Never liked the taste either—bubblegum or “mint,” it’s all kinda weird.
Ha, you’re not alone—my kid swears the bubblegum one is “the worst thing ever created.” It’s basically a rite of passage to make that face in the dentist chair. We do the fluoride every 6 months for her, mostly because she’s a little cavity-prone and I’d rather deal with 2 minutes of drama than another filling. Totally agree it’s not magic, but I’ll take anything that helps her avoid more drilling.
It’s basically a rite of passage to make that face in the dentist chair.
That face is so real—I still remember gagging on the “tutti frutti” flavor as a kid. Now with braces, I get fluoride every visit, which is every 6 weeks or so. Not my favorite part, but honestly, my teeth are way less sensitive these days. I get why some people skip it, but for me, it’s worth the weird taste to avoid more cavities, especially with all the brackets and wires making brushing tricky.
My kiddo actually dreads the fluoride part way more than the cleaning—she says it makes her mouth feel “fuzzy” for hours after. We’ve only been doing it every six months at her checkups, but now I’m wondering if that’s enough, especially since she’s about to get braces. Is it really necessary to do it every time, or does it depend on the kid? I can’t tell if I’m being too cautious or not cautious enough sometimes...
Is it really necessary to do it every time, or does it depend on the kid? I can’t tell if I’m being too cautious or not cautious enough sometimes...
I totally get where you’re coming from—my daughter hates the taste too, and she describes it as “weird slime.” The thing is, with braces, the risk of cavities does go up because it’s harder to clean around all that hardware. Six months is pretty standard, but some orthodontists push for more frequent fluoride if kids are high risk. Have you noticed any white spots or early signs of decalcification on her teeth? That’s usually what tips the balance for us.
My son had braces for two years and he’d roll his eyes every time the fluoride tray came out—he called it “minty glue.” Honestly, our dentist said it’s more about the kid’s risk than a strict schedule. If they’re brushing well and there’s no sign of spots or sensitivity, sometimes we’d skip it. But if your kiddo snacks a lot or struggles with brushing around the brackets, it’s probably worth sticking with the six-month routine, even if it’s a pain.