Is Flouride Mouth Wash Needed Since City Water Has Flouride Already?

Answer: It depends on your risk for developing cavities.

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It depends on your risk for developing cavities. One’s risk of developing cavities is dependent on a number of different factors.

Some examples include:

1) Frequency of sugary food intake

2) Tendency of developing cavities- looking back, how many cavities have you gotten throughout your life, over the past 5 years, over the last year etc.

3) Genetics – your tendency to develop cavities is in part a factor of your parents tendency to develop cavities

4) Fluoridated water intake- Did the town you grew up in have fluoridated water? Does the water you consume now have fluoridated water? An answer of yes puts you at a lower risk.

5) Does your toothpaste have fluoride? An answer of yes puts you at a lower risk.

6) Do you wear braces or some other form of appliance? An answer of yes puts you at a higher risk.

7) Age- the elderly are at a higher risk of developing cavities because they do not produce as much saliva.

8) Decreased salivation- those who take medications which cause them to produce less saliva, or produce less saliva due to a medical condition or some other reason are at a higher risk.

9) Luck – oftentimes chance plays a role as well If looking at these questions- you think you are at an increased risk then perhaps a fluoridated mouthrinse is good for you. That being said, I recommend a fluoridated mouthrinse to most of my patients because I find that is can help lower someone’s risk of cavities.