Author: lAuRelH_AdmEeN

If the glands producing saliva in your mouth aren’t functioning well, you get affected by the condition of xerostomia, also identified as dry mouth. Dry mouth isn’t considered an official diagnosable disorder, and it is a symptom of various other diseases.

Xerostomia is uncomfortable and may cause concerns in your mind about whether you need advice from a medical professional. While medical advice is recommended in some cases, many home remedies can provide you significant relief from this condition. If you aren’t aware of any home remedies for dry mouth, let us give you some suggestions that prove helpful. When to seek professional help is also mentioned in this article.

What Are the Symptoms of Xerostomia?

If you are not producing sufficient saliva, you may, on most occasions, notice the following signs and symptoms:

• A feeling of stickiness and dryness in your mouth.
• Your saliva appears thick and stringy.
• You suffer from bad breath.
• You frequently have difficulties chewing, swallowing, and speaking, besides a dry or grooved tongue.
• You have a changed sense of taste and are affected by problems wearing dentures.

The Causes of Xerostomia

You are affected by xerostomia when your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to keep it wet. The salivary glands may not be functioning appropriately because of many reasons, including the following:

• Many types of medications, including over-the-counter varieties, produce xerostomia as a result. Drugs provided for treating hypertension and depression besides decongestants, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, and pain medications are also responsible for dry mouth.
• Dry mouth is experienced by the elderly as they age. They could be affected by changes in their body’s ability to process medications and having long-term health concerns.
• Cancer therapy is also responsible for xerostomia because chemotherapy drugs change the amount and nature of saliva produced. Radiation to the head and neck can damage salivary glands leading to xerostomia.
• Injuries or surgery causing nerve damage to the head and neck area also results in a dry mouth.
• Recreational use of drugs causes severe dry mouth conditions and damage to the teeth requiring preventive dental care from dentists.

Home Remedies for Dry Mouth

These natural remedies haven’t been proven as a cure for dry mouth. However, they are useful to provide you relief from this condition.

Drinking-Water

Remaining hydrated by drinking water can help relieve xerostomia. Dehydration is a factor contributing to this condition, and water intake can reduce mild dehydration.

Medications cause more than 90 percent of xerostomia cases. The most common medications resulting in xerostomia include antihistamines, antihypertensives, hormone medications, and bronchodilators. If you believe medications are causing your condition, you must discuss the problem with your doctor. However, don’t stop taking any medications without approval from the medical professional.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum

You can find short-term relief from xerostomia by chewing sugar-free gum. Some varieties of chewing gum contain xylitol that stimulates saliva production.

Improve Overall Dental Hygiene

Xerostomia could result from poor dental hygiene, and enhancing your oral hygiene practices is vital to protecting your mouth’s health. Better dental hygiene practices include frequent flossing, use of fluoride toothpaste, and mouthwash. If you are unaware of how you can maintain better dental hygiene, it would be beneficial to seek help from the dentist in Portland, who will happily advise you.

Preventive Dental Care for Your Teeth

To protect your teeth from cavities, your dentist may suggest fitting you with customized fluoride trays similar to a mouth guard in which you fill fluoride and wear over your teeth at night. Your dentist may as well recommend the use of a chlorhexidine rinse weekly to control cavities.

Breathing through Your Nose

If you are affected by sleep apnea, it indicates you are frequently breathing through your mouth. You must seek treatment for this condition because it does not allow you to breathe through your nose, which results in xerostomia.

Besides the above, you must cut back on your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and other dehydrating beverages that result in this condition. If you find dry mouth incredibly uncomfortable, you must discuss the issue with your doctor or dentist. They may recommend changing dosages or even the medications themselves to relieve you from the problem.

Xerostomia is rarely a severe issue and is just a sign that you are probably dehydrated. However, if you frequently have a dry mouth, it makes sense to discuss with a medical professional and seek remedies to deal with the condition.

If you have crooked and misaligned teeth, it is inevitable for you to hate them. Your teeth don’t allow you to smile, make you susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease, and embarrass you every time you open your mouth for anything. You may be saddened with your appearance, but we can give you a reason to smile with information that Invisalign Portland Oregon can make you love your teeth if you schedule an appointment with them to have your teeth straightened out.

The dentist in Portland provides a discreet method of straightening your teeth without a mouth full of metal. Wondering how the downtown Portland dentist manages to straighten your teeth without metal and wire braces? Your thinking is similar to that of many others who believed it was practically impossible to move teeth into their correct positions without traditional treatments used for over a century. Thankfully, Invisalign has developed a system of transparent aligners that are incredibly successful at moving your teeth discreetly.

What Can You Expect When You Schedule an Appointment with the Dentist?

When you approach Portland Invisalign to have your teeth straightened, you meet an Invisalign certified dentist and not an orthodontist who will treat you. The dentist will assess your teeth and mouth to determine your situation’s complexity and your suitability for the treatment with Invisalign.

You are advised that Invisalign is suitable for adults and teenagers who have problems with crooked, gapped, overcrowded, misaligned, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. However, if your situation is complicated or severe than the conditions mentioned, you are considered unsuitable for Invisalign and must visit an orthodontist for treatment with traditional braces.

Why Should You Consider Invisalign for Straightening Your Teeth?

If you think your teeth must be straightened, you can either opt for traditional treatments or consider innovations in dentistry, making it possible for you to have straighter teeth without displaying your treatment to everyone around you. If you want a discreet method of correcting the problems in your mouth, discussing with the Invisalign dentist about your suitability will not harm you. If confirmed as a candidate for the treatment, the dentist begins the procedure for having your custom designed transparent aligners right away.

Images of your mouth and teeth are taken by the dentist with an intraoral camera, and the 3D scans allow you to visualize how your smile looks after the treatment. The images are dispatched to the manufacturers to customize your transparent aligners that you receive in about three weeks. Your treatment lasts for around 12 to 24 months needing approximately 30 sets of aligners.

When you receive your first set of aligners from the manufacturer, you must wear them over your teeth for two to three weeks. At the end of the stipulated period, you receive another set of aligners as replacements for the existing set. The aligners must remain on your teeth for 20 to 22 hours every day. However, they are removable for eating the foods you love, brushing and flossing your teeth, or even socializing without the aligners if you wish. So long as you ensure the clear aligners are on your teeth for the specified hours, you can rest assured your treatment is moving ahead successfully.

Visits to the Invisalign dentist are required once every six to eight weeks to assess your progress and pick up your fresh set of aligners.

Invisalign transparent aligners are virtually invisible and fit snugly on your teeth. The freedom to remove them when eating or maintaining proper dental hygiene ensures you are not vulnerable to dental issues like tooth decay or gum disease. As the aligners are not noticeable to anyone, you may decide to leave them on even when you are moving around with your friends or family members.

Besides straightening your teeth discreetly, Invisalign saves you a considerable sum of money because of reduced visits to an orthodontist to have the wires of metal braces tightened every month. Once every two to three weeks, you may replace the aligners with a fresh set and continue your treatment without worrying about any adjustments.

At the end of your treatment from Invisalign Portland, Oregon, you will be in love with your teeth that appear straighter, allow you to smile without embarrassment, and leave you with excellent dental health. You may even wonder why you hadn’t researched this option earlier instead of suffering the problems you did for many years.

When you have a beautiful smile, it becomes easier to smile more often. When you smile, your body releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals), elevating your mood. It is worth noting that your body will still release endorphins even if you are not genuinely happy while smiling.

However, not all of us are lucky to have beautiful smiles, and this limits many people from smiling as they should. Luckily, if you don’t have the smile you think you deserve, you can fix the situation with various cosmetic dental procedures. There are solutions for most problems affecting people’s smiles, including wide gaps, misaligned, and discolored teeth.

Nevertheless, most people are still not sure about cosmetic dentistry procedures because of misinformation on the internet. In this blog, we debunk these myths and provide you with facts. Hopefully, the information will help you make an informed decision.

#Myth: Cosmetic Procedures Weakens One’s Teeth

The purpose of cosmetic dental procedures is to enhance a person’s smile. However, it does not mean that your oral health is compromised, trying to achieve this goal. Your dentist cannot sacrifice your oral health to improve your smile.

If a procedure cannot effectively work for you, he will suggest another one. There will be a procedure that will solve your problem without negatively affecting your teeth.

#Myth: Cosmetic Procedures are Too Expensive

Most people fail to consider trying cosmetic dental treatments because they have been convinced they are too expensive. Well, there several cosmetic procedures, and each comes at its own cost. Some are relatively cheap, while others are fairly expensive. However, even the most expensive cosmetic dental procedures are worth every dollar.

Talk to your dentist, and he will walk you through the procedures mentioning the costs for each. You will realize the procedures are not that expensive, after all. Furthermore, modern technology has made most of these treatments easier to perform, hence cutting the costs.

#Myth: The Result Looks Unnatural

Some people believe that if they undergo cosmetic treatment, everyone will know because the result does not look natural. That’s not the case, though.

The materials used match the color of your teeth, and the result is always something admirable. No one will differentiate between a natural tooth and one that has been added veneer or porcelain fillings. Talk to us if you require cosmetic dental treatment in Portland.

#Myth: Cosmetic Treatments are Painful

Some people associate dental treatments with pain, but no procedure is painful, thanks to sedation. Even if there wasn’t sedation, most cosmetic procedures do not any pain. In most cases, you won’t even require to be numbed.

There might be some discomforts adjusting to orthodontic treatment, but that should not scare you. You will get used to the braces or aligners after a few days. Within six to eighteen months, you will enjoy perfectly aligned teeth. Talk to us if you require cosmetic dentistry in Portland.

#Fact: Cosmetic Treatments Improves Your Oral Health

Cosmetic procedures may seem pure cosmetic, but they do more than provide you with a beautiful smile. For example, it is a bit challenging to maintain proper oral hygiene when your teeth are misaligned. Orthodontic treatment can give you the perfect alignment, reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease.

#Fact: Teeth Whitening is the Most Popular Cosmetic Dental Procedure

There are many cosmetic dental treatments, but none is as popular as teeth whitening. The procedure involves the use of bleaching chemicals to improve one’s teeth color. You can do it yourself at home with over-the-counter whitening products.

However, you should be prepared to wait for a while to start seeing results. Also, the overuse of whitening products can lead to increased teeth sensitivity. That’s why professionals recommend in-office whitening.

Dentists are always careful while using chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, and you can be assured of a whiter smile within the shortest time. In-office whitening takes between 45 minutes and one hour, but the result is always admirable.

The good thing is teeth whitening is not expensive, and the effects can last for up to two years. You just need to take proper care of your teeth and visit your dentist regularly for touchups. There are no severe side effects associated with teeth whitening.

Laurelhurst Dentistry

If you need cosmetic dental services in Portland, we are here for you. We use state-of-the-art technology, and you can count on us for services such as teeth whitening, exams, and sealants. Book an appointment today.

What happens when you don’t care for your oral health or your teeth? You leave yourselves open to spending thousands of dollars on therapeutic treatments. If you are determined not to do so, you must practice preventive dental care, which can safeguard you from these exorbitant expenses.

The emphasis of preventive dentistry is on ongoing hygiene practices and daily habits to prevent tooth decay and various other dental illnesses or conditions. Effective preventive dentistry is a combination of at-home oral care and chairside treatments by the dentist near you who also provides counseling.

The ADA has recommended at least two dental checkups every year for professional cleaning and management of any issues developing. When you adhere to the recommendation, you help your dentist prevent dental problems in their earliest stages. You are helping yourself by protecting your smile and limiting expenses in the long run.

Preventive Dentistry Must Begin At an Early Age

As soon as your child’s first tooth erupts, it would help if you started a daily tooth cleaning practice. It would be best to take the child to a pediatric dentist no later than the age of one to establish a comprehensive preventive dentistry program for your child.

What Are the Strategies for Preventive Dental Care?

