How Long Does Dental Fluoride Last on Teeth?

Frequency of fluoride treatment is an important factor in maintaining good dental health. After brushing your teeth, the fluoride is removed. Depending on your unique dental health, treatment usually lasts a few months. It is recommended to talk to your dental provider during your six-month checkup to determine how often you should receive fluoride treatment.

Salivary fluoride levels in subparts per million (ppm) can help prevent tooth decay by shifting the balance from demineralization to remineralization at the interface between teeth and oral fluid. This is due to the precipitation of calcium phosphates and the formation of fluorohydroxyapatite in the dental structure. The varnish holder is a patented component by manufacturers, and its properties are what seem to make the difference in the release of fluoride. A study compared the new fluoride varnish (ClinProTM XT Varnish) with traditional agents (Fluoritop SR and Fluorprotector).

The results showed that ClinProTM XT varnish consistently and substantially released more fluoride than other products tested. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the longevity of the fluoride release of three different fluoride varnishes (ClinProTM XT Varnish, 3M ESPE, Fluoritop SR and ICPA Health Products Ltd.). This suggests a correlation between the fluoride found in varnish and the levels of fluoride detected in human and artificial saliva after its application. Newly marketed fluoride varnishes are designed to release fluoride slowly and for extended periods.

Fluoride treatment should be repeated at least three or four times a year for it to be effective. The application of fluoride varnish causes the formation of calcium fluoride blood cells on the tooth surface, which are stabilized by intraoral protein phosphates and act as an insoluble reservoir at neutral pH. In another study that evaluated the rate of fluoride release between Duraflor, Duraphat and Cavity Shield, they observed a rapid release of fluoride in the first 7 hours and a slower release thereafter. The data from this in vitro study provide knowledge of fluoride varnishes that release fluoride over a long period, so that the selection of varnish can be made based on individual clinical presentation of the patient and provider preferences.

Some advantages of fluoride varnishes include ease of application, fast hardening, extended contact time, slow release of fluoride, lower amount needed for entire denture, rare complications and minimal risk of fluorosis. Fluoritop SR contains 50 mg of sodium fluoride per ml, which is equivalent to 22.6 mg of fluorine in slow-release form. The ability of fluoride to affect demineralization-remineralization process depends on whether it is available in oral cavity at right time and right concentration. When visiting a Conway pediatric dentist with your child for fluoride treatment, they will check your child's teeth and administer therapy using rinse, varnish, foam or gel. Joblonowski and Castillo & Milgrom conducted experimental studies which discovered that fluoride varnishes released fluoride for a long period of time, with greatest amount produced in first three weeks.

Isaac White
Isaac White

Hardcore tv nerd. Avid sushi junkie. Hardcore coffee expert. Certified zombie ninja. General social media scholar.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *