What does fluoride do?
Sam, a made-up host, answers this for kids on a sample page for pediatric dentists.
Sam Dental hygienist
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Transcript
Hi, I'm Sam, a dental hygienist.
What does fluoride do?
The outside of each tooth is a hard coat called enamel. Tiny living things called bacteria can live on your teeth. When bacteria eat sugar, they make something called acid. This acid can make weak spots in your tooth's enamel.
Fluoride is a mineral that helps make your enamel strong again. It helps put back minerals that the acid takes away. This can help fix the first tiny weak spots. Fluoride can even stop a cavity before it starts.
At the dental office, someone might paint fluoride right onto your teeth. This could be a clear varnish or a gel. The fluoride stays on your teeth for hours to help make them strong.
The dentist or hygienist knows if fluoride can help your teeth. The fluoride makes your enamel stronger and also makes it harder for bacteria to make acid.
Thanks for watching!
Sources
- American Dental Association / MouthHealthy: How fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Fluoride & Dental Health (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: The Tooth Decay Process: How to Reverse It and Avoid a Cavity (opens in a new tab)
- American Dental Association / MouthHealthy: Fluoride: Topical and Systemic Supplements (opens in a new tab)
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Fluoride Therapy (opens in a new tab)
- American Dental Association / MouthHealthy: Professionally-Applied and Prescription-Strength, Home-Use Topical Fluoride Agents for Caries Prevention Clinical Practice Guideline (opens in a new tab)