Preventive dental care strategies for children and adults include various in-office and home care activities which include the following:

• Appropriate oral hygiene practices. The most effective prevention technique for home care includes brushing at least twice a day and flossing after every meal. Removing plaque buildup is the goal of flossing. Plaque is a film-like substance that forms on the teeth, and if not removed, it can harden into calculus. You cannot remove calculus after it starts because it needs professional cleaning to eliminate it. Leaving the condition untreated makes you susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
• Nutrition and diet. Having a healthy diet is essential for your dental health. Carbohydrates and sugars feed plaque producing bacteria, and diets lacking in calcium increase your chances of developing gum disease and jaw deterioration.
• Use of fluoride. Fluoride can strengthen your teeth to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride treatments are provided by preventive dental Portland, who will also recommend using fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinses at home. A significant source of fluoride is also tap water because of public water fluoridation.
• Regular dental visits. Dental conditions are usually painless leading you to believe no issues exist until the problem causes significant damage. It would be helpful to schedule regular dental visits for you and your family with Laurelhurst dentistry every six months. You can schedule visits to the dentist in Portland frequently if you are at a higher risk of oral health issues.

Preventive dental care is not just about looking for issues in your mouth. The dentist also performs oral cancer screenings looking for abnormal tissues in the mouth. Checking oral health and development of children, including an assessment for the development of dental caries, is also a part of dental evaluations.

Risk Assessment of Dental Caries

Your dentist customizes a prevention program based on your unique caries risk assessment profile. The assessment involves observing the clinical appearance of the patient by taking into account the following:

• The number of strange existing lesions in your mouth.
• Your salivary flow rate and exposure to fluoride.
• Your diet and the use of medications, some of which can contribute to cavities as they contain high amounts of sugar or may reduce the flow of saliva.
• Your dentist will also consider your age, as every age group has a unique set of associated risks.
• Your income, education, and oral health attitude will also be considered because research reveals that people with low income or education are susceptible to severe and untreated dental decay.

The Benefits of Preventive Dental Care

When you consider that your oral health is linked to your overall health, it becomes significantly essential for you to understand preventive dental care is critical to your overall well-being. Oral infections can interfere with eating, daily activities, speaking, and self-esteem.

Dental caries in children can impair growth and development. Preventive dental care results in minor and inexpensive treatments for any dental conditions that develop. It also helps you to keep your natural teeth for a lifetime.

Since Invisalign came into play, the world of orthodontics has been revolutionized. These clear plastic aligners have over five million users globally. When it comes to aesthetics, they are unrivaled, and this is their most appealing aspect.

It should, however, be noted that when looking for orthodontic treatment, aesthetics shouldn’t be the single thing you look for. Other treatment options like braces might do a better job of fixing your orthodontic problems compared to Invisalign.

This article talks in detail about the problems that can be fixed by Invisalign and those that cannot.

Problems Invisalign can fix

Here are the dental issues that could use some Invisalign:

• Crooked Teeth: If you are looking to straighten your teeth, aligners might just do the trick. Unlike contemporary braces that make use of a wire to pull or push teeth into alignment, Invisalign uses plastic aligners to achieve the same purpose. They function by exerting pressure on the teeth that within time, will yield and attain optimal alignment.
• Overbite: This is when your upper teeth overlap with your bottom teeth making chewing and biting into certain foods difficult. Can aligners be the solution? Yes. They may help move your upper teeth back for better alignment between the top and bottom teeth when you close your mouth.
• Underbite: With an underbite, the bottom teeth overlap with the upper teeth, i.e., when you close your mouth, your lower jaw closes over your upper jaw. The result is rapid teeth wear and speech difficulties. Invisalign can help move your lower teeth back for better alignment between the jaws. In severe cases, the issue can be addressed by combining these aligners and braces.
• Gaps Between your Teeth: A gap between a single tooth or numerous of them presents a spacing issue because there is excessive room in your mouth. This way, food particles may get lodged between your gums and teeth- a painful experience that may cause gum disease. Not only is closing these gaps a cosmetic issue, but it also improves your general oral health.
• Crowded Teeth: When there isn’t enough room in your jaw for all of your teeth, your teeth are likely to twist and overlap. This is collectively referred to as crowding. The reduced spacing makes it easier for food to get stuck and for plaque and tartar to build up. The result is increased gum disease and tooth decay.

