How to Fix Fluoride Damaged Teeth

Fluoride once was thought to be a healthy element that could prevent and sometimes even reverse tooth decay. It was later discovered that too much fluoride can be toxic to your body, causing particular distress to your teeth. Damaged teeth may be yellow or covered with brown spots. Fluoride damage done to the teeth is not reversible, but the damage can be cosmetically treated. Treatment must be done by a dentist and will depend on how badly your teeth have been affected--and how much you are able to spend for the procedure.

Instructions

Fix Dental Fluorosis

• 1

  Sand off the damage. This type of dental abrasion involves finely sanding the outer layer of the tooth's enamel where it has been damaged by fluoride. The Fluoride Action notes that abrasion is not recommended when fluoride damage is severe, however, as it may bring porous enamel to the surface, where there it can wear easily and become highly sensitive.

• 2

  Try bonding. Your dentist will lightly roughen the surface of each damaged tooth to allow the composite resin to adhere more easily to the tooth. Then the resin is applied to the outside of your tooth to cover the fluoride-damaged spots on the tooth enamel.

• 3

  Cover your teeth with porcelain veneers. Each veneer fits perfectly over the individual tooth like a shell or casing. After several years, the veneers will need to be replaced.

• 4

  Whiten yellowed teeth. This is the last option you should consider, because fluoride damage makes the surface of your teeth extra porous, and whitening can intensify that effect. It also may not work on fluorosis spots.