What Is Fluoride? Uses and Benefits

When people hear fluoride, toothpaste brands spring to mind. That’s because fluoride is known to protect teeth from cavities, and by extension, tooth decay. Even outside of dental health, fluoride has industrial and medical uses.

https://sunrise-dentistry.com/blog/what-is-fluoride-uses-and-benefits/

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Fluoride Fluoride Side Effects fluorosis teeth tooth tooth decay tooth enamel risk

https://sunrise-dentistry.com/blog/what-is-fluoride-uses-and-benefits/

About ADMS

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Fluoride Fluoride Side Effects fluorosis teeth tooth tooth decay tooth enamel risk

What Is Fluoride? Uses and
Benefits
B L O G  |  S U N R I S E  D E N T I S T R Y
https://sunrise-dentistry.com/
While you carry on enjoying the benefits of
fluoride, you still need to exercise caution—
fluorosis results from excessive consumption
from fluoride. Children usually suffer from
enamel fluorosis and dental fluorosis. Both of
these are preventable by supervising your
child and teaching them not to swallow
fluoride products. Adults, on the other hand,
can experience skeletal fluorosis.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride comes from the element fluorine,
which appears quite widely in nature. It’s
often called nature’s cavity fighter for its
ability to stop cavities in their tracks. It also
strengthens the skin of your teeth, known as
the enamel, making it resistant to acids that
can cause tooth decay and other kinds of
damage.
What Is Fluoride Used For?
Fluoride plays a significant role in our dental
health. Most dental products like toothpaste,
supplements, and mouth rinses are abundant
in fluoride. If you’ve seen toothpaste ads,
you’ll realize that brands often highlight their
products’ fluoride content. In fact, dentists
usually 
suggest 
using 
a prescription
mouthwash that contains high amounts of
fluoride to patients with a lot of cavities.
Water fluoridation has also become a common
practice to ensure public water supplies are rich
in fluoride to aid the reduction of tooth decay
issues.
But what is fluoride used for, outside of dental
health?
Fluoride also has industrial uses. It serves as a
cleaning agent and is also found in pesticides
and in the manufacture of steel, aluminum,
and Teflon products. In medicine, fluoride is
necessary to carry out imaging scans, such as
PET scans.
What Are the Benefits of Fluoride?
As humans, we enjoy a multitude of benefits
from fluoride use.
Fluoride strengthens weak tooth enamel
with consistent use. At the same time, it
prevents mineral loss in tooth enamel. It also
remedies signs of tooth decay when used
early on.
For people experiencing bad breath, harmful
oral bacteria may be the cause. Fluoride is
responsible for inhibiting their growth. These
bacteria break down carbs and sugar, de-
mineralizing your teeth, weakening tooth
enamel, and eventually causing cavities.
Fluoride helps remineralize the tooth enamel,
so your risk of 
these 
issues becomes
significantly lower.
How Much Fluoride Do You Need?
It depends on many factors, such as your own
body biochemistry, eating habits, your fluoride
use, and other efforts to maintain oral health. All
of these elements measure your risk of decay.
Let me paint you a picture: People who brush
and floss regularly and stay away from foods
high in sugar or acid most likely have a lower
tooth decay risk. On the other hand, those
who don’t care about their oral hygiene and
actively snack on sugary and acidic foods and
beverages are faced with a higher risk.
It’s not enough that you brush your teeth
once a day and assume you’ll reap the
benefits of fluoride. If you eat sweets
regularly, your mouth will become a breeding
ground for decay-causing bacteria. Why?
Because they need sugar to survive. As they
feast on sugar, they release acids that erode
your teeth. Drinking beverages and food high
on acid, on the other hand, destroys your
teeth directly with their high concentrations
of tooth-destroying acids.
Are There Any Fluoride Side Effects?
Fluoride exists in nature, but it doesn’t mean it
remains safe when taken excessively. Children
and adults are at risk of fluorosis, which refers
to having too much fluoride in your system.
If your child’s developing teeth have taken in
more than the ideal amount of fluoride, they
can become stained or pitted, known as
enamel fluorosis. Then there’s dental fluorosis,
characterized by white spots on the teeth’s
surface. It occurs when a child (usually below 8
years of age) consumes too much fluoride
during teeth formation.
That’s why it’s not ideal to swallow toothpaste
rich in fluoride. It’s not just frowned upon; it’s
also a health hazard. Reduce your child’s risk
of suffering from fluoride side effects by
checking on them while they brush their teeth.
Teach them not to spit after gargling.
Adults can also suffer from fluoride side effects
due to the accumulation of the mineral over
time. Skeletal fluorosis has symptoms that
include bone tenderness or fractures.
Fluorosis, of any kind, is generally preventable.
Just exercise caution when using dental
products rich in fluoride.
For more information about the benefits and
possible risks of using fluoride systemically,
visit us at Sunrise Dentistry. We offer holistic
dentistry in Durango, CO that takes care of
your overall well-being and not just oral
health.
dale@durangolive.net
EMAIL ADDRESS
(970) 247-3303
PHONE NUMBER
https://sunrise-dentistry.com/
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