5 Remedies To Treat Dental Fluorosis At Home

A bright smile is enough to brighten up our days. But white spots, brown stains, cloudy splotches, pitting, etc. can steal the shining smile of a person. Dental fluorosis is one of the most common reasons behind such issues and almost millions of Americans are now affected by this condition. So how to know whether you or your child is suffering from it? What are the regular treatments as well as some home remedies for dental fluorosis? How to prevent it successfully? We will talk about everything here. Keep reading.

Dental fluorosis is a common painless cosmetic condition in which the appearance of tooth enamel gets changed partially or fully due to overexposure to fluoride. It leaves the teeth slightly discolored or significantly stained (yellow to dark brown) based on the acuteness of the condition. In moderate to severe dental fluorosis, the porosity of tooth enamel also gets increased through hypomineralization. This may even lead to dental erosion or dental crumbling, thereby disfiguring the smile of a person to a large extent. However, fluorosis is not a dental disease and it does not have a significant negative impact on our dental health. While mild to moderate fluorosis can be treated cosmetically or with simple home remedies, the damage caused to tooth enamel is permanent.

When you have mild dental fluorosis, you can use the listed home remedies to prevent further damage as well as whiten your teeth. Here we go:

* Less Caffeinated Beverages

If you are having problems with teeth stains, start by cutting out black tea, coffee, red wine, and dark sodas. The high contents of caffeine in these products could possibly cause unwanted discoloration. Some people believe that if you drink these listed items through a straw then you will not get dental fluorosis. However, this is not true. The liquid still gets in touch with your teeth once it enters the mouth, thus causing staining. You can replace these products easily with green tea, decaffeinated coffee, white wine, and light-colored sodas.

* Products with Low Fluoride Levels

Make sure to stop drinking water with high fluoride content. You can opt for bottled water or get a filter for your tap faucet. Also, do not buy toothpaste with fluoride in it. Buy more organic foods to cut out processed foods, which can be made with fluoridated water.

* Baking Soda

Baking soda is not just used for baking anymore, it can be used to whiten teeth too. You can either purchase toothpaste with baking soda incorporated in it or formulate one yourself. If you decide to make your own, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of non-fluoride toothpaste and brush as you normally do. Another way to use baking soda for this purpose is to pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 tablespoon of baking soda and use the paste for teeth cleaning. Keep repeating until the desired outcome is achieved.

* Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

You can take 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide (3%) and 2 teaspoons of water in a cup and mix them together thoroughly. Swish it in your mouth for no more than 1 minute. Once it becomes foamy enough, spit out and rinse the mouth well with plain water. Repeat this process daily until improvements prevail. Make sure that the strength of peroxide is 3% only, which is perfect for accidental consumption purposes.

* Vitamin C-Rich Foods

Certain fruits and vegetables are really good for your teeth, especially when you have the symptoms of fluorosis. Some of the most common fruits to eat for teeth are carrots, celery, and apples. These are high in vitamin C, which kills bacteria and which helps to remove plaque at the same time by producing more saliva. You should also avoid everything acidic like tomato sauces, pickles, balsamic vinegar, and oranges. Even soy sauce has also been proven to turn teeth discolored.