Healthy teeth add to a healthy smile. Apart from regular brushing and flossing, using minerals that strengthen teeth and keep them resistant to cavities plays a vital role in oral care. One such mineral is fluoride, a naturally occurring compound known for its use in dentistry. Read on to learn more about fluoride, its workings and benefits for dental health, and the potential concerns surrounding its usage.
What is Fluoride?
Before exploring its benefits, it is essential to understand what is fluoride. Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth's crust, widely distributed in soil, water sources, rocks, and plants. It is the ionic form of fluorine, a highly reactive element. Examples of fluoride compounds include sodium fluoride, calcium fluoride, stannous fluoride, and sodium monofluorophosphate.
Fluoride is known for its ability to inhibit tooth decay and promote the formation of new bones. In various countries, safe amounts of fluoride are often added to community tap water or local water supplies, a process called fluoridation. In the 1940s, researchers found that people who grew up drinking fluoridated water faced a sixty percent drop in dental caries compared to those living in areas without fluoridated water.
Organizations, such as the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have endorsed the fluoridation of drinking water systems. Fluoride is usually consumed through foods, diet supplements, and fluoridated water. Dental fluoride in the form of toothpaste, mouthwash, and professional treatment helps maintain optimal oral health.
How Does Fluoride Work?
Before learning how fluoride works, it is essential to understand the tooth demineralization and remineralization that naturally occur in the mouth. After you eat, harmful oral bacteria feed on residual sugars, releasing acids that erode the enamel. Constant acid attacks dissolve essential minerals from the tooth surface, such as calcium and phosphate, causing demineralization.
When less acidic saliva restores the lost minerals back to the tooth surface, a process known as remineralization. Excessive loss of minerals without replacement leads to dental decay and the formation of cavities. The primary purpose of fluoride on teeth is to strengthen the enamel and protect it from the harmful acids produced by bacteria. The action of fluoride for teeth cavity prevention can be achieved in different ways, as follows:
In children, fluoride concentrates on the growing bones and developing teeth, helping to harden the enamel on both baby and adult teeth before they emerge.
In adults, fluoride helps to harden the enamel of the adult teeth that have already emerged.
During remineralization, fluoride helps make the deposited minerals harder, strengthening the teeth and preventing them from breaking down during the next demineralization phase.
Apart from consuming foods, dietary supplements, and fluoridated water, fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinses help strengthen teeth and make them resistant to dental caries. Dentistry often recommends fluoride treatments for people who are more susceptible to cavities. These include topical fluoride applications in the form of gels or fluoride varnish directly on the teeth.
What Are The Benefits of Fluoride?
The use of fluoride is crucial for healthy and cavity-free teeth. However, small amounts of fluoride in foods, dietary supplements, and drinking water do not suffice to fully protect your teeth from cavities. For adequate exposure to fluoride, dentistry recommends the use of fluoridated dental products, such as fluoride toothpaste. The major benefits of fluoride for oral health include the following:
Remineralizes and strengthens teeth: Constant bacterial action in the mouth releases acids that erode the enamel and essential minerals, weakening the teeth. Fluoride promotes the remineralization of the weakened enamel and the replacement of the minerals, making the teeth stronger.
Slows down demineralization: While demineralization and remineralization occur constantly in the mouth, the replaced mineral deposits are harder in the presence of fluoride. This slows down and minimizes the damage from the next demineralization.
Protects teeth from cavities: Weak teeth enamel without enough replacement of essential minerals is susceptible to developing dental caries that may lead to cavities. Fluoride helps resist cavities by promoting remineralization and strengthening the enamel.
Reverse early tooth decay: Tooth decay occurs when the tooth surface is excessively demineralized, and the lost minerals are not adequately replaced. Fluoride helps remineralize teeth and nourish them with a harder deposit of the lost minerals, helping reverse the early signs of tooth decay.
Strengthens primary and adult teeth in children: Fluoride intake through water and foods at an early age strengthens the milk teeth and permanent teeth before they erupt. It makes children’s teeth less susceptible to dental caries.
What Are The Risks or Side Effects of Fluoride?
Fluoride is safe and beneficial when used in the proper amount. Fluoridation of existing natural drinking water aims to improve its fluoride content to the right levels for effective cavity prevention and optimal oral health. The American Dental Association recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water (0.7 ppm) as optimal for community drinking water supply. In developed countries, the water fluoridation systems are well-regulated to ensure safe levels of fluoride.
The possible health problems associated with excessive fluoride exposure are dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis. If exposed to high levels of fluoride for a longer period of time, skeletal fluorosis may occur at an early age. Skeletal fluorosis affects bone structure, while dental fluorosis appears as white spots on teeth or discoloration of the enamel, which can be treated by a dental professional.
Most over-the-counter dental fluoride products, such as mouthwash and toothpaste, contain a safe and low concentration of fluoride. However, it is ideal to use the safety guidelines to avoid any potential side effects. Here are some tips that can be followed while using fluoride toothpaste for young children:
Use only a pea-sized amount of the toothpaste on the child’s toothbrush.
Avoid flavored toothpaste that is more likely to be swallowed by children.
Ensure parental supervision for children under six years of age, and make sure the child spits it out instead of swallowing.
Various studies note how fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water helps fight childhood cavities and prevent tooth decay in adults. It is beneficial when used in the right amount, while the commonly debated side effects lack scientific evidence. It is ideal to consult a dental professional to find the right amount of fluoride and make suitable recommendations for you and your family.
Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, is essential for oral health care. It strengthens the enamel, prevents cavities, and is widely used in dental treatments and products. The advantages of fluoride for teeth cavity prevention are proven, and possible risks can be avoided by using fluoride in the right amounts. Regular dental visits and oral hygiene practices, with the appropriate use of fluoride, contribute to a lasting, healthy smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I'm getting enough fluoride?
How often should I have fluoride treatments?
What does fluoride do for your teeth?
Is it bad to use fluoride toothpaste every day?
If your drinking water contains fluoride, brushing regularly with fluoridated toothpaste is sufficient for adults and children to lower the risk of tooth decay. If you are using fluoride-free well water or bottled water, you may consult a dental professional to find out how much fluoride is recommended and if any supplements are necessary.
Oral conditions and needs vary among individuals. Fluoride intake through fluoridated drinking water and fluoride toothpaste is usually sufficient. However, if it is not met or you are more susceptible to cavities, a dental professional may recommend fluoride treatment or supplements for your unique oral needs.
To understand the role of fluoride in dental care products, it is vital to know what does fluoride do for your teeth. Fluoride strengthens the enamel and inhibits the progression of dental caries. It helps remineralize teeth and reverse early signs of decay. It is usually available through foods, fluoridated drinking water, and toothpaste. Dental professionals may recommend fluoride applications using gel or varnish for those who lack adequate intake.
No. Healthcare providers recommend fluoride intake through community water fluoridation and fluoride toothpaste to prevent cavities. While public health authorities regulate the fluoride content of tap water supplies, proprietary toothpaste includes only low concentrations of fluoride that are sufficient to prevent decay and are safe for daily use.
