What Is Fluoride? Fluoride is a mineral in a human’s bones and teeth. It is also found naturally in water, soil, plants, rocks, and air. Fluoride is commonly used in dentistry to strengthen enamel, which is the outer layer of your teeth. Fluoride helps to prevent cavities. It is also added in small amounts to public water supplies which are known as water fluoridation. How Does It Work? Fluoride protects teeth from the bacteria in plaque. It also promotes new bone formation. This is different from most medicines used for weak bones (osteoporosis,) which fight osteoporosis by keeping bone from being broken down. Benefits of Fluoride In terms of human health and nutrition, fluoride is a trace element, which comprises a relatively small percentage of the body’s composition. There are many benefits of fluoride, which are as follows: Protects Your Enamel One of the benefits of fluoride treatments is their ability to protect a tooth's enamel. Drinking liquids that contain high amounts of acid can cause the enamel on your teeth to break down. When the enamel deteriorates, the person’s teeth become much more sensitive to normal activities such as drinking warm, hot, or cold liquids. Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and receiving fluoride treatments at the dental office reduces the amount of sensitivity your teeth experience. Fluoride helps protect the teeth and enamel against these acids and the bacteria that cause them. Specifically, fluoride protects the enamel from being broken down, reducing teeth sensitivity. Puts Minerals Back in Teeth Acid does more damage to the teeth than simply breaking down the enamel. It also breaks down the structure of the tooth by destroying the minerals that make up the teeth. Minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, are vital to the health of teeth. When acid breaks down the enamel, it causes the teeth to become weak and damaged. Fluoride reverses the damage by adding those vital minerals back into the teeth. This process is known as re-mineralization. Helps Prevent Cavities and Tooth Decay Bacteria is present in everyone's mouth. When sugars and starches are consumed, they enable the bacteria to produce an acid that breaks down the enamel. This process is extremely harmful to the teeth, and when it is not combated with fluoride treatments, the acid begins to decay the teeth. Fluoride is always the best treatment when battling tooth decay or cavities. When receiving fluoride treatments and using fluoride toothpaste at home, you’re much less likely to experience cavities or tooth decay. Provides a Natural Preventative A final significant benefit of fluoride is that it serves as a natural preventative for the teeth. By using water fluoridation, we can adjust the levels of fluoride in our drinking water to the recommended level for preventing tooth decay and cavities. It is a natural and effective way to prevent possible damage to our teeth.

Harmful Effects of Fluoride Excessive fluoride exposure has been linked to several health issues. Some of them are as follows: Dental Fluorosis The fluoride content of 0.7 ppm is now considered best for dental health. A concentration that is above 4.0 ppm could be hazardous. Exposure to high concentrations of fluoride during childhood, when teeth are developing, can result in mild dental fluorosis. There will be tiny white streaks or spots in the enamel of the tooth. This does not affect the health of the teeth, but the discoloration may be noticeable. Skeletal Fluorosis Excess fluoride exposure can lead to a bone disease known as skeletal fluorosis. Over many years, this can result in pain and damage to bones and joints. The bones may become hardened and less elastic, increasing the risk of fractures. If the bones thicken and bone tissue accumulates, this can contribute to impaired joint mobility. Thyroid Problems In some cases, excess fluoride can damage the parathyroid gland. This can result in hyperparathyroidism, which involves the uncontrolled secretion of parathyroid hormones. This can result in a depletion of calcium in bone structures and higher-than-normal concentrations of calcium in the blood. Lower calcium concentrations in bones make them more susceptible to fractures. Neurological Problems After many types of research throughout these years, it has been found that fluoride is a neurotoxin that could be hazardous to child development, along with other industrial chemicals, including lead, arsenic, toluene, and methylmercury. Other Health Problems It may also contribute to the following health problems: *Acne and other skin problems *Cardiovascular problems, including arteriosclerosis and arterial calcification, high blood pressure, myocardial damage, cardiac insufficiency, and heart failure. *Reproductive issues, such as lower fertility and early puberty in girls *Thyroid dysfunction *Neurological problems, possibly leading to ADHD *Nausea and vomiting *Seizures and muscle spasms

How to Include Fluoride in Your Daily Routine There are many ways that fluoride can be incorporated into our daily lives. Some of the ways that this can be done are as follows: Drink Water with Fluoride Fluoride is naturally found in almost all water sources, rivers, lakes, wells, and even the oceans. Now fluoride has been added to public water supplies to bring fluoride levels up to the amount necessary to help prevent tooth decay. Before water fluoridation, children had about three times as many cavities. Because of the important role it has played in the reduction of tooth decay, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed community water fluoridation one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century. Use Toothpaste and Mouth Rinse with Fluoride Toothpaste with fluoride has been responsible for a significant drop in cavities. Brush twice a day (morning and night) or as directed by your dentist and physician. Always supervise your child’s brushing to make sure they use the right amount, and try to get your child to spit out most of the toothpaste. Mouthwash with fluoride can help make your teeth more resistant to decay, but children six years or younger should not use it unless it’s been recommended by a dentist. Visit Your Dentist for a Professional Application If a person has a chance of getting cavities, their dentist can apply fluoride directly to their teeth during the dental visit with a gel, foam, or rinse. Take a Fluoride Supplement Fluoride supplements come in tablet, drop, or lozenge forms. They are recommended only for children ages six months to 16 years living in areas without adequate amounts of fluoride in their community drinking water and who are at high risk of developing cavities.