Thanks to the internet, fake news is not limited to politics. It’s very easy for someone who means well to forward and share incorrect information, especially if it sounds alarming. That’s probably why the old fluoride myths are back. You can now find sites and memes online saying this is either ineffective at best — or even bad for your family’s health.
But is that true? While there are limits on its use, fluoride has been repeatedly shown to strengthen your teeth while being safe.
Call Bell Dental Group today at 513-802-9440 and make appointments for everyone in your family. Our dentists are trained and experienced in children’s dentistry and can see kids as young as three years old. And because it is safe, fluoride treatments can be used to help your family’s teeth stay strong and beautiful.
Know Fluoride Benefits And Risks
Just about anything has its risks. Take water. Staying hydrated has plenty of big benefits to your health and energy levels, but too much can be a bad thing. Even discounting something drastic like drowning, you can actually suffer headaches, nausea, and confusion with hyperhydration. Yes, too much water is unhealthy.
The same is true for fluoride used in dental treatments, tap water, and toothpaste. If you were to ingest way too much, you can have problems such as white spots on your teeth (fluorosis), gastrointestinal problems, and more. But that’s only if you swallow an excessive amount. For the amount you get from water and toothpaste, even if you add in the occasional fluoride treatment from our dentists, you will be perfectly healthy.
These days, it pays to worry about chemicals in your family’s diet. However, fluoride is not some man-made chemical! It’s a mineral found in nature. In fact, that’s how dentists discovered the healing properties of fluoride. It gets into well water naturally. Communities that drank fluoridated well water had much better dental health than those who did not.
You also have to remember there are many types of fluoride. Some are definitely not for consumption, but the kind used by dentists (and what’s in tap water) has been found safe repeatedly. It’s similar to the difference between the type of chlorine used for pools (not safe to eat!) and the type we call table salt (sodium chloride).
How Fluoride Works
But what does it do for your family’s smiles? Although enamel is very strong, it’s also porous and can soak up fluoride, especially in children. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
- Cavities are caused by harmful bacteria secreting an acid. This erodes the enamel and creates holes that weaken the whole tooth. Fluoride slows down this erosion, helping prevent cavities until a trained dentist can help.
- Fluoride actually repairs microscopic problems with enamel. This is called remineralization, and while it won’t reverse a giant cavity, it does make a tooth stronger.
Call Bell Dental Group in Cincinnati, OH today at 513-802-9440 or fill out our online form to request an appointment. Whether it’s for your kids or yourself, our dentists have the right combination of advanced training and real-world experience to use fluoride safely.