Dr. Matt will examine your child's teeth to look for signs of active tooth decay.
First, your child's teeth will need to be cleaned. A standard prophylaxis cleaning that involves scaling and polishing will be performed.
After their teeth have been cleaned, a fluoride varnish will be painted onto their teeth with a brush or cotton swab.
For 30 minutes after the varnish is applied, your child will need to avoid rinsing their mouth, eating, and drinking so their teeth can absorb the fluoride.
The actual fluoride itself will remain on your child's teeth until they brush them within a few hours from application. However, by leaving the fluoride alone when it’s applied for at least 30 minutes, you allow it to fully absorb into your enamel so that it strengthens and protects your child's teeth for a few months. How often you should get a fluoride treatment depends on your age and cavity risk. Most children are recommended to get it every 3, 6, or 12 months. Children with a higher cavity risk due to their genetics, oral health, or lack of saliva will need to get fluoride treatments more frequently.
Yes, most dental insurance companies cover fluoride treatments for children. This is considered an effective preventive treatment that will keep cavities at bay and prevent the need for more invasive and costly dental work. That’s why insurance companies will cover 80 to 100% of the cost. Contact your insurance provider directly to make sure they cover fluoride treatments. Even if you don’t have dental insurance, fluoride treatments are very affordable.
