Do you need fluoride treatment after a teeth cleaning? Dental experts weigh in

When Tristen Boyer recently had a couple of cavities filled, her dentist suggested she get fluoride treatment afterward. She has Crohn’s disease, which puts her at increased risk for tooth decay.

"It’s something I felt like I should get done,” the 22-year-old University of Kentucky student said. “It’s something I’m going to keep doing.”

Dentists and hygienists often propose fluoride treatments to patients in the dental chair to prevent cavities and strengthen teeth. But the relatively simple procedure – which involves applying a varnish, gel or foam directly to the teeth – isn’t always covered by insurance, especially for adults.

So when is it worth getting? Here are some ways to figure that out.

If there's a high risk of tooth decay, then professional fluoride treatments can help.

But if “you haven’t seen any decay in years, you’re probably OK. What you’re doing at home is probably enough,” said Dr. Robert Weyant at the University of Pittsburgh.

Besides looking at cavity history, your dentist may also ask about risky behaviors, such as drinking lots of soft drinks, and your oral health regimen.

Patients “who don’t have access to fluoridated water, don’t use fluoridated toothpaste or don’t floss regularly” may be good candidates for fluoride treatments, said Dr. Alex Daniel of Johns Hopkins University.

Treatments may also benefit certain groups more than others. Women in menopause, for example, experience hormonal changes that can lead to oral health problems. And people taking certain medications can get dry mouth, which means fewer bacteria-killing enzymes and potentially more decay.

For patients deemed to be at risk, dentists generally recommend treatments every three, six or 12 months.

Dental fluoride prevents decay by helping tooth enamel – the hard outer layer of the tooth – better resist acid caused by bacteria in the mouth.

“Acid dissolves away tooth enamel, which weakens it – which is what makes cavities," said Ohio dentist Dr. Matthew Messina, a spokesman for the American Dental Association.

Fluoride, a mineral, strengthens the enamel, making it harder.

The scientific evidence behind fluoride treatments is stronger for children than adults. But whether the benefit is stronger for kids is uncertain, Weyant said, because there hasn’t been as much research in adults.

Dentists said there are no safety concerns about the treatment. The only real side effect is an uncommon one called fluorosis, a cosmetic discoloration of the teeth if someone gets a little too much fluoride.

Dental experts acknowledged that recent opposition to fluoride in drinking water by some — including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation's new health and human services secretary —may give some people pause. But even if you use fluoride toothpaste, drink fluoridated water and get occasional in-office fluoride treatments, dentists said you’re getting a relatively small amount of the mineral that poses no danger.

Fluoride treatments cost anywhere from around $25 to $55. Though many insurers cover the cost for kids, adults generally pay out of pocket.

Boyer, who used to get the treatments as a child, paid $30 for her first adult treatment. Though she wishes it was covered by insurance, she said that's a small price to pay to prevent decay, expensive dental procedures and possible tooth loss.

“We only have one set of teeth,” she said. “The longer you can keep them, the longer you should.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Alexander Daniel, DDS, photographed at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, photographed at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, photographed at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, holds a sample of fluoride at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, left, demonstrates fluoride treatment on resident Cameron Onken, right, at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, left, demonstrates fluoride treatment on resident Cameron Onken, right, at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alexander Daniel, DDS, left, demonstrates fluoride treatment on resident Cameron Onken, right, at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The NFL set a record for fewest punts per game in 2025, and wild-card weekend was filled with fourth-down fun and folly as punters were mostly spectators, especially Chicago's Tory Taylor, who never stepped off the sideline in the Bears' come-from-behind win over the Green Bay Packers.

In all, teams converted 15 of 29 fourth down attempts on wild-card weekend, when there were only 41 punts, nine of them Monday night in the Houston Texans' 30-6 rout of Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bears first-year coach Ben Johnson was particularly aggressive, going for it a half-dozen times on fourth down Saturday night, including two backfires in the first half that led to a pair of Green Bay touchdowns and put the Bears in a 21-3 halftime hole.

Caleb Williams was intercepted on fourth-and-6 from the Packers 40-yard line, leading to Jordan Love's 18-yard touchdown throw, and Williams threw incomplete on fourth-and-5 from his own 32. That one led to Love's TD throw on fourth-and-goal from the Bears 2 that gave Green Bay an 18-point halftime cushion.

The Packers couldn't capitalize on another turnover on downs by Chicago just before halftime because Brandon McManus missed a 55-yard field goal on the final play after Williams threw incomplete deep on fourth-and-4 from the Green Bay 37.

When Prime Video's sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung asked the Bears' coach about his aggressive approach and going for it on fourth down multiple times on his own side of the field, Johnson replied, “Yeah, we want to maximize our possessions and we want to go for fourth-down plays."

Her follow-up was about how to slow down Green Bay's efficient offense.

“That's a big reason why we're being aggressive on offense, so that we can extend our drives and score points ourselves,” Johnson said. “It's a really good offense we're going against.”

Although the Bears would convert just twice on their six fourth downs — Green Bay was 3 for 3 on fourth down — that strategy paid off in the end. Williams threw a 27-yard pass to Rome Odunze to the Packers' 30-yard line, which led to the TD that pulled Chicago to 27-24 with 4:21 remaining.

Johnson said the game plan featured an aggressive fourth-down mentality, and "I think where it gets misconstrued is, there’s a lack of confidence in your defense when you do that. I think the opposite, I think it’s because I have confidence in our defense and their ability to stop teams in the red zone."

“I’m never going to apologize for being aggressive or doing things that might be a little unorthodox,” Johnson added, "if it’s what we deem is best for us to win a ballgame.”

Johnson was the Lions' offensive coordinator when Detroit blew a 17-point halftime lead and lost the NFC championship to San Francisco 34-31 after the 2023 season. In that game, Lions coach Dan Campbell went for it on fourth down twice in field-goal range but came up short, later saying he'd do it again if he could.

Those failures didn't curtail the Lions' aggressive fourth-down philosophy, one that Johnson took to Chicago when he was hired by the Bears a year ago.

He had plenty of company over the weekend as a trend from the regular season continued. There were just 3.55 punts per game per team this season and that figure fell in the first round of the playoffs with teams averaging just 3.41 punts per game.

The Panthers and Rams got the fun going Saturday when early fourth-down failures led to touchdowns by each team.

Trevor Lawrence thought he had the first down when the Jaguars went for it on fourth-and-2 from the Buffalo 9 only to see the review reveal his shin had hit the ground shy of the first-down marker, a fourth-down faux pas that proved pivotal in Jacksonville's 27-24 loss to the Bills.

The Bills twice went for it on fourth-and-1 deep in Jaguars territory. Josh Allen had a four-yard keeper on the first one and was carried nine yards on an astonishing tush push to the 1 that also led to a Buffalo touchdown.

The 49ers didn't attempt a single fourth-down conversion in their 23-19 win at Philadelphia, where the Eagles were 3-for-5 on fourth down.

The Patriots converted their only fourth-down try, on fourth-and-4 from the Chargers' 30, which led to a field goal. When the Chargers took a delay after failing to induce an offsides call and then punted from midfield, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth said, “I think Jim Harbaugh's been watching the games this weekend.”

And when Steelers coach Mike Tomlin chose to take the three points with a 32-yard field goal try rather that chancing it on fourth-and-3 from the Houston 14 Monday night, ESPN analyst Troy Aikman commented: “We're in a time as we all know when a lot of offenses would be going for it. ... But points are going to be (at) a premium. You've got two defenses that are capable of dominating their opponent. Get 'em when you can.”

Well, points certainly were at a premium for Pittsburgh, which hung in there most of the night before the Texans' 23-0 fourth-quarter blitz in what might have been Rodgers' farewell game.

If so, Rodgers' final pass was a pick-6 by safety Calen Bullock, whose 50-yard interception return for a touchdown came on ... you guessed it, fourth down.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson reacts during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)