What does Fluoride Do? When you go to the dentist, they ask you which of the different flavors of fluoride you would prefer – sometimes the options are as outrageous as cherry cheesecake, lemon lime, or strawberry kiwi. If they use it at the dentist it must be good for our teeth, but how? It wasn’t until the mid-1940s that the world fully realized the impact fluoride was having in people’s mouths. It was just a natural element found in the earth’s crust, water, and air, but the more people that had it, the less cavities they had. That is when they decided to implement it into their water supplies. They discovered that it was one of the few minerals that help in the remineralization process – building minerals up in the enamel layer in teeth after they are lost in the demineralization process. Calcium and phosphate are also essential to the building up of more enamel. Even when we brush and floss our teeth daily there is plaque that builds up and attacks the enamel, starting the demineralization process. It is a continuous cycle, and if you do not remineralize your teeth it can lead to tooth decay. You can find fluoride in most dental products, such as toothpaste and mouth wash. Most water supplies have fluoride in it but if the levels are low you can take additional fluoride supplements. Thanks to all this fluoride 50 percent of children aged five to 17 have never had any cavities in their permanