Fluoride and Dental Care – How to Fight Tooth Decay

Fluoride is an important element in keeping your teeth healthy and free from decay. That’s why you can see fluoride is added to so many different toothpastes on the market. Look for fluoride treatments as a regular part of your dental hygiene and cleanings. Fluorine is the source of fluoride. Fluorine is a primary and popular element within the Earth’s crust. Most of the time, however, you can get fluoride from their drinking water.

Fluoride helps tooth decay. It works in two basic ways. Fluoride will enter the bloodstream and travel to the teeth in that way. Once it is there, it will work to strengthen enamel. The enamel covers the teeth with a translucent material and a stronger enamel will reduce the effects of demineralization, which is the loss of minerals caused by damaged acids and plaque. Over time, demineralization will weaken the enamel of the tooth and make it more likely for decay and therefore, more susceptible to dental cavities.

Fluoride will help teeth during the remineralization process as well. When remineralization occurs, it is the body’s natural way of refilling the minerals that have been lost during the demineralization. Every time you drink milk, to illustrate the point, you will get a portion of the minerals in milk to work with remineralization.

Fluoride works in a similar fashion. No matter how you get fluoride – through drinking water, toothpaste, mouthwash or other – it will help the enamel replenish its supply of fluoride in the body. When remineralization occurs, it will slow down plaque with the damaging acids.

Should you supplement your diet with more fluoride? Some people say yes, while others say no. If your drinking water is not fortified with fluoride, you should look into having additional supplements of fluoride in your diet. If you have a child that is six months to 16 years old, he or she will definitely need more fluoride since it is the most effective way to fight dental decay. You can get fluoride in a liquid or tablet form from your dentist whenever it’s necessary to supplement.

If you get your water from an underground well or from a water processing plant, you are probably getting a decent amount of fluoride. If you regularly purchase bottled water, however, you may not be getting enough fluoride in your diet. Bottled water has plenty of benefits, but it lacks fluoride, which isn’t good for your teeth. If you’re not sure whether or not your bottled water has fluoride, check the ingredients label.

If you have too much fluoride in your diet, you can also have problems. The cause of fluoride is something called fluorosis, which isn’t harmful, but it can be unsightly. Fluorosis is when enamel becomes mottled or discolored and physically unattractive.

Fluoride toxicity is more serious if a large amount of fluoride is ingested over a very short period of time. If this happens, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea will occur. Since young children are more susceptible to this problem, it is very important to keep toothpaste away from kids.

         

Introduction to Dental Care

How to Care, Clean and When to Replace Your Toothbrush
Food and Your Teeth
Dental Care for Babies
Dental Flossing Care – How to Clean Your Teeth and Gums
Dental Care – How to Clean and Brush Your Teeth and Gums