How effective are aligners in fixing crowding problems? They can apply for some cases depending on the problem’s complexity and severity.

Invisalign Limitations

Compared to braces, aligners have lesser force and capabilities when it comes to moving teeth. Because of this, complex orthodontic problems in need of significant teeth movement need braces and not Invisalign for the desired outcome to be reached.

Here are some of the situations where you may have to opt for braces instead of Invisalign:

• Tooth Shape: Aligners may not fit over some teeth. Short, round, and pegged teeth or those with severe tips may prevent the aligner from achieving a good grip. That being said, you might want to consider braces if you want to align your teeth effectively.
• Tooth Position: Teeth can rotate or tilt to fit into an overcrowded mouth. A rotation of more than 20 degrees in molars renders Invisalign useless as the aligners are incapable of moving them for proper alignment. A tilt of over 45 degrees will be hard on the aligners that will struggle to pull up the tooth into the right position.
• Large Teeth Gaps: There is a limitation to the amount of space that can be closed up by aligners-six millimeters of space per arch.
• Previous Dental Work: Some dental work may exclude patients from considering using Invisalign. Patients with dental bridges, for instance, cannot be able to use Invisalign. The same applies to those with crowns and porcelain veneers.

Once you visit us at Laurelhurst Dentistry in Burnside Street, Poland, OR, to have your orthodontic problems treated, our dentist in Portland will first examine you to see if you are a suitable candidate for aligners or you will be better off with braces. Looking for Invisalign services in Portland or the surrounding communities? Call us today and book an appointment.

Do you desire a beautiful smile as everyone does but are hampered by the lack of improperly positioned teeth? Are you aware orthodontic treatments can correct the issues in your mouth using different appliances? If you haven’t heard about advances in dentistry, you must continue reading this blog.

We are providing you all information about how you can discreetly achieve a beautiful smile by trying to find a dentist that does Invisalign. This is a revolutionary and virtually invisible orthodontic treatment that permits you to have straighter teeth without undergoing any embarrassment because of brackets and wires in your mouth. Consider it practically impossible to achieve your goal? Continue Reading because you may be surprised by the information.

Get the Beautiful Smile You Want Discreetly with Invisalign

Invisalign is an advanced orthodontic treatment using clear aligner trays for effectively moving your teeth to achieve great results. The process is quite mild and straightforward to give you a smile makeover. Invisalign can meet cosmetic purposes, and Laurelhurst dentistry suggests the transparent aligner system because it addresses issues like crooked, gapped, and crowded teeth.

Invisalign is also beneficial to treat problems like crossbites, open bites, underbites, overbites, and other minor dental issues that are holding you back from smiling. The clear aligners being discreet will not advertise to everyone around you about the orthodontic treatment you are undergoing to straighten your teeth.

Invisalign is the appropriate solution for you if you are affected by the issues as described above. Unfortunately, if you have complicated problems, traditional braces with wires and bands will be recommended by dentistry in Portland, OR, because it is more effective. Therefore it is suggested that you schedule an appointment with the Portland dentist for an assessment to determine whether your situation can be corrected by Invisalign.

How Do You Benefit If Considered Suitable for Invisalign Portland?

As mentioned earlier, the treatment with Invisalign is discreet because the clear aligners are not attached to your teeth like traditional braces with brackets and wires. You have the freedom to eat all the foods you love by removing the aligners but bearing in mind not to have any beverages other than water with the clear trays in your mouth.

Maintaining proper oral hygiene is a breeze with this treatment that allows you to remove the aligners when brushing and flossing. However, you must remember to replace them and have the aligners on your teeth for at least 20 to 22 hours every day. Delays in replacing them will extend the treatment and the financial costs to make you look like Groucho Marx even after achieving a beautiful smile. Invisalign Portland advises you on the requirements to adhere to the timeline specified, making it clear that the aligners must remain on your teeth to succeed with the treatment.

What Is the Duration of the Treatment?

Invisalign helps you to achieve a beautiful smile faster than conventional braces. Orthodontic treatments with traditional braces require at least 36 months. Still, if you don’t have complicated issues with your teeth, you will benefit from this procedure in approximately 18 to 24 months if you adhere to the conditions specified.

