What is fluoride varnish?
Traditional fluoride treatments are usually gels or foams that are delivered onto the surfaces of your child's teeth for a set amount of time and then removed. Your child is then instructed not to eat or drink for 30 minutes. Fluoride varnishes also deliver a topical application of fluoride, just in a different system. Using a stickier varnish method, fluoride is applied to the surfaces of your child's teeth.
Advantages of fluoride varnish include:
- easier for your child to tolerate (no trays or sponges)
- allows your child to eat and drink immediately after placement
- has been clinically proven to be the most effective professional fluoride treatment available for cavities
- it is safer for your child due to less fluoride ingestion with the varnish than the gels and foams
After the application of the fluoride varnish, your child will feel a sticky coating on his/her teeth. This coating will have a sticky coating. It is recommended that your child does not brush or floss for 4-6 hours in order to maximize the effectiveness of the fluoride varnish.
Doctor Wang, Doctor Perea-Corkish, Doctor Gerodias and the other Doctors of Discovery Pediatric Dentistry make no warranties, expressed or implied, as to any results to be obtained from use of the information on this page. We cannot diagnose or treat patients over the Internet. Information on this site is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal, medical, and/or dental attention or diagnosis. Without all available information about a patient, it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Help and answers are in the form of general ideas. Only you, your dentist, and other necessary and qualified health care providers can make an appropriate treatment decision in an emergency or for everyday care and dental treatment.