Fluoride SHERMAN OAKS

Fluoride services offered in Sherman Oaks, San Fernando Valley, CA

Fluoride is a mineral in your bones and teeth. It’s also found naturally in water, soil, plants, rocks, air. Fluoride is usually used in dentistry to strengthen enamel, which is the outer layer of your teeth. It helps to prevent cavities.
Fluoride services
What is fluoride used for?

For human health, fluoride is mainly used to improve dental health. You can sometimes find it in your local water supply and various over-the-counter (OTC) products, like:

  • All Toothpaste
  • Mouth Wash
  • Maximum supplements

If you tend to get a lot of cavities, your dentist Sherman Oaks will suggest you of using a prescription mouth rinse with fluoride. These mouth rinses generally have a higher concentration of fluoride than OTC options do. Fluoride is also used in medical imaging scans, like PET scans.

What are the benefits of Fluoride Treatments?

Fluoride treatment is very beneficial to teeth because it helps to:

  • Rebuilding (remineralizing) weakened tooth enamel
  • Slowing down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel
  • Reversing early signs of tooth decay
  • Preventing the growth of harmful oral bacteria

Usually, when bacteria in your mouth break down sugar and carbs, they produce acids that eat away the minerals in your tooth enamel. This loss of minerals from your tooth enamel is called demineralization. The weakened tooth enamel leaves your teeth vulnerable to bacteria that cause cavities.

Fluoride treatment also helps to remineralize your tooth enamel, which can prevent cavities and reverse early signs of tooth decay.

Advantages of Fluoride Fluoride treatments
As fluoride is a mineral found naturally in the earth’s soil, water, and even in foods. Children benefit from fluoride systemically from 6 months to 16 years to strengthen and protect their teeth as they are being formed. Both children and adults benefit from topical fluoride to protect their teeth from decay.

Fluoride treatment plays an important role to protect your teeth in the following ways:

  • Acids in your mouth are formed when bacteria consume sugar, or from the foods themselves. These acids will dissolve or demineralize the enamel on a tooth. Fluoride helps in protecting your teeth from this process.
  • When the fluoride is present during remineralization, the minerals deposited are harder than they would be without fluoride. This strengthens the enamel and protects against any further damage to the enamel.

One of the easy ways to increase fluoride levels is through fluoridated water. Floss hygienists always recommend brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste that has the approved ADA seal.

Do babies need Fluoride treatment?
Babies younger than 6 months old usually do not need any fluoride at all. At a baby’s 6-month check up with a paediatrician, parents can discuss the requirement of fluoride supplements or fluoride drops for babies. As soon as babies get their first teeth, parents should begin brushing the teeth with fluoride toothpaste to cash in on the topical benefits of fluoride. You should start introducing fluoride for babies as the teeth come in by brushing it with a dab or a smear — the size should be no bigger than a grain of rice or toothpaste with fluoride. It is not necessary to use “baby toothpaste.” Any over the counter version of fluoride toothpaste will do.
Disadvantages of fluoride
Like with anything in the world, too much fluoride may be harmful, and in extreme instances of overexposure (for example, consuming multiple tubes of toothpaste in a single session), even deadly. Systemic toxicity can be avoided when children are properly supervised. However, there are some disadvantages to fluoride as well.
The common trend resulting in too much systemic fluoride can cause discolouration or pit to permanent teeth. The risks of overexposure are especially high for children below the age of 8 because their permanent teeth are still developing. Too much fluoride may cause enamel fluorosis, which results in discolouration of the enamel of a child’s adult teeth. Many cases of enamel fluorosis are mild and occur as a result of a child ingesting too much mouthwash or toothpaste. Too much fluoride in a child’s body can result in their feeling ill — with symptoms like nausea, diarrhoea — which can last for up to 24 hours
Fluorosis
Usually, fluorosis occurs after prolonged exposure to excessive amounts of fluoride. There are two types: dental (affecting the teeth) and skeletal (affecting the bones). Mild dental fluorosis is characterized by white spots on the teeth, this is fairly common and presents only a cosmetic issue. More severe cases are less common but are associated with brown stains and weakening the teeth. Dental fluorosis only occurs during the formation of teeth in childhood, but the most critical time is below age 2. Skeletal fluorosis is a bone disease that involves accumulating fluoride in the bone over many years. Early on, symptoms include stiffness, joint pain. Advanced cases may eventually cause altered bone structure, calcification of ligaments and many more.
Overexposure to fluoride is preventable, though, with the easiest way being to keep toothpaste and mouthwashes out of reach of small children.
Is Fluoride Bad for Babies?

A little fluoride for babies is not bad, but as with most things, too much fluoride can be. Babies and children need less fluoride than adults, very small doses of fluoride aren’t harmful to babies smaller than 6 months old. Once babies’ teeth begin to come in, oral hygiene begins too. The addition of dental hygiene practices, with fluoride toothpaste, protects the new teeth. It is advisable to use a dab of toothpaste no bigger than the size of a grain of rice for babies, as they are apt to swallow the toothpaste. Babies must have their first dental appointment by their first birthday, and a pediatric dentist can advise you on how to best get your little one on the right track to maintain dental hygiene.

Like many other nutrients, fluoride appears to be safe and effective when used and consumed in appropriate amounts. It helps prevent cavities, but ingesting it in very large amounts through drinking water or other means may lead to serious health issues at times. However, this is mainly a problem in countries with naturally high fluoride levels in the water. The amount of fluoride content is tightly controlled in countries that intentionally add it to drinking water. However, some evidence suggests that even controlled levels of fluoride in water can affect brain development in infants. While fluoridated community water appears to be mostly safe, new research is needed to assess its usefulness.
Reviews on google
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Rosie Medzoyan profile picture
Rosie Medzoyan
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today I went to the dentist and visited best dentist ever in the Sherman Oaks area. Her name is Doctor Niki and her and her team are absolutely amazing. They’re always always very friendly, very courteous, very professional and they explain a lot of information that comes on an invoice and every time I go in there I always get this great feeling that she’s gonna take care of me and meaning the doctor and she is very professional and she’s very kind very kind hearted but very gentle and she listens to her patience and she’s just amazing.
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Wickedly Raie
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Great and helpful. Love it. They make me feel comfortable
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Nahal Sadighim
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Nikki and her team do an outstanding job! From check-in to the end of every appointment, the experience is seamless and welcoming. I truly appreciate their honesty and the thoughtful advice they give about future dental care. I always have a great visit, and my teeth have never felt better! I highly recommend this office. Thank you, Nikki and team, for your wonderful care!
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Emily Bronson
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Been coming to Dr. Niki for years now and everyone in the office is through, mind and excellent at their job. Can’t recommend this office and Dr. Niki enough.
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Addie Todd profile picture
Addie Todd
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Always love the energy in the office and the staff is always the kindest
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Linda McKay profile picture
Linda McKay
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Dr. Niki and her staff are the best!
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Jan Winer profile picture
Jan Winer
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I find the entire office staff attentive to my concerns and needs…thorough and helpful .
Our Services

Dental Sealants

Dental Sealants

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentistry

Fluoride

Fluoride

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry

Periodontal Disease Treatment

Periodontal Disease Treatment

Dental Implants

Dental Implants

Emergency Dentistry

Emergency Dentistry

Dentures

Dentures

Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening

Invisalign

Invisalign

Crowns

Crowns

Veneers

Veneers

Dental Bonding

Dental Bonding

Endodontics

Endodontics

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