715 Pleasant Street

Worcester, MA 01602

(508) 754-0918

24/7 Patient Support

Book Appointment

Open Monday - Friday

Many people have opinions about oral health, and several topics are widely discussed, including flossing and fluoride. We are going to center on the latter in this blog post. You have probably heard some people say that fluoride is not required, whereas other experts say that fluoride is one of the most critical things for dental health. With that being said, below, we will take a look at fluoride in further detail so you can get a better understanding.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that can be found in different foods, water, and soil. It is both abundant and common throughout nature. However, synthetic fluoride has been created so that dental hygiene products, like toothpaste and mouthwashes, benefit from its presence. 

What does fluoride do from a dental perspective?

There are many different benefits associated with fluoride when it comes to oral health. This includes the following:

  • Fluoride will lower the ability of bacteria in plaque to create acid
  • It makes sure that there is an environment whereby better quality enamel is created, helping to prevent an acid attack from happening
  • Fluoride also changes the way that enamel develops in kids under the age of seven years old, helping to make sure that their teeth are more resistant to an acid attack

Moderation is vital when it comes to fluoride

As is the case with any sort of ingredient or substance, moderation is everything. There are clearly several vital benefits that are associated with fluoride. However, if you end up ingesting too much fluoride, it can end up causing some adverse side effects, so you need to be mindful of this.

The good news is that most of us do not need to be worried about the possibility of consuming excess fluoride, as there are regulations that are in place to determine the safe amount of fluoride that can be present in dental hygiene products. 

Nevertheless, some of the most common side effects of too much fluoride include streaks on the teeth or temporary white spots. Rather than harming the teeth, this is purely deemed a cosmetic concern, but it is something that you will need to be mindful of when looking after your teeth.

So there you have it: an insight into fluoride and the benefits that are associated with it. We hope that this has helped you get a good understanding of this product and its benefits. If you are unsure whether or not you should be using dental products that contain fluoride, the best thing to do is get in touch with an experienced dentist who will evaluate your teeth and provide their expert opinion.

Share:

More Posts

Different Types of Dental Cleaning

While dentists recommend a dental cleaning every six months, according to 2020 CDC statistics, nearly 40% of Americans over 18 have not had a dental

Send Us A Message