McGuinness, A. (2021). Fluoride treatment strategies.

The Journal of Professional Excellence

Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, 19(9),40-43.

In this article, “Fluoride Treatment Strategies”, fluoride products and recommendations are

discussed in depth. According to “Dimensions of Dental Hygiene”, evidence over the years has

shown that fluoride can prevent caries. Toothpaste has evolved greatly over the years,

including how much fluoride is added. Fluoride products have expanded as the scientific

evidence continues to support that the agent aides in management of decay. This article

provides information on the many different types of fluoride. This includes, fluoride gels, rinses,

foams, and varnishes. Different fluoride products can be used at home, or in the dental office.

Some require prescription, while others can be found easily accessible over-the-counter.

Fluoride treatment plans should reflect the patient’s caries risk. Their risk can be obtained by

examination and by inquiring about medical history, and daily habits. Once the patient’s caries

risk is determined, how often fluoride is given, and through what method/product, is uniquely

adjusted.

This article affects me as a dental hygiene student because it exemplifies the importance of

fluoride treatment. This article shares the scientific knowledge and recommendations for

treatment planning fluoride. As a student, it is important to know that how often fluoride is

used, is based on each individual’s caries risk. Fluoride will always be a topic in the dental

world, as it has been for years and continues to evolve. This article has great baseline

information on when and how to use fluoride properly. This would be a great resource to look
back on as a dental hygiene student. It explains the process of properly individualizing fluoride

treatment.

From this article, I have learned that fluoride should be used at a minimum of twice a day. This

is easy to accomplish, as most toothpastes contain fluoride. According to this article, dental

hygienists should encourage patients to not rinse after brushing their teeth to receive the

maximum fluoride benefits from their toothpaste. I also learned how to determine caries risk.

The patients decay risk is determined based off of the highest risk characteristic that is

documented. If they are at extreme risk, this means they have hyposalivation. If they are at

moderate risk this means they have a decrease in saliva, possibly due to a medication, and they

may benefit from a fluoride rinse. A child under the age of 6 years, would benefit from

professional application, that way they do not ingest too much fluoride. Another fluoride

treatment that is used for children, is silver diamine fluoride. This is used to stop decay, but

leaves a dark stain on the tooth, due to the silver by product. I also learned that if a fluoride

supplement is recommended, it should be taken with water, as fluoride binds to dairy products.

I will definitely utilize the information provided in this article in my future as a hygienist. I think

this research on fluoride would be a nice resource to have in clinic to look back on. The article

provides great information on how to properly treatment plan fluoride for each individual,

based on their own unique caries risk. This article discussed many great examples on how to

use different fluoride products that I will be sure to utilize. It also explained the recommended

levels of fluoride for all age groups, which I will use on daily basis as a hygienist when treatment

planning for my patients.

This article relates to what we have learned in our course about treatment planning. We have

learned that every patient we see has unique circumstances. It is our job to talk with our

patient, interview them, document medical history, and provide the best care based on our

findings. The way we provide treatment to our patients is well thought out and planned. We

cannot fit all patients into one box, and this is goes for all dental treatment, including fluoride.