Does fluoride varnish make your teeth ache and is it worth doing for me?
October 14, 2019 7:32 PM Subscribe
I went to a new dentist today for a new patient intake / 6mo cleaning. They asked me if I wanted a $30 fluoride varnish - something my wonderful old dentist never did. I said ok, and now my teeth hurt. I googled it and nothing much came up - is that normal? Also, how effective is it for an adult of my profile?
I moved away from an amazing dentist who was extremely conservative in treatment but who was great, so I was somewhat skeptical of this suggested fluoride varnish - I asked how many people did it and the hygienist answered about 60% and that she always did. But in the end I figured why not, it probably can't hurt and I'll research it more later.
So far, my research shows it's helpful for children, and probably for adults who have a recent past with caries (cavities). I haven't had a cavity in 6 years. Is this even worth my time and the cost? I'm leaning toward no.
Separately, my teeth also now ache/feel sensitive, and they usually don't after just a cleaning. I didn't get a % on the varnish, but it was painted on and I was told I could eat and drink immediately but ideally I'd leave the varnish on for 6 hours before brushing my teeth. I waited to eat for over 2 hours and brushed some of the varnish off after about 7 hours - I say some because I brushed thoroughly but the varnish seems very hard to 100% remove right now. Google suggests that fluoride varnish is actually a treatment for sensitivity - am I just super weird, or is this a normal temporary reaction to it?
I moved away from an amazing dentist who was extremely conservative in treatment but who was great, so I was somewhat skeptical of this suggested fluoride varnish - I asked how many people did it and the hygienist answered about 60% and that she always did. But in the end I figured why not, it probably can't hurt and I'll research it more later.
So far, my research shows it's helpful for children, and probably for adults who have a recent past with caries (cavities). I haven't had a cavity in 6 years. Is this even worth my time and the cost? I'm leaning toward no.
Separately, my teeth also now ache/feel sensitive, and they usually don't after just a cleaning. I didn't get a % on the varnish, but it was painted on and I was told I could eat and drink immediately but ideally I'd leave the varnish on for 6 hours before brushing my teeth. I waited to eat for over 2 hours and brushed some of the varnish off after about 7 hours - I say some because I brushed thoroughly but the varnish seems very hard to 100% remove right now. Google suggests that fluoride varnish is actually a treatment for sensitivity - am I just super weird, or is this a normal temporary reaction to it?
I knew someone once that had a similar reaction to any level of fluoride, including the low amounts found in tap water. So it's not totally unheard of, although it's not something I've experienced myself.
If you're drinking fluoridated water and brushing with fluoride toothpaste, though, there's really no particular reason to get the varnish. So feel free to decline it next time if it feels bad.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:11 PM on October 14, 2019
If you're drinking fluoridated water and brushing with fluoride toothpaste, though, there's really no particular reason to get the varnish. So feel free to decline it next time if it feels bad.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:11 PM on October 14, 2019
I grew up in places with fluoridated water, moved to Oregon, got a zillion cavities for the first time ever, started doing the varnish, no more cavities!
posted by janell at 9:32 PM on October 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by janell at 9:32 PM on October 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
It's much more likely that your teeth are sensitive in the way you describe because of the cleaning, not the fluoride. It's pretty common, and you did have someone new to you doing the scaling.
Fluoride varnish is an excellent desensitizer for exposed roots and cold temperature sensitivity. if your caries rate is low and you don't have recession, then likely you won't get a great benefit from fluoride varnish, but in my experience it doesn't cause sensitivity.
Of course for every thing that exists there are some folks sensitive to it. report your experience to your dentist so that they can put it in your chart and decline the fluoride next time.
posted by OHenryPacey at 10:39 PM on October 14, 2019 [6 favorites]
Fluoride varnish is an excellent desensitizer for exposed roots and cold temperature sensitivity. if your caries rate is low and you don't have recession, then likely you won't get a great benefit from fluoride varnish, but in my experience it doesn't cause sensitivity.
Of course for every thing that exists there are some folks sensitive to it. report your experience to your dentist so that they can put it in your chart and decline the fluoride next time.
posted by OHenryPacey at 10:39 PM on October 14, 2019 [6 favorites]
FWIW, my teeth were very sore/achy after my last cleaning, and I didn't have a fluoride treatment.
posted by jenny76 at 5:27 AM on October 15, 2019
posted by jenny76 at 5:27 AM on October 15, 2019
the fluoride paint used to make my teeth hurt, so you're not alone. i don't get it anymore.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:22 AM on October 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:22 AM on October 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
This is covered under my dental insurance, so I get it every time they do a cleaning. It has never made my teeth hurt, and I have particularly sensitive teeth from grinding them in my sleep as a child.
