Want to maintain a healthy lifestyle? One of the most overlooked ways is by preventing dental disease with the use of fluoride. The naturally occurring mineral is essential for a healthier smile, but misconceptions about its safety and effectiveness leave many unsure about its benefits.
Understanding Fluoride
Fluoride is the fluorine ion or a compound containing the fluorine ion. The element fluorine is a mineral found in rocks and soil and throughout the earth's crust. You can find it listed in the periodic table of elements.
Water dissolves the fluoride minerals, which carries it into groundwater, rivers, lakes, and oceans. The natural concentrations vary from area to area.
Fluoride and Your Teeth
Scientific studies and many years of clinical experience show that fluoride, when present in small amounts during tooth formation, can strengthen dental enamel. Fluoride has been proven to be safe and effective in preventing tooth decay.
“Without getting into too much chemistry, the actual crystal that makes up tooth enamel is stronger when fluoride is present as the tooth forms, and is less susceptible to forming cavities,” says James Bekker, DMD, Associate Dean of Professional, Community, and Strategic Relations at the .
When fluoride is present in very high concentrations, it can lead to , or an unwanted weakening of the enamel. The right dosage is important to manage overall tooth health.
Fluoride in Your Water
Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) is the program that monitors and adjusts the amount of fluoride in the water at optimal levels. That level, determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is 0.7 mg/L. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that all water systems have less than 4mg/L or 4 ppm—the maximum level.
In communities where fluoride is present in the water supply at the optimum incremental amount, the rate of tooth decay is greatly reduced. And in communities where fluoride is removed from water, the number of cavity-related dental treatments increased.
“This has a huge health benefit, especially in underserved populations, where access to oral care is a barrier,” Bekker says. “It’s well documented that the number one reason that children in the United States miss school is due to dental pain, and in communities where water fluoridation is done correctly, truancy is decreased. Fluoride is not only a benefit of health but of learning.”
CWF has proven to reduce dental disease in children and adults by at least 25%, with some communities showing a greater reduction. For most cities, every dollar invested saves $32 to $38 per person in dental treatment costs.
Ways to Benefit from Fluoride
Using toothpaste alone for your fluoride source isn’t enough. While fluoride toothpaste strengthens the surface of existing enamel, the addition of systemic fluoride in water is incorporated into the teeth when formation is taking place. This makes teeth more resistant to cavities and prevents decay.
“Optimal tooth decay prevention requires both methods of delivery."
Here are ways to benefit from fluoride:
- Use a fluoride toothpaste.
- Drink tap water if you live in a fluoridated community.
- Have your child take a multivitamin with fluoride if you live in a non-fluoridated community. Your dentist or pediatrician can give you a prescription.
Fluoride levels occur naturally in the water in some communities. However, some places—like Utah—don’t have naturally occurring fluoride. In this case, CWF is important. If your community doesn’t have CWF or if you have questions about fluoride, or reach out to your local health department or .
References:
Fluoridation Facts published by the ADA 2018 pages 14, 42, 47 and 85
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Ten Great Public ǿմý Achievements United States, 1900-1999. MMWR 1999;48 (120:241-3)
Salt Lake County ǿմý Dept. FAQ About Fluoride and Community Water Fluoridation.
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