at home. 

Patients undergoing chemo or radiation therapy need more topical fluoride in the form of trays to be worn at home to prevent cavities during treatment. Our team will fabricate custom trays for home use for patients who need additional fluoride treatments that will be done at home.

Systemic fluoride (any fluoride that is swallowed) in foods, water, and supplements benefits your teeth working from the inside out to ensure strong enamel. 

Drinking water and fluoride

When fluoride is present in drinking water, it helps children with developing teeth. If your family has well water, always have your water tested for fluoride levels before giving fluoride supplements to your children. Some wells have sufficient fluoride, and supplements are not needed. As of 2018, 73.0% of the US population on community water systems, or 207,426,535 people, had access to fluoridated water. Check with your town to see if your water contains fluoride.