What is Fluoride and How Does it Work?
Fluoride is a natural mineral found in water and soil. It plays an important role in oral health by protecting teeth from tooth decay, especially when you don’t brush and floss your teeth regularly.
Fluoride works by preventing bacteria from sticking to the surface of your teeth so it can’t produce acid, which results in tooth decay. Fluoride also encourages remineralization, meaning it helps repair any damage to the enamel coating on your teeth.
Fluoridation uses this natural mineral to fight tooth decay in communities by adding small amounts of fluoride into public drinking water.
How Does Fluoride Affect the Body?
Fluoride can be found in drinking water, toothpaste, and mouthwash. The fluoride in the water that we drink is often added to help with dental care. Fluorosis occurs when too much of the fluoride ion is absorbed by the tooth enamel.
Fluoride is a mineral that works as both a protector and an irritant to teeth while it also helps in preventing cavities. Fluoride also has properties that can cause fluorosis which causes discoloration of the teeth and/or loss of teeth.
What Are the Risks of Too Much Fluoride Exposure?
Fluoride, in certain quantities, is essential for dental and oral health. But too much fluoride can cause health problems, which can include both cavities and fluorosis.
We should try to limit our exposure to fluoride by drinking less coffee or tea and avoiding products that are high in minerals.
Fluoride is a chemical found naturally in the environment, but some people may get more than their body needs. Most of us ingest it through food and drinks that are processed with fluoridated water or contain high levels of natural fluoride like beer, wine, or tea. Some people might get it as a treatment through toothpaste, mouthwash, or supplements.
Check your toothpaste to make sure it doesn’t have more than 0.7% sodium fluoride as this is the maximum amount recommended by the American Dental Association. If you drink more than four liters of water in a day, there’s a chance for excessive exposure. There are other ways to get fluorides such as swallowing toothpaste, mouthwash, or vitamins that contain fluoride so it’s important to really pay attention to what you eat and drink when using fluoridated toothpaste on your teeth or taking pills for osteoporosis or other conditions that require extra fluoride intake.
What are Some Alternatives to Toothpastes Containing Fluoride?
Toothpaste with fluoride is a common toothpaste that is used to clean teeth and remove stains, but some people cannot use it as it damages their teeth. Here are some alternatives for toothpaste that does not contain fluoride:
- Peppermint Oil: You can use peppermint oil in your mouth for about 30 minutes before brushing your teeth.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is one good alternative to kinds of toothpaste with fluoride. Coconut oil has properties that help eliminate bacteria from the mouth, so it can be used as a natural toothbrush and helps reduce plaque on the teeth.
- Oil Pulling: This involves swishing around sesame or coconut oils in your mouth before you brush your teeth at least twice a day. This also helps remove bacteria and can whiten the teeth eventually.
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