Fluorosis – Know everything about this dental condition
Fluorosis – Know everything about this dental condition
Over exposure to anything has adverse affects on our body. For example over consumption of alcohol lead to severe liver problem or over eating of eatables which are high on fat will lead to conditions such as diabetes or weak bones or even obesity. Similarly over consumption of Fluoride leads to a dental condition called as Dental Fluorosis. However this condition takes place in the first 8 years, the time when permanent teeth are developing.
So the condition kick starts like this – When the teeth affected by fluorosis are compared with the those teeth that have just erupted, the former appears to be slightly discolored. At times your dentist can even make out the fine strips of white color. However in the extreme cases these conditions may appear:
- Stains which vary from yellow to dark brown
- Irregular tooth surface
- Prominent pits
How prominent is Fluorosis worldwide?
There was a time when people had a high resistance towards cavities and this was the time when fluoride was introduced in water. The whole idea was to prevent people from being affected by cavities without the risk of Fluorosis. As per the studies this condition is mild in most of the cases, moderate in 2% of the cases and less severe in 1%. However researchers have also found out that this condition is found mostly in kids from the age 12 to 15 years.
What causes fluorosis?
To put in simple terms this condition is caused to excessive use of Fluoride containing materials such as Toothpaste and Mouthwash. As kids we have always loved the taste of toothpaste so much so that we have swallowed it many times. This is the trend with many kids as well. Apart from this the other cause is consuming a higher amount of fluoride supplement at a very early age.
Symptoms:
The symptoms range from unnoticeable white spots or lines to dark brown lines and pitted enamel. These brown lines are difficult to clean. However you can easily spot the difference because the tooth which are unaffected by fluorosis appear clean and white. You should seek dentist help as soon as you notice white spots on your kids teeth.
Dentists have specified following levels of Fluorosis:
- Questionable: Slight changes in your enamel
- Extremely Mild: Small opaque paper white areas scattered on 25% of tooth surface.
- Mild: White opaque areas on less than 50% of tooth surface.
- Moderate: White opaque areas on more than 50% of tooth surface
- Severe: Needless to say but yes affecting all your tooth.
Treatment:
Once you notice any such symptoms as mentioned above you should seek dentist appointment. The treatment includes following steps:
- To remove stains your dentist will whiten your teeth so that surface stains are removed.
- He will use bonding technique which will cover the tooth with hard resin to the enamel
- Crowns will be set up on your teeth.
- Veneers cover the frontal portion of the teeth that are visibly discolored.
- Your dentist will also recommend MI Toothpaste which is calcium phosphate based and reduces the discoloration of tooth.
The best way to prevent Dental Fluorosis is by keep a close eye on your kid while he or she brushes their teeth. Teach them the technique to spitting the toothpaste instead of swallowing it. Also teach them that toothpaste isnt meant to be eaten as it may lead to various other symptoms such as Nausea and Vomiting to name a few. However such kind of Fluoride toxicity has no adverse affects but it can still lead to Dental Fluorosis. So teach your kids and help them stay healthy.
To read more about this condition click here: Dental Fluorosis
