Is Fluoride Good For My Teeth?
Fluoride plays an essential role in keeping our teeth healthy. While there’s sometimes debate about its widespread use, it’s required for good oral health.
Benefits of Fluoride
21 October 2022
You’ve probably heard about fluoride before, it’s been around for a long time. You might’ve even had a fluoride treatment after your last clean at the dentist — but, what exactly is it?
Fluoride plays an essential role in keeping our teeth healthy. While there’s sometimes debate about its widespread use, it’s required for good oral health.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. Found in rocks, soil, water and even air, it’s believed to be the 13th most abundant element in the planet’s crust. Due to its prevalence, fluoride is found in all platlife and vegetation. It’s also present in all natural saltwater and freshwater sources, including groundwater and rainwater.
How Long Have We Been Using It?
The cavity-fighting properties of fluoride were first discovered in the 1930s and 1940s in America. Lengthy and in-depth studies were conducted by medical professionals in the midwest of the country. Initially baffled by the difference in oral health among neighbouring communities, it took great insight to eventually realise it was the two town’s different water supplies that were at the root of the issue.
While the town with lower levels of fluoride in their water reserve experienced a high rate of brown, grotesquely stained teeth, the opposite was seen in their neighbouring population. The town that had higher levels of fluoride in their drinking water produced children and adults with stronger, healthier teeth.
This compelling evidence was enough for local authorities to believe in, and in September 1953, Tasmania became the first Australian state to add fluoride to their drinking water.
Water Fluoridation And How It Works
All Australian capital cities now add fluoride to their water supplies. A scientific process, there’s no change to the taste, smell or look of water that has undergone fluoridation. It can be accomplished by adding one of three different compounds to any drinking water supply:
- Sodium Fluoride (NaF) — A powdered or crystal substance
- Fluorosilicic Acid (H2SiF6) — A liquid additive
- Sodium Fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6) — A very fine powder or crystal
These fluoride-based products are carefully added to the drinking water in their correct respective quantities. The approved quantity can range from 0.6 to 1.1 milligrams of fluoride per 1 litre of drinking water, based on the guidelines established by The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.
So, How Does It Help My Teeth?
In order to understand the benefits of fluoride, you need to understand the complex ecosystem that is your mouth. The inside of your mouth naturally contains a whole range of different bacteria. When you consume high-sugar foods, you’re supplying these bacteria with their favourite energy source — carbohydrates.
Feasting on these sugar particles, they produce an acidic substance that eats away at your teeth, attacking the hard enamel outer coating. This results in a tooth that’s much more vulvernalbe to cavities.
However, when we have fluoride in our salvia (because of its addition to our drinking water), we’ve got a secret weapon at our disposal. Absorbed from your saliva into the outside of your tooth, it combines with the calcium present to form fluorapatite: a very strong material that strengthens your teeth and prevents further decay.
What Are The Benefits Of Fluoride?
- It creates stronger teeth
- It prevents tooth decay in individuals young and old
- It reduces the amount of money you need to spend on dental treatments
- It prevents the premature loss of baby teeth in children, which can result in future dental issues
- Fluoride is easily accessible for all Australians
Can Too Much Fluoride Be Bad?
Fluoride in too high quantities can have negative effects on your health. That’s why it’s closely monitored by all relevant organisations to ensure it’s always in safe levels. An excess of fluoride at too early an age can also result in a condition known as dental fluorosis. This usually presents as fine lines or white specks on the surface of the tooth but does not affect the function of the tooth in any way. It can only occur in teeth that aren’t fully formed yet.
Who Recommends The Use Of Fluoride?
- Australian Dental Association
- Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- Australian Medical Association
- Cancer Council Victoria
- The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
- The World Health Organisation and many more
Healthy Teeth Mean A Health You
Fluoride allows us to have healthy teeth and reduces the chance of decay. If you’d like to learn more about the process of fluoridation in your area, you can contact your local council.
To find out how important it is to maintain good oral health, browse through our range of blogs today. We’ve got a wide selection of current articles about all things dental.
Innovative Dental Moonee Ponds are here for all your oral health needs.