Fluoride Facts: What Pinellas County Residents Need to Know
As a dental hygienist, I often get questions from patients about fluoride—what it is, whether it’s safe, and how recent decisions around public water fluoridation affect their families.
To clarify: Fluoride has been removed from the public water in Pinellas County. That decision has already been made, and rather than focusing on whether it should or shouldn’t be in the water, I want to share what we at Creating Smiles Dental do believe in—and what we’re doing to help.
We believe in topical fluoride treatments. And we believe in access to care.
Recently, our office participated in a collaborative community effort through USF Health, Coptic Charities, GCJC, and a local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building to host the first Health Day and back-to-school event for local refugee families in Pinellas County. Together, we provided over 80 fluoride treatments, oral health screenings, and referrals for both children and adults to local dental clinics.
We were grateful to receive toothbrush donations from our Crest/Oral-B rep and fluoride varnish from our 3M rep. The fluoride varnish we use is a neutral sodium fluoride, which means there are no restrictions after it’s applied—eating, drinking, and even swallowing is perfectly safe.
We’ve seen this type of topical fluoride:
- Reverse the beginnings of cavities (when paired with brushing and flossing)
- Reduce and sometimes eliminate tooth sensitivity
- Prevent stains by filling in the micro-pores in the enamel
- Help minimize tartar buildup by making the surface of teeth smoother and less likely to attract plaque
For patients with chronic sensitivity, we even offer a take-home sensitivity protocol that includes two additional fluoride treatments spaced three days apart. This helps ensure optimal fluoride ion uptake, giving patients a real shot at relief and repair.
Our fluoride treatments are safe for babies, although our office typically sees older children and adults. There’s no risk of fluorosis with our topical applications. If insurance covers some or all of the cost, we make sure our patients know—and if they have questions, we’re happy to answer. Nothing is too silly, and we welcome open, one-on-one conversations.
We also proudly offer prescription-strength Clinpro 5000 toothpaste. This fluoride-rich paste is great for daily use. We recommend brushing and rinsing as normal first, then using Clinpro almost like a “sunscreen” for your teeth—gently coating them before bed for extra protection. We also call in prescriptions to pharmacies, as they often carry the same formulation. (Just a heads up: the version of Clinpro sold on Amazon may look the same but usually contains only the same fluoride level as regular toothpaste.)
Ultimately, fluoride in water or not, our guidance stays the same:
- Drink water
- Brush
- Floss
- And say yes to fluoride treatments
We know people often flavor their water, choose bottled or carbonated water, or reach for other drinks entirely. That makes topical fluoride even more essential.
Our office is committed to continuing this work, and we’ll be looking for more ways to serve the community. Dr. Brayer and her family recently returned from a dental mission trip to Costa Rica, and several of us—including Dr. Brayer, Zach, and myself—regularly volunteer at the Homeless Empowerment Program’s dental clinic in Clearwater.
We’re not alarmed about changes in water fluoridation because we’re focused on what we can do. And we’re here to help.
