Dental Fluoride
When fluoride is used in small amounts on a routine basis along with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene, it helps to prevent tooth decay.
Depending on your child’s age, the fluoride may be brushed onto your child’s teeth or put into a foam tray and allowed to sit on their teeth. For younger children, a fluoride varnish is brushed onto the teeth. Fluoride varnish hardens when it comes in contact with saliva, forming a hard film that is brushed off later that evening.
For older children, a tray containing foam fluoride is usually placed in their mouths for a set amount of time, along with a suction straw to remove any foam overflow and saliva. When the timer goes off, your child is instructed not to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes in order for the fluoride to take effect.