For "root decay" are "all night" fluoride treatments the only answer?

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Bee bumble - 31 Mar 2006 00:50 GMT

My dentist said I have the beginings of "root decay" (I'm 62) involving
2 crowns and it may get worse as I have many crowns and bridges. I
read up on the topic and 'understand that root decay spreads quickly
and is very damaging to the teeth.
The dentist told me to brush with a special presciption toothpaste
with fluroide and to leave it on my teeth all night. I'm to do this
for at least 3 weeks til my appointment wherein he can begin working on
the crowns in question.
I am not keen on getting all this fluoride in my system and wonder if a
solution of say, hydrogen peroxide (diluted) could be as effective.
Thanks for any advice.

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Steven Bornfeld - 31 Mar 2006 01:09 GMT

> My dentist said I have the beginings of "root decay" (I'm 62) involving
> 2 crowns and it may get worse as I have many crowns and bridges. I
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> solution of say, hydrogen peroxide (diluted) could be as effective.
> Thanks for any advice.

    Your dentist may have a rationale, but realistically unless you are
using custom trays the fluoride will be swallowed in a few minutes anyway.
    Root decay does spread rapidly, but fluoride rinses won't stop it. The
cavity should be excavated. If it is on the cheek or tongue side of the
crown it is sometimes possible to do this and fill the cavity without
removing the crown. If the decay is in between the teeth the crown will
need replacement.
    Long ago I saw a lecture by a well-known periodontist who claimed he
could arrest radiation caries (a severe form of root decay caused by
destruction of the salivary glands) by using chlorhexidene rinses. I
haven't heard that from anyone else.
    Exposed root areas prone to decay may benefit from prescription
fluoride gels such as you are probably using (Prevident, Gel-kam), but
office-applied sodium fluoride varnish (Duraphat) also helps.

Steve

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Bee bumble - 31 Mar 2006 03:44 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll go ahead and do the night fluoride
treatment even though I don't want to - if it will help save my teeth!

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Ann - 02 Apr 2006 15:26 GMT

>Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll go ahead and do the night fluoride
>treatment even though I don't want to - if it will help save my teeth!

???

Did you see what was said?

"Your dentist may have a rationale, but realistically unless you are
using custom trays the fluoride will be swallowed in a few minutes
anyway.
"Root decay does spread rapidly, but fluoride rinses won't stop it."

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Bee bumble - 03 Apr 2006 01:54 GMT

> >Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll go ahead and do the night fluoride
> >treatment even though I don't want to - if it will help save my teeth!
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> anyway.
> "Root decay does spread rapidly, but fluoride rinses won't stop it."

I will try the night treatment first to see if it has any effect. If
not I'll explore the trays. Seems pretty obvious to me to attempt the
lessor of two evils in the beginning.

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