Fluoride has a Healthy Impact on Teeth

Minerals such as fluoride, calcium and phosphate are important for keeping your teeth strong and healthy. And every day these minerals are lost when natural occurring bacteria in your mouth combine with sugars in the foods you eat to create acids that attack your tooth enamel.

Of all of these minerals, fluoride stands out as one of the most essential for good oral health because it not only helps prevent tooth decay and can reverse early decay; it also attracts other minerals that have a positive effect on tooth enamel. And when children under six years of age have a consistent supply of fluoride, it becomes a part of the development of their permanent teeth, making the teeth strong and resistant to mineral loss and decay.

Fluoride can remain an ongoing ally for your oral health as long as it is consistently being replenished in your body. And one of the greatest sources of fluoride in the U.S. has always been our drinking water because most tap water in our country contains fluoride. In fact, “approximately 62% of the U.S. population served by public water supplies has access to adequate levels of fluoride in their water, and 43 of the 50 largest cities have water fluoridation systems.”

However, most bottled water does not contain fluoride, and as more and more Americans have moved from using tap water to drinking bottled water, more people are dealing with fluoride deficiency, which leads to a greater risk of tooth decay. According to the American Dental Association, an optimal fluoride level is 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million and the label on your bottled water (or a call to the manufacturer) can help you determine whether or not the water you are drinking contains an adequate supply of fluoride.

While it may seem important to mix baby formula with bottled water or to send bottled water in your children’s school lunches, it would actually be healthier for your children’s teeth to mix your baby’s formula with tap water and to fill a reusable water bottle with tap water to send to school with your children. In fact, fluoride is particularly important in childhood (between the ages of six months and sixteen years) because the teeth (both temporary and permanent) are forming and developing during those years.

If fluoride is not available in your water supply, there are other ways to ensure that every one in your family gets a consistent supply of this important mineral. A variety of toothpastes and mouth rinses that contain fluoride in low strengths can be purchased over-the-counter in drug, grocery and discount stores, and your dentist’s office may have fluoride mouth rinses available as well.

During your dental checkup, the dentist can determine if your teeth would benefit from additional fluoride…and if this is the case, a high level of fluoride can be applied to your teeth in the form of either foam, gel or varnish. Or your dentist can prescribe a fluoride supplement in either a tablet or liquid form.

Fluoride is important to the health of your teeth. Find out if you currently have an adequate supply of this important mineral, and if not, work with your dentist to determine the best choices for boosting your fluoride intake.

Resource:

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/fluoride-treatment?print=true