3 Ways to Get Patients On Board With Fluoride Varnish for Adults

24% of adults have untreated tooth decay. While preventable dental care is the focus for children and teens, it should also be the priority for adults. Fluoride varnish for adults can be used to treat and prevent tooth decay. If your patients have never heard of this before, you're not alone.

As a dental professional, the struggle to inform patients about their dental habits is constant. Educating adults about the use of fluoride varnish requires patience and a three-step approach. Patients that suffer from sensitivity and cavities as an adult can benefit greatly from this treatment. 

Here's how you should present the facts:

1. Personalized Care

Patients hate feeling like their dentist is lecturing them like a child. They usually tune out when hearing about their bad habits and dental history. This stuff is important for them to understand, so it calls for a more intimate approach. 

Start by asking them about their health histories and current habits. As they are describing their behavior patterns, they should begin to figure out the errors in their ways. Ask them about any medications they might be taking that could affect their oral hygiene. 

If there is a connection there, explain to them that a fluoride varnish may prevent future dental problems. If they can't switch medications, then this might be the only way for them to find relief from sensitivity and enamel erosion.

2. Fluoride Varnish for Adults is Invisible

Most patients are very apprehensive towards dental treatments that affect their teeth. Especially as adults, they will feel embarrassed at the idea of wearing something on their teeth. As with other dental treatments, fluoride varnish has come a long way over the years.

The previous generations would leave an oily sheen on the teeth. This coating would make teeth look fake and patients had to wear it for a few days. Nowadays, the varnish dries fast and will not rub off from solid foods after receiving treatment. No one will be able to tell that the patient is wearing a varnish, as it is completely transparent.

Expressing these traits of modern fluoride varnish will help patients feel confident about getting the treatment done. You can apply Fluoride varnish in a single appointment (Fluor Protector) or over the course of several appointments (Fluor Protector S). The process is quick, easy to apply, and goes to work immediately.

For other common patient questions regarding fluoride, the final step will answer them. 

3. Separating Fact From Fiction

The biggest obstacles for dentists when it comes to convincing adults to use fluoride varnish will be ignorance. There's a lot of misinformation out there surrounding fluoride. It will take some patience and a tactful approach to properly educate patients who may not be scientifically literate.

First, let's start with the easy stuff: what fluoride varnish will do for them:

• It helps prevent cavities
• It reduces teeth sensitivity
• It protects against enamel erosion

Fluoride varnish is also virtually undetectable once in the mouth. The flavor and smell are very mild, nothing like the mintiness of pastes or strips. The varnish delivers a controlled dosage of fluoride directly to the enamel, greatly improving the restorative and strengthening abilities of the teeth.

Fluoride Facts

Now that we have the basic product information out of the way. Let's dig into the education needed surrounding fluoride itself. Many public water supplies around the country have fluoride added to them, but some people have many misconceptions about it. They falsely present fluoride as a chemical, unnatural, and even dangerous.

This is where facts can dispel irrational thinking. Explain to the patient the following:

• Fluoride is a mineral found throughout nature. Rocks and soil contain it, and it gets absorbed by the food we eat.
• Tea actually contains 5-10x more fluoride than fluoridated public water regulations. 
• You would need to drink 20,000 times more fluoride than what gets added to fluoridated water to experience any harmful effects.
• Fluoride varnish for adults can save you hundreds or thousands on future dental health problems.
• Fluoride fights current cavities and prevents new ones by restoring enamel density.
• Half of all fluoride ingested goes to the teeth and bones, the other half gets secreted.
• Adults need fluoride treatments if they still get cavities.
• Fluoride treatments are safe and regulated by the government.
• Fluoride varnish will not stain the teeth. The dosage delivered is controlled and well below the amount needed to stain.
• Fluoride treatments do not hurt and happen only in a few minutes.
• You can eat and drink as you normally would on the same day of treatment. 

Better Dental Health for All

Fluoride has proven to greatly improve the health of the population. It has been estimated that fluoridated water has reduced tooth decay by 40-60 percent when compared to communities without. This reduction in tooth decay extends to adults and senior populations.

In fact, the reliance on bottled water over the past two decades is connected to a recent rise in tooth decay. This is because of many bottle water companies sourcing their water from locations without fluoridation. 

Trying Fluoride Varnish

As the old saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't force them to drink." Educating patients on fluoride varnish for adults as an effective treatment can be challenging. If they still seem on the fence on receiving this treatment, show them and connect them with patients who already have.

If you would like to provide fluoride varnishes to your patients for the first time, you're in the right place. Our selection of topical varnishes comes in a variety of flavors at an affordable price. You don't have to spend a dime on your first order, request a free sample from us today.

You'll smile more and so will your patients after trying our product.