While commonly associated with toothpaste and dentists, fluoride is a beneficial mineral that is also commonly added to water supplies. Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel by remineralizing areas where acids from foods, drinks, and oral bacteria have softened.
The process of remineralization guards against cavities and prevents tooth sensitivity caused by enamel erosion. With fluoride playing such a crucial role in preventative care, understanding this mineral is key to maintaining healthy teeth for life.
What is Fluoride and How Does it Work?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral commonly added to water to prevent tooth decay. Over time, plaque-forming bacteria and sugar wear away the enamel layer that protects teeth. This process is called demineralization; if there is not enough remineralization to counteract the lost minerals, decay can occur.
Fluoride can be redeposited into the enamel by drinking water and brushing teeth. The remineralization of teeth protects them against acidic decay. If the enamel is damaged, acid can freely interact with the teeth, making them extremely sensitive to heat and cold and more susceptible to cavities.
When you use fluoride products, the mineral mixes with your saliva, coating your teeth and allowing it to bond to the calcium and phosphate in your teeth. This process results in a strong layer that resists acidic breakdown and prevents the formation of cavities.
Where is Fluoride Found?
Fluoride is commonly available in fluoridated water, toothpaste, mouthwash, and professional fluoride treatments. Many countries add fluoride to their water supplies to reduce the prevalence of tooth decay in their communities.
Using toothpaste twice daily is the quickest, most consistent way to add fluoride to your teeth. Most mouthwashes also contain small amounts of fluoride, which can help restore the minerals lost throughout the day to acidic foods and drinks.
For some people, having a dentist administer fluoride treatments with a stronger mineral concentration can be beneficial. These treatments can come in the form of gels, foams, and varnishes. The more potent doses of fluoride require a prescription, as overuse can lead to adverse side effects.
Why is Fluoride Important?
Countless studies have shown the effectiveness of small amounts of fluoride added to community water supplies. Areas that adhere to this practice show lower rates of tooth decay in their population. However, the amount added to water is so small that the daily use of fluoride toothpaste is still strongly recommended.
For children whose teeth are growing for the first time, introducing fluoride can be vital to developing strong teeth that will remain healthy throughout their childhood and adulthood. Regularly using fluoride strengthens the enamel, reduces the risk of cavities, and has even been shown to reverse early decay.
What is a Fluoride Treatment?
If your dentist recommends fluoride treatments, you have a few different options. Fluoride gel has high concentrations of the mineral and is typically applied by a dentist using a brush or a dental tray.
Fluoride varnish is another option that provides long term protection. The varnish is a sticky, resin-based liquid that sticks to the enamel of your teeth. Over time, the fluoride is released, providing effective treatment and protection for three to six months.
There is also whipped foam that can be applied to the teeth, is easy to use, and rinses off. Another easy-to-use option that can be especially helpful for children and teenagers is a fluoride-rich mouthwash that is held in the mouth for a specified time.
It is crucial not to swallow these fluoride treatments as the mineral concentration is very high and may cause some side effects. If children use any at-home fluoride treatments, they should be monitored to ensure they don’t swallow any by accident.
What are the Benefits of Fluoride?
Regular fluoride use can have many long-term benefits. It can even offer life-long resilience when used by young children whose teeth are still developing.
Regular exposure to fluoride can:
- Prevent tooth decay. Fluoride helps to protect the enamel layer through remineralization, preventing the acid from foods and drinks from penetrating teeth. This drastically reduces the risk of cavity formation and tooth decay as the enamel will retain its structural integrity, keeping your teeth safe.
- Protect sensitive teeth. Tooth sensitivity can become unbearable if the enamel protecting your teeth wears away. It can become even worse if you have deep cavities or root exposure. Fluoride-rich toothpaste and treatments can remineralize the enamel, restoring the protective layer and reducing pain caused by hot and cold foods and drinks.
- Provide affordable preventative care. Ingesting fluoride water is an easy way to introduce the mineral to your system. The cost of toothpaste and fluoridated water is significantly less than cavity treatments, extractions, and root canals that may become necessary as tooth decay progresses.
Is Fluoride Safe?
Many parents have expressed concern, especially in the last decade, about the potential risks associated with fluoride. The most common fear is that fluoride is toxic, and the presence of it in water can cause harm to children and adults.
While there is reason to be cautious, the amount of fluoride added to water is so minute that it could never cause significant harm to anyone, even those who drink large quantities of water. There are, however, still some risks and side effects to be aware of.
The most common side effect is fluorosis, which causes tooth discoloration. This happens when a child consumes too much fluoride during development. It can also occur if a child takes fluoride supplements too often, consistently swallows their toothpaste, or drinks unregulated fluoridated water.
In rare circumstances, some people may experience a fluoride allergy, resulting in mouth lesions, headaches, and skin irritation. In these cases, it is best to avoid fluoride and speak to a dentist to find alternatives for protecting your teeth.
If fluoride is used in very high doses, it can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, and abnormally high levels of potassium and calcium. This can happen if fluoride treatments are applied incorrectly or swallowed. Although it is very unlikely, it can occur when children mistakenly ingest too much fluoride.
Embrace Fluoride for Stronger, Healthier Teeth
When used correctly, fluoride remineralizes and strengthens the enamel layer of teeth, preventing acids from penetrating the enamel and leading to cavities and tooth decay. While there are rare instances where too much fluoride can cause side effects, the trace amounts added to community water and dental products are safe for children and adults.
With the daily use of fluoridated toothpaste and regular fluoride treatments from a dentist, everyone can use this mineral to maintain strong, healthy teeth. In conjunction with good oral hygiene, fluoride is one of the most important preventative measures for protecting your teeth.