Fluoride, for better or for worse, is one of the most famous aspects of protecting oral health. It plays an important role in supporting enamel, and therefore in staving off tooth decay.
However, lots of people aren’t fully aware of what fluoride actually does, or why it’s in toothpaste, mouthwash, and even drinking water. If you want to learn a little bit more about the role that fluoride plays in your oral health, here’s some information you might find useful.
What Does Fluoride Do for the Teeth?
Fluoride, like calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, and countless other minerals, is used by the body to support its natural functions. The role of fluoride in the body is fairly specialized—it’s primarily used in remineralizing enamel.
Enamel doesn’t really “grow” in the way that bone and muscle do. However, fluoride can make the enamel that you have stronger, which can prevent tooth decay from affecting them as severely.
Is Fluoride Dangerous?
Fluoride has developed a little bit of a negative reputation among some people, in large part due to concerns about its presence in tap water. It’s definitely the case that too much fluoride can cause problems, especially in young children, but moderate consumption doesn’t carry any risks.
While some studies have found negative effects from fluoride use, these studies are rarely extensive or corroborated. American tap water has been fluoridated since the 1940s, and since then there’s been no evidence of harm as a result.
What Happens If You Have Too Much Fluoride?
While fluoride in itself isn’t dangerous, too much of it may potentially cause problems. Overdose of fluoride is known as fluorosis, and it can affect both the teeth and the skeletal system as a whole.
The most common fluorosis is dental fluorosis, which happens in young children who consume too much of it while the teeth are still forming under the surface of the gums. This can cause white spots on the teeth once they grow in. Fortunately, there are no other health effects to the surface of the teeth.
Skeletal fluorosis is more severe, but is also exceedingly rare. You would need to expose yourself to an incredible amount of fluoride for years before experiencing it, like if you’d swallowed every ounce of toothpaste you’d ever put in your mouth. If you’re drinking tap water and using toothpaste as directed, fluorosis shouldn’t be much of a concern for you.
About Our Practice
At Legacy Dentistry, we believe that dentistry isn’t just an obsession with teeth—the best oral healthcare comes from a dedication to the happiness of our patients and to complete transparency through every step of the process. We take pride in not only being able to treat patients’ teeth but to give them peace of mind as well. No matter what brings you to our practice, we’ll be sure to offer quality oral healthcare tailored to you.
If you have any questions about fluoride, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (972) 723-1148.