You must visit Invisalign Portland to assess your progress regularly when the clear aligners you are wearing are replaced with a new set. The treatment allows you to say goodbye to the imperfections with your teeth and to achieve a beautiful smile that you always desired discreetly.

You must understand wasting time with the misconception that the process of achieving a better smile is time-consuming and unhealthy. On the contrary orthodontic treatments will not only help you to succeed in your goal aesthetically but will also make it easier for you to maintain excellent oral hygiene. Crooked and misaligned teeth do not allow you to clean them appropriately, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. Straightening your teeth will allow you to achieve the best of both worlds by improving your oral health along with your overall health and laughing everywhere you want with a smile that will attract everyone rather than distract them.

After reading this blog, we believe you will undoubtedly begin searching for a dentist that does Invisalign to achieve the beautiful smile you always wanted.

A beautiful smile can be a huge confidence booster. But several dental issues can stop you from having a bright smile. If you have gaps in between your teeth or if your teeth are stained, chipped or cracked, do not fret, our dentist near you can help rectify such issues using veneers.

Dental veneers in Portland are an effective and quick way to a gorgeous smile. Before you get excited, it is best if you know that getting veneers is a one-way street, there is no coming back.

Therefore, getting veneers is a big decision that needs you to have all the facts with you before you leap.

Without further ado, let’s look at what they are as you decide on coming to our Portland dentistry for dental veneers.

Dental Veneers 101

Dental veneers in Portland are tooth-colored shells that are bonded to the surface of your teeth to improve their appearance. They are permanently fixed on your teeth by our Portland dentist.

These thin, customized shells are designed to look and function like your teeth. Unlike crowns, veneers are designed to fit over the front surface instead of covering the whole tooth.

Veneers are narrow at the base where they fit on the gums, and they are wider at the biting end. Typically, our dentist in Portland will customize them to match the shape, color, and contour of your teeth.

Veneers are designed to blend in with your teeth, so this is why they are wafer-thin to allow them to bond to your teeth without adding the bulk.

What Issues Do Veneers Rectify?

If you have any of the following dental problems, you might benefit from dental veneers:

• Worn-down teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Irregular shaped or uneven teeth
• Broken and chipped teeth
• Gaps in between teeth

Types of Veneers

There are different types of veneers that you can choose from depending on your preferences. Here they are:

• Composite Resin Veneers

Composite veneers are a relatively cheap restoration that can be fixed in a single visit. They are made out of plastic. They are less wear-resistant than porcelain veneers. When attaching the veneers, less tooth enamel is removed to accommodate them as compared to porcelain veneers.

If they get chipped or damaged, our dentist can quickly repair them.

• Porcelain Veneers

These veneers are almost everyone’s favorite. Porcelain veneers are made from top-notch hardened ceramic. For you to use them, they have to be customized to match your specifications. Hence, the reason as to why you have to wait for an average of two visits before you can get them fixed.

They are slightly more expensive than composite veneers, but they are worth every dollar. This is because they are natural-looking and match the rest of your teeth. They are very durable and can last up to 20 years.
Another plus is that they do not stain easily as compared to composite veneers.

• Lumineer Veneers

Lumineer veneers are made from a patented material known as Cerinate®. These non-prep veneers are thin and very durable, which means that they can last up to 20 years.

In many ways, they are similar to porcelain veneers, but the only difference is that the process is reversible. This means that it gives you the option to remove them anytime you want if you ever change your mind.

The process is reversible since they are ultra-thin, which means that there will be no need to remove your enamel. If the need arises, then very little enamel will be removed.

Palatal Veneers

Palatal veneers are different from the other veneers because they are fixed on the inside surfaces of your teeth. The reason as to why they are placed on the palatal side of your teeth is to strengthen them.

They can be made from gold and other materials. People choose to get palatal veneers to protect the back of their teeth from being eroded. At times they are used to protect sensitive, worn-down, or delicate teeth from further damage.

