You’ve most likely heard of fluoride, it’s in our water supply, it’s in our toothpaste so what is a fluoride treatment at the dentist? At each cleaning visit the hygienist will ask if you would like to have a fluoride treatment applied to your teeth, it is applied as either a foam or a varnish. These treatments contain much more fluoride than toothpaste and mouth rinses. Fluoride helps make your teeth more resistant to acid, sugars, and bacteria in the mouth. In children under 6 fluoride become incorporated into the development of permanent teeth so it is important that they have fluoride intake early. Adults benefit from fluoride treatments as well, especially if you have a history of frequent cavities, dry mouth, gum disease, or the presence of crowns, bridges or braces.