But the most recent cleaning definitely made my teeth and gums sensitive for a bit, I assumed because the hygienist seemed a lot more thorough than the last one I had.
posted by tacodave at 5:18 PM on October 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
But the most recent cleaning definitely made my teeth and gums sensitive for a bit, I assumed because the hygienist seemed a lot more thorough than the last one I had.
posted by tacodave at 5:18 PM on October 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I started seeing a new dental hygienist a couple of years ago who at the time recommended I get the flouride varnish, which I did and have been since.
Her explanation behind this recommendation is that my teeth are showing signs of stress (likely a reaction to teeth grinding) in the form of tiny fractures visible on the surface of my teeth (if I recall correctly) and the flouride varnish helps to strengthen/protect my teeth. She said she doesn't recommend the treatment to everyone, but did for me for the reasons stated. So that's one seemingly legitimate reason to get the treatment that may not universally apply to all adult patients.
I, too, was a little suspicious and looked it up afterwards. I didn't find a conclusive universal recommendation for adults, just something along the lines of it being an optional treatment useful in some cases.
I figure my hygienist's reasoning comes across as sound, and I will likely continue to get the flouride varnish in the future. I did not experience any pain, although I was told to avoid food and hot drinks for 30 minutes afterwards.
Fwiw I think my hygienist does a good job cleaning my teeth, definitely above average, and I tend to trust her more as a result. If you reasonably trust your hygienist, how about next time directly asking them the benefits of the treatment and their recommendation for you based on your specific situation? If they are vague or provide an unsatisfactory answer, I personally would consider seeing someone else whom I could have frank conversations about treatments with.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 6:10 PM on October 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Her explanation behind this recommendation is that my teeth are showing signs of stress (likely a reaction to teeth grinding) in the form of tiny fractures visible on the surface of my teeth (if I recall correctly) and the flouride varnish helps to strengthen/protect my teeth. She said she doesn't recommend the treatment to everyone, but did for me for the reasons stated. So that's one seemingly legitimate reason to get the treatment that may not universally apply to all adult patients.
I, too, was a little suspicious and looked it up afterwards. I didn't find a conclusive universal recommendation for adults, just something along the lines of it being an optional treatment useful in some cases.
I figure my hygienist's reasoning comes across as sound, and I will likely continue to get the flouride varnish in the future. I did not experience any pain, although I was told to avoid food and hot drinks for 30 minutes afterwards.
Fwiw I think my hygienist does a good job cleaning my teeth, definitely above average, and I tend to trust her more as a result. If you reasonably trust your hygienist, how about next time directly asking them the benefits of the treatment and their recommendation for you based on your specific situation? If they are vague or provide an unsatisfactory answer, I personally would consider seeing someone else whom I could have frank conversations about treatments with.
posted by Goblin Barbarian at 6:10 PM on October 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: my teeth are showing signs of stress (likely a reaction to teeth grinding) in the form of tiny fractures visible on the surface of my teeth (if I recall correctly) and the flouride varnish helps to strengthen/protect my teeth
Specifically, adding fluoride to the outside of the enamel sets up conditions where the natural re-mineralization process that goes on all the time, which grows tiny mineral crystals that cement those little fractures back together, makes fluoroapatite crystals where hydroxyapatite would otherwise have occurred.
Fluoroapatite has about the same hardness and strength as hydroxyapatite but is more resistant to the natural de-mineralization process that also goes on all the time, so it makes a better and more long-lasting cement. It also deters bacterial growth to some extent.
Detailed explanation from Big Fluoride.
posted by flabdablet at 11:34 PM on October 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
Specifically, adding fluoride to the outside of the enamel sets up conditions where the natural re-mineralization process that goes on all the time, which grows tiny mineral crystals that cement those little fractures back together, makes fluoroapatite crystals where hydroxyapatite would otherwise have occurred.
Fluoroapatite has about the same hardness and strength as hydroxyapatite but is more resistant to the natural de-mineralization process that also goes on all the time, so it makes a better and more long-lasting cement. It also deters bacterial growth to some extent.
Detailed explanation from Big Fluoride.
posted by flabdablet at 11:34 PM on October 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
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I always reject it at my dental visits because of those reasons, and I haven't had a cavity in 15 years (knock wood).
posted by cooker girl at 7:55 PM on October 14, 2019 [1 favorite]