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Fluoride has been shown effective in the prevention of Dental Caries since 1901. Up till now fluoride has been widely used. |
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Domestic water in Hong Kong has been fluoridated since 1961. This has led to a great decline in the incidence of Dental Caries. Today in Hong Kong, the fluoride concentration in drinking water is 0.5 ppm (parts per million). Therefore, by drinking fluoridated water, the intake of fluoride is adequate to prevent Dental Caries. |
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Fluoride is found in tea leaves and certain seafoods.
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Fluoride is added in most of our oral care products, such as toothpaste, mouth rinse and dental floss. Researches have shown that daily toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste reduces the incidence of Dental Caries by 30%. This has proved that fluoride toothpastes are very effective in preventing Dental Caries.
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| Oral Care Products |
Concentration of fluoride |
Directions of use |
| Adult Toothpaste |
1,000－1,450ppm
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Brush the teeth with a pea-sized blob of toothpaste in the morning and before bed at night everyday |
| Children Toothpaste |
500ppm |
| Mouth Rinse |
230ppm 0.05%NaF
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Rinse for 1 minute daily |
| 900ppm 0.2% NaF |
Rinse for 1minute weekly |
| Dental Floss |
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Use once daily. |
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Toothpaste
A young child should use a pea-sized blob of
children toothpaste which contains a lower concentration
of fluoride. Ingestion of excessive amount of fluoride
will lead to dental
fluorosis with white patches found on the newly
erupted permanent teeth.
Mouth Rinse |
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For most people, there is no need to use fluoride mouth rinse. However, for those who are prone to Dental Caries, such as patients under orthodontic treatment or after radiotherapy, they need to use mouth rinse according to the instruction of the dentist. |
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Children under 6 years of age should not use fluoride mouth rinse to avoid accidental ingestion.
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These topical fluoride agents are in very high concentration. The application of topical fluoride on the tooth surfaces can prevent Dental Caries or reduce tooth sensitivity. The dental care personnel usually choose a type of topical fluoride which is appropriate for the patient's oral health condition.
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Fluoride gel |
This type of topical fluoride contains 12,300ppm of fluoride. Dental care personnel will put the fluoride gel onto a pre-formed dental tray and insert it into the patient's mouth for 4 to 6 minutes to allow the fluoride to penetrate into the teeth. |
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Fluoride
varnish
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This type of topical fluoride contains 23,000ppm of fluoride. It is often used to treat dental caries at its initial stage. The varnish is placed on the affected tooth surface(s) and then allowed to dry on the tooth. |
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| Points to note after topical fluoride treatment |
To
allow topical fluoride to fully function, please do
not eat within 4 hours after application of topical
fluoride.
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