Fluoride | Oral Health Foundation

What’s fluoride?

Fluoride is a pure mineral that’s discovered in lots of meals and in all consuming water. The quantity of fluoride in water varies from space to space.

What are the advantages of fluoride?

Fluoride can vastly assist dental well being by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it extra proof against tooth decay. It additionally reduces the quantity of acid that the micro organism in your tooth produce.

Youngsters who’ve fluoride when their tooth are creating are inclined to have shallower grooves of their tooth, so plaque will be extra simply eliminated. Plaque is a skinny, sticky movie of micro organism that continually varieties in your tooth.

The addition of fluoride to water has been researched for over 60 years, and water fluoridation has been confirmed to cut back decay by 40 to 60 %.

The place can I discover fluoride?

Fluoride is discovered naturally in lots of meals and in water provides, and can also be added to some consuming water. Having 0.7 to 1.2 components of fluoride for each million components of water (0.7ppm to 1.2ppm) has been proven to have the perfect impact.

All water comprises some fluoride. Your native water provider can inform you how a lot fluoride is in your consuming water.

Is there sufficient fluoride in my water provide?

Presumably. Nonetheless, only some locations have sufficient pure fluoride to profit dental well being. Somewhere else it’s added to water. Your water provider will be capable to inform you whether or not your water provide has fluoride added. The quantity of fluoride added to the water will range relying on which space you reside in.

Fluoride can also be in some meals and drinks, for instance fish and tea. Some nations add fluoride to their desk salt and milk as an alternative of to the water provides. One cup of tea can comprise between 0.3 milligrams and 0.5 milligrams of fluoride, and for those who drink it with milk your tooth will even profit from the calcium. It’s best to drink tea with out sugar to cut back the danger of tooth decay much more.

What about fluoride toothpaste?

Most toothpastes now comprise fluoride, and most of the people get their fluoride this manner. Fluoride toothpaste could be very efficient in stopping tooth decay. The quantity of fluoride in toothpaste is normally sufficient to cut back decay.

In areas the place the water provide has fluoride added, fluoride toothpaste offers additional safety.

All kids as much as three years previous ought to use a toothpaste with a fluoride degree of not less than 1000ppm
(components per million). After three years previous they need to use a toothpaste that comprises 1350ppm to 1500ppm.

Mother and father ought to supervise their kids’s brushing, and use solely a pea-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste till they’re about 7 years previous.

Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse, in order that the fluoride stays in your tooth longer. 

Ought to individuals have additional fluoride?

Youngsters dwelling in poorer areas the place the water provides should not fluoridated can have 5 occasions extra decay than kids dwelling in additional prosperous or fluoridated areas. Analysis means that including fluoride to the water is the easiest way of decreasing these ‘dental inequalities’.

Your dental crew can apply fluorides to your tooth. These come as varnishes or gels and are extra concentrated than ones you’ll be able to apply your self, so you don’t want them as typically. Some adults can profit from these functions. Fluoride varnishes can assist to cut back tooth decay – particularly for individuals with dry mouth.

Some persons are extra more likely to have tooth decay, and the dental crew can also advise utilizing a higher-strength fluoride toothpaste for additional safety.

Are there any uncomfortable side effects of fluoride?

‘Dental fluorosis’ is brought on by having an excessive amount of fluoride when the tooth are creating. This could occur when fluoride dietary supplements are taken by kids below 7 who dwell in areas the place the water provide is fluoridated. It may possibly additionally occur when kids swallow toothpaste.

What’s fluorosis?

In its mildest type, dental fluorosis seems as very high quality pearly white strains or flecking on the floor of the tooth. This gentle fluorosis can typically solely be noticed by a dental skilled. Extreme fluorosis could result in the enamel being pitted and discoloured.

Thankfully, extreme fluorosis is uncommon.

Is fluoride protected?

Many stories have been revealed all through the world about fluoride. After a few years, the scientific conclusion is that fluoride toothpaste and accurately fluoridated water, salt and milk are of nice profit to dental well being, assist to cut back decay, and trigger no dangerous uncomfortable side effects to basic well being. Research haven’t discovered any proof that fluoride added to water causes dangerous uncomfortable side effects.

People who find themselves towards fluoridation declare they’ve agency proof that fluoride added to water is dangerous. Nonetheless, scientific evaluation has not supported their claims.

Worldwide, over 300 million individuals drink fluoridated water provides. Many tens of millions extra use fluoride toothpastes commonly. Within the USA for instance, properly over half of the inhabitants have fluoridated water provides. This has led to improved ranges of dental well being which in flip advantages basic well being.