If you’ve ever been to a dentist for tooth sensitivity, chances are you were scheduled for a fluoride treatment. Most people know that fluoride is used to strengthen your pearly whites, but does fluoride whiten teeth too?
Technically, no. Fluoride can’t be used for teeth whitening, but it does have plenty of other benefits. To find out more about fluoride, keep on reading.
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a natural mineral, one that has been proven to be highly beneficial to your health. Mainly your dental health. It helps to nourish your teeth, building up the tooth enamel and preventing tooth decay.
However, an excessive amount of fluoride can be just as harmful. You can commonly find it in water and foods like:
- Grapes
- Crab meat
- Shrimp
- Potatoes
- Coffee beans
- Black Tea
Does Fluoride Whiten Teeth?
No. Although good for your teeth, fluoride doesn’t whiten your teeth. In fact, it doesn’t have any sort of effect on the color of your teeth in the slightest. So, if you were considering getting a fluoride varnish to help with teeth whitening, it’s better to reconsider your options.
Instead, you can talk to your dentist and try either zoom teeth whitening or blue light teeth whitening, whichever method suits you best.
What Does Fluoride Do?
The primary purpose of fluoride is to help reduce tooth decay, aka cavities. It does this by building up the enamel layer of your teeth, effectively strengthening them in the process. This entire procedure in itself is known as Mineralization since Fluoride in itself is an essential mineral.
Thus, when it mixes with the natural minerals in your saliva, it creates a special effect, replacing all the lost nutrients in the enamel.
Moreover, fluoride is also beneficial when it comes to killing the harmful bacteria in your mouth, the one that causes cavities to develop in the first place.
Is Fluoride Good for Sensitive Teeth?
Besides teeth whitening, fluoride is wonderful for people with sensitive teeth. You might not know this, but adults often suffer from gum disease due to all the exposure to acids and harmful toxins during their lifetime.
The thing with fluoride, then, is that it keeps your gums from receding further. Plus, in the case of periodontal disease, fluoride can be of help up to an extent. It can coat the exposed area, making sure you don’t cringe away from the symptoms of tooth sensitivity. In addition, it can also put a stop to the infection, if there is any, to keep it from spreading further.
What’s The Takeaway?
In conclusion, fluoride does not whiten teeth, but it does play a massive role in preventing your teeth from decay and bacterial infection. So, if you want to strengthen your teeth, contact your dentist and schedule a fluoride treatment for effective results.
Got more questions? Contact Hermosa Dentistry at any of our following locations. We promise to deliver wow experiences all year round.
- E. Little York: (713)-695-3400
- Highway 6: (832)-427-1797
- Porter: (281)-747-7004
- Tomball: (832)-328 5651