Importance of Fluoride to Your Oral Health
September 3, 2024
Dental cavities may be humanity’s most prevalent disease, affecting 35 percent of the global population and leading more and more patients to seek treatment from a South Sioux City dentist.
Sugar consumption is considered one of the main causes of cavities, followed by factors like failing to brush and floss properly and drinking enough water. So, reducing your intake of foods that compromise your teeth can be a great way to start combating tooth decay. However, fluoride is a key ally to further combat this problem.
What Is Fluoride and What Benefits Does It Have to Offer?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in teeth and bones, as well as rocks, plants, water, air, and soil. Because fluoride and calcium have similar chemical compositions, they can readily bind to strengthen and improve the intrinsic stability of the mineral structure of dental enamel.
Your teeth are in a state of constant erosion. Tiny layers of chewing and food acids continually wear down your enamel. Fluoride provides your teeth with the nutrition they require to rebuild lost enamel.
There are several ways in which you can incorporate fluoride to strengthen your teeth’s enamel. Let’s go over some of them.
Fluoridated Water
Water fluoridation is the process of adding fluoride to a public water supply to prevent tooth decay.
Little amounts of fluoride have been added to the majority of American tap water for more than 70 years in an effort to prevent tooth decay. Fluoridated water has been shown to reduce tooth decay by approximately 25%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Because the levels are measured, only the safest fluoride concentrations are utilized.
When fluoridated water is consumed, it produces low concentrations of fluoride in saliva, which slows down the demineralization of tooth enamel and speeds up its remineralization in the early stages of cavities.
Using a Toothpaste That Contains Fluoride
Just brushing our teeth with fluoride-containing toothpaste can also be beneficial.
According to a recent meta-analysis of almost 100 randomized controlled trials involving over 10,000 participants, toothpaste with a typical fluoride content significantly lowers tooth decay in both adults and children compared to non-fluoride toothpaste.
Get a Fluoride Treatment
A dentist or dental hygienist will usually apply fluoride treatments, which are professional treatments with a high concentration of fluoride, to a patient's teeth to improve health and lower the risk of cavities. These in-office procedures could be applied as a gel, foam, solution, or varnish.
Furthermore, fluoride supplements such as tablets, trays, or drops may be advised in areas without fluoridated water.
Protect Your Oral Health with a South Sioux City Dentist
Our teeth feel like solid, untouchable structures, but they’re as prone to damage as any other part of the body. Moreover, common activities like chewing and eating put a constant strain on them, contributing to enamel erosion. Extra minerals are key to keeping them strong.
With proper maintenance and fluoride products, you can keep your smile strong, healthy, and cavity-free. If you need an extra boost, consider fluoride treatment at Wheelock and Associates Dentistry. Reach out and let us tell you how to protect your smile!