This is good news and affirmation that fluoride works . But the fact that 92 % of people aged 20 to 64 have had dental caries in permanent teeth may indicate that in addition to factors associated with age , disease / disease management , and disability , fluoride is being underutilized . 1
“ Until about 20 years ago , a lot of people used to think that fluoride was only for kids , and some opponents of fluoride still say , ‘ Well , it ’ s just for kids ,’” Dr . Levy says . “ So , it would be good to continue to recommend fluoride to patients throughout the lifespan because it continues to provide the benefits of remineralization and reduced demineralization for anyone who has teeth in the mouth , especially those at higher risk for root surface caries .”
Revisiting caries risk assessment during routine dental visits can assist clinicians in reinforcing patient education while determining whether the addition of a fluoride mouthrinse or in-office fluoride treatments would be an asset for individual patients at various stages of their lives .
Assessing Caries Risk
Caries risk assessment is an interactive process . Going through the questions together help attune patients to the purpose of monitoring the conditions listed and the need to adjust their oral care and treatment priorities accordingly .
The ADA caries risk assessment form can be used to identify whether a patient is at a low , moderate , or high risk for caries and would benefit from fluoride supplementation . 8
Reinforcing the Importance of Fluoride Use for Lifelong Dental Health
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