Fluoride is a natural mineral found in soil, stone, and some water sources. It also happens to provide incredible oral health benefits. It’s a key ingredient in most toothpastes, and communities across Canada (including Windsor as of 2022) add some to their municipal water supply.
Have you ever wondered why this mineral is so good for your teeth? How about whether it can harm your health? Today, we’ll discuss how fluoride works and how to use it safely.
How Fluoride Helps Your Teeth
Fluoride helps strengthen your tooth enamel through a process called remineralization.
Every time you eat or drink something, the bacteria in your mouth break down the leftovers that cling to your teeth. They then excrete acids that leech critical minerals like calcium and phosphorus out of your teeth, weakening your enamel and making it easy for decay to set in. This process is called demineralization.
Remineralization, on the other hand, pulls those critical minerals back into your enamel. This gives it the necessary materials to rebuild weakened areas and stop tooth decay in its tracks. It can even reverse some forms of early tooth decay before they progress into a full-blown cavity.
Researchers have calculated how much fluoride the average person needs each day to keep their teeth healthy. Manufacturing companies add around half this amount to each pea-sized glob of their toothpaste. If you brush twice a day like dentists recommend, your teeth will be exposed to enough fluoride to keep most tooth decay at bay.
Are There Risks Involved?
You may have heard that being exposed to too much fluoride can be harmful. While that’s technically true, the statement is misleading without additional context.
Adults must consume approximately 5 to 10mg of fluoride per kilogram of body weight all at once to cause serious health problems. This means that even a very small adult weighing just 50kg would need to consume 250 to 500mg of fluoride in one sitting to harm themselves.
The average tube of toothpaste contains around 1mg of fluoride per gram and contains 100 to 200g of product. This means that a small adult would need to consume at least one full tube of toothpaste to cause serious harm – and that’s on the low end!
Some people worry about the effects of chronic exposure to high levels of fluoride. This type of exposure may cause a problem called fluorosis. People with this condition develop white, brown, or yellow areas on their teeth that cannot be removed using whitening agents. In some cases, fluorosis can also weaken a person’s bones and make them more prone to joint pain and fractures.
This problem rarely occurs due to municipal water fluoridation or regular toothpaste use. It’s more common in areas where people rely on wells for most of their drinking water.
There is no need to worry about the fluoride in your city’s drinking water or in your oral hygiene products. As long as you aren’t eating whole tubes of toothpaste for fun, you’re good! If you’re concerned about fluorosis and drink a lot of well water, though, you might want to consider getting your well’s fluoride levels checked out.
When In Doubt, Ask the Oral Health Experts
Still got questions about fluoride? We’ve got the answers. Contact Ouellette Family Dentistry today to book an appointment with our team of oral health professionals. We’ll help you figure out how to optimize your fluoride exposure to keep your teeth healthy and strong for decades to come.
