With it, your teeth can grow strong,
protect themselves against decay and provide
a lifetime of smiles, The substance that
helps make this possible is fluoride,
Fluoride strengthens your tooth enamel and helps
prevent or lessen the number of cavities you
may get, According to the American Dental
Association (ADA), fluoride makes
teeth more resistant to acid attacks caused by
the bacteria in plaque, Fluoride also helps
reverse the early decay process and creates a
tooth surface more resistant to decay,
Fluoride is obtained either through direct
application to the teeth or by ingesting it
through tap water or fluoride supplements,
Besides various toothpastes and home mouth
rinses, there are several types of topical
fluoride treatments your dentist can apply,
These include fluoride in the form of a gel or
foam placed in a tray or a rinse in liquid
form, Another type of fluoride dentists
may use is fluoride varnish, which is painted
on the teeth, Provided in the dental office,
these particular fluoride treatments are a TRICARE
Dental Program-covered benefit, They are
more concentrated and used less often than home
treatments,
With the popularity of bottled water that often
does not contain fluoride, many people miss
out on the benefit of fluoride found in tap water,
Although some bottled water producers are now
adding fluoride to their products, you
may want to talk to your doctor or dentist if you
are not receiving fluoride in your drinking water,
Fluoride supplements are available by prescription and
are intended for children six months to 16 years old
who live in areas without fluoride in the water, The
ADA recommends if you live in an area without fluoridated
water and do not know the fluoride level in your drinking
water, you should have the water tested before supplements
are prescribed,
