Children between 3 and 6 years old should brush at least twice daily with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing more than 1,000ppm fluoride. Children over 7 and adults should brush at least twice daily with a toothpaste containing 1,350-1,500ppm fluoride.
Discussion. CDC recommends that all persons drink optimally fluoridated water (0.7 mg/L) and if aged ≥2 years, brush their teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste to reduce the risk for dental caries (1).
While low levels of fluoride help strengthen and protect tooth enamel, too much fluoride can cause dental fluorosis—a discoloration of teeth, usually with opaque white marks, lines, or mottled enamel and poor mineralization.
Too much fluoride can lead to dental fluorosis. Fluorosis is a condition that produces a change in the color of tooth enamel. This discoloration usually manifests as white or sometimes brown spots. Fluorosis usually occurs when children who are in the teeth forming years swallow toothpaste rather than spitting it out.
The fluoride treatment comes mostly in the form of varnish that is applied to the teeth and sticks to the teeth for a period of four to six hours before been washed away by brushing.
The most common side effect of fluoride is fluorosis (fluoride-induced tooth discoloration). People with fluorosis develop spots on their teeth that can range from light white to dark brown. These spots typically occur during tooth development, usually in children under the age of 6.
The reason for these recommendations is because when too much fluoride is ingested, it is toxic. Excess fluoride ingestion is linked to dental fluorosis, a condition that causes tooth enamel to become discoloured and which when present can indicate that the rest of your body has been overexposed to fluoride as well.
Should I Use High-Fluoride Toothpaste? High-fluoride toothpaste must be prescribed by a dentist. It often can be used for up to 90 days, and it is safe as long as it's used as prescribed.
In general, dentists dissuade patients from using fluoride-free toothpaste due to the mineral's effects on long-term tooth health. Yet select consumers may request a fluoride-free toothpaste if they: Have a fluoride allergy or experienced dental fluorosis.
The application of a high-fluoride containing dentifrice (5000 ppm F) in adults, twice daily, significantly improves the surface hardness of untreated root caries lesions when compared with the use of regular fluoride containing (1350 ppm F) toothpastes.
The results suggest that brushing with F dentifrice at night to remineralize daily mineral losses may be preferable to brushing in the morning to inhibit the demineralizing episodes of the day.
Fluoride is a safe, effective way to protect your teeth from advancing tooth decay, cavities, and acts as a whitener.
Fluoride is a mineral that can prevent tooth decay from progressing. It can even reverse, or stop, early tooth decay.
Should I Brush My Teeth Immediately After Fluoride Treatment? A dentist near you will advise against any dental-related activities during the first 30 minutes after your treatment. Your teeth need ample time to absorb the mineral. However, teeth brushing should not happen after 30 minutes of treatment.
In both treatment groups a loss of fluoride from the enamel was observed as a function of time. For maximum fluoride efficacy, patients should not be permitted to rinse, eat, or drink for 30 min following the topical application of fluoride.
You should avoid frozen foods, crunchy foods, spicy foods, sugary drinks/snacks, and citrus fruits. It's advisable to eat soft foods after a dental cleaning or fluoride treatment. The foods include soups, soft foods, salads, and hard-boiled eggs.
Excessive fluoride causes fluorosis which can cause yellow teeth. Sometimes teeth yellowing is tied back to genetics. Tooth color is a genetic trait. Oral hygiene neglect can leave an acidic film on teeth and tartar buildup.
Fluorosis – Excessive fluoride exposure can cause yellow spots on the surface of the teeth called fluorosis. Common sources of fluoride are fluoridated water, prescription fluoride tablets, and fluoride toothpaste. It's a good idea to consult with your dentist to ensure your getting the ideal amount of fluoride.
While fluoride can also fortify tooth enamel, it does not actively rebuild it. It also dilutes relatively quickly, and its overall effectiveness depends largely on diligent oral hygiene.
After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.
Wait to Rinse: Spit out the excess toothpaste and wait at least 10 minutes. At this point, you can resume drinking water and saliva will also help get rid of the taste. Consider rinsing at this stage with an antibacterial, fluoride-containing mouthwash.
It is very simple: Use it like any other toothpaste. For an adult: don't rinse your mouth with water after. Let that Fluoride stay on your teeth. If you want to rinse your mouth, do so and apply a pea sized amount of the paste around the teeth.