Back to school: kids’ dental cleaning + fluoride
A check-up, a gentle clean and a professional fluoride treatment for your child, in one visit before term starts — AED 149 in Deira, Dubai. Around thirty minutes, and nothing beyond this is done without your agreement.
For: school-age children
Takes: about 30 minutes
Book: before term starts
What happens at the visit
A look at every tooth
The dentist checks each tooth for early decay, looks at how the adult teeth are coming through, and checks the gums. Problems caught at this stage are usually small ones.
A gentle clean and polish
Plaque and staining are removed with a scale and polish. For most children this is quick and does not hurt — it feels like a vibrating brush rather than anything sharp.
Fluoride varnish
A fluoride varnish is painted onto the teeth. It sets on contact and takes under a minute. Children can eat again shortly afterwards, and the dentist will say exactly how long to wait.1
Brushing advice, aimed at the child
The dentist shows the child what they are missing and how to reach it, rather than handing a leaflet to the parent. Children who are shown tend to change what they do.
Why fluoride, and how much it actually helps
Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel against the acid that causes decay. The evidence for applying it at a dental visit is unusually good for a preventive measure: a Cochrane review of 22 trials covering 12,455 children found fluoride varnish reduced decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces by 43% in permanent teeth and 37% in baby teeth compared with no varnish.2
The reviewers rated that evidence moderate quality and noted the trials varied a good deal, so treat the figures as a solid indication rather than a precise promise for one child. Professionally applied fluoride is recommended by the American Dental Association, and how often it should be repeated depends on the child own risk of decay.1
It is not a substitute for brushing, and no dentist will tell you otherwise. It works alongside brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and keeping sugary drinks to mealtimes — which is what the advice at the end of the visit is about.
Questions parents ask
It is a fluoride coating painted onto the teeth to strengthen the enamel against decay. A Cochrane review of 22 trials covering more than 12,000 children found it reduced decayed tooth surfaces by around 43% in permanent teeth and 37% in baby teeth compared with no varnish. Whether your child needs it depends on their teeth, their diet and how well they brush — the dentist will say honestly if it is unlikely to add much.
Professionally applied fluoride varnish is used routinely in children's dentistry worldwide and is recommended by the American Dental Association. The amount applied at a dental visit is small and controlled, and it sets on the tooth rather than being swallowed. Tell the dentist about any other fluoride supplements your child takes so the whole picture is considered.
Children of school age, and younger where the child will sit for a check-up. If your child has never been to a dentist, say so when you book — a first visit is often shorter and about getting them comfortable rather than getting everything done.
A clean and a fluoride varnish are not painful procedures. Some children find the polishing tickly and some dislike the taste of the varnish, which is why it is over in under a minute. If a tooth needs anything beyond this, the dentist will explain what and why before doing anything.
Around thirty minutes for the check-up, clean, fluoride and advice. Booking before term starts is easier than fitting it around school.
The check-up, the scale and polish, the fluoride varnish and the brushing advice — the whole visit for one child. If the dentist finds something needing treatment, they will tell you what it costs before doing it. Nothing is added without you agreeing to it first.
References
- Weyant RJ, Tracy SL, Anselmo TT, Beltran-Aguilar ED, et al.. Topical fluoride for caries prevention: executive summary of the updated clinical recommendations and supporting systematic review. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2013;144(11):1279-91. PMID 24177407. doi:10.14219/jada.archive.2013.0057The American Dental Association recommendation on professionally applied topical fluoride, including which children benefit and how often it should be applied.
- Marinho VC, Worthington HV, Walsh T, Clarkson JE. Fluoride varnishes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;2013(7):CD002279. PMID 23846772. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002279.pub2A Cochrane review of 22 trials and 12,455 children: fluoride varnish reduced decayed surfaces by 43% in permanent teeth and 37% in baby teeth against no varnish, on moderate-quality evidence.
Sources are listed for the specific statements they support. They are published research and guidance, not a substitute for a consultation — what applies to you is decided by a doctor who has assessed you.