Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that helps teeth become stronger and more resistant to decay.
In Ireland 71% of the population have access to fluoride in their drinking water and most regularly use a fluoride toothpaste.
Despite this a significant proportion of Irish children have tooth decay – over half of 5 year olds in non-fluoridated areas had visible tooth decay (North South Survey of Children’s Oral Health 2002).
Professionally applied fluoride treatments can add to home help measures to help prevent some of this decay. Scientific studies have shown that fluoride varnish gives added protection to teeth against decay when used in addition to other preventative measures.
Fluoride varnish is a gel that sets quickly when applied to children’s teeth using a soft brush. The varnish sets quickly, has a pleasant taste and a fruity smell.