Any dentists please who could advise on fluoride paste?

[filou87]

I saw my dentist today as my gums have been bleeding. I am 30 weeks.

She said it was mild gingivitis but that my teeth looked good and she had no concerns, and just to keep using my electric toothbrush etc.

She then offered to apply some fluoride paste which I agreed to as I thought it was going to be polished off. However as I realised it was setting she noticed I was panicking. I have developed anxiety and OCD in pregnancy and worry constantly about hurting the baby accidentally. I was signed off work and one of my OCD things is around cleaning my teeth thoroughly and rinsing.

The dentist got really irritated with me and then said she'd take it off. She was slightly nicer when I explained I was having treatment for anxiety but still very abrupt. She has been my dentist for over a decade and she's always been great but today really upset me to the point I don't want to go back ( I probably will though as waiting lists are huge here for NHS)

Please can any dentists advise what she applied to my teeth? It was put on thr back of two front teeth. She scrapedbit off within a few minutes but I can feel a tiny bit still there. She said it's no stronger than fluoride in my toothpaste but I'm worried and I wouldn't have consented if I'd known it would set hard and not be removed.

Thanks in advance.

It's fluoride paint. They apply it to children's teeth too to help prevent cavities

You aren't supposed to rinse after brushing as you are washing away the fluoride that is helping to protect your teeth. 'Spit dont rinse ' is the motto

www.child-smile.org.uk/parents-and-carers/fluoride-varnishing.aspx this explains a bit about it

Op, you can get fluoride free toothpaste from the likes of Holland and Barrett.

It’s just fluoride. It won’t harm you and or your baby. My 5 year old has had it applied every few months since she was 2 as some of her her back teeth came through without proper enamel.

Dentists are medical professionals and well versed on what is safe in pregnancy. Your dentist wouldn’t have applied it if it wasn’t completely safe. I understand that anxiety and be very difficult but you are worrying over nothing in this case.

I doubt it's anything to worry about, but plenty of fluoride free toothpastes available (I try to avoid it for my kids, strong and healthy teeth can be done without it)

'It's just fluoride'

I wouldn't use fluoride free toothpaste for anyone tbh. Ds also has bad enamel on his back teeth

Thank you for all your replies.

I feel better now and calmed down. I spoke to some friends and family who she treats and they said they've found her to be rude and abrupt before.

I just don't understand why she applied it after she told me my teeth were good and she had no concerns.

I do use fluoride toothpaste ( have used fluoride free in the past), I just don't want it painted on my teeth, especially not in pregnancy.

We tend to apply fluoride varnish on adult's teeth if they express a sensitivity in a particular area as the varnish helps ease these symptoms. Perfectly safe. Although if you are not using a fluoride tooth paste your dentist may have applied this because you would be classed as a high caries risk and the varnish is also used for children who are also a high caries risk and more likely to need fillings etc.

Can I ask any dentist/knowledgable person when you should clean teeth and when you should use mouthwash in the morning if you are in a rush? Should it be clean teeth as soon as you get up, have breakfast then mouthwash?

Dental Nurse here.

Teeth should be brushed for 2mins twice a day; morning ideally 30mins after breakfast (obv not always possible not the end of the world if you don't manage to wait 30mins) - And Night time last thing before bed.

Mouthwash should not be used directly after brushing as it washes away the fluoride in the toothpaste. Use m/wash just after meals if you want extra freshness, and floss at least once a day.

I'm pretty sure she could see you were pregnant if you're 30 weeks and wouldn't have done it if unsafe. Aside from the fact that there's fluoride in your toothpaste anyway.

I think you maybe owe your dentist an apology

Thanks LeeRorr, that's really helpful.

Dolwar, I had no reason to apologise at all. I was extremely polite to her and actually did say sorry for wasting the paste she'd used. She was rude and unprofessional but there we go.

Thanks Lee that was helpful. I had heard from someone about cleaning teeth before breakfast to protect them and just wondered what the advice was.