Benefits

Veneers have excellent benefits; here are some of them:

• They are natural-looking, which means that they resemble your teeth
• They give you a permanently white smile since they do not require bleaching to whiten them
• They rectify cosmetic dental issues with minimal intrusion
• They do not need any special maintenance procedures. Just brush twice daily and floss at least once a day and you are good to go.

Dental veneers in Portland can help solve some of the cosmetic issues that have been deterring you from having a beautiful smile. If you need veneers, contact us today, our dentist at Laurelhurst Dentistry would love to transform your smile.

Dental cavities or decay are common affecting both children and adults alike. Cavities are triggered by acid-producing bacteria that accumulate around the teeth and gums. The bacteria cause the formation of a sticky film commonly called plaques. Without proper hygiene, regular dental checkups and cleaning, the plaque can harden and form tartar, which not only causes cavities but also gum disease.

Another important element to maintaining healthy teeth and gums is fluoride. This is a naturally occurring mineral that adds a layer of protection to your teeth.

Why Is Fluoride Important?

Every day the teeth go through two processes: demineralization and reabsorption of the minerals. Demineralization is the loss mineral such as calcium and phosphate that are crucial to the health of the enamel. These two processes must be balanced to protect the teeth. However, when the reabsorption of the minerals does not occur, the enamel becomes weaker and prone to cavities.

Fluoride helps in the reabsorption process, thereby strengthening the enamel. Additionally, it acts as a protective shield against cavities.

When Is Fluoride Treatment Needed?

Although fluoride treatment is recommended for your daily oral hygiene, several conditions also warrant the use of the treatment.

• Dry mouth. Xerostomia is caused by certain medications, radiation, and Sjogren’s syndrome which affect saliva production. Saliva helps in cleaning the teeth and removing the food particles. Lack of saliva increases the risk of developing dental cavities.
• Gum disease. Tartar accumulation leads to gum inflammation and infection that in turn causes the gingivae to recede and expose the roots. This increases your risk of cavities.
• The presence of dental restorations such as crowns or bridges also put your teeth at risk of cavities. The tiny spaces between your teeth and the bridges can cause bacteria to sneak in and multiply.

What Forms of Fluoride Treatments Available?

Two forms of fluoride dental treatments are available: topical and systemic and both are effective in strengthening your teeth.

Systemic fluoride treatments are swallowed and include fluoridated water and dietary supplements.

Topical fluoride treatments are applied on the surface of the teeth and come in different types including toothpaste and mouth rinses. However, the most effective option is the fluoride treatment that is done at the dental office.

Professional fluoride treatments in Portland take a few minutes. The dentist will apply a solution gel, varnish, or foam on the teeth surface. Avoid eating or drinking after the treatment to allow the enamel to absorb the fluoride.

The frequency of the fluoride treatment will depend on your oral health status but is usually done every three, six, or 12 months. The dentist may also recommend other preventive dentistry in Portland to enhance your oral health.

For effective results, you need both topical and systemic fluoride treatments.

Are There Any Side Effects of Fluoride Treatment?

Fluoride is safe, however, if used in excess it can lead to side effects such as:

• Tooth discoloration is the common side effect of fluoride overdose. The mineral can cause the formation of white specks on the teeth.
• Skin irritation and allergies can also occur
• Dense, but weak bones
• Acute toxicity is mostly triggered by overconsumption of fluoride supplements. Toxicity causes nausea, diarrhea, excessive sweating, and tiredness.

Is Fluoride Safe for Kids?

Children between six months and 16 years also need fluoride because this is the time when the teeth (primary and permanent) emerge and both need proper dental care. There are, however, guidelines on fluoride use for children that must be followed to prevent an overdose.

The American Dental Association recommends fluoride varnish for children under six years old. Children tend to swallow the foam and gel which can increase the risk of an overdose.

Furthermore, avoid the use of fluoride toothpaste for children under two years. Don’t forget to supervise the children when they are brushing to ensure they do it correctly and remove plaque buildup.

Make an Appointment

If you are seeking Portland dentistry for fluoride treatment, visit Laurelhurst Dentistry. We also have other preventive dental treatments such as dental cleaning that are guaranteed to improve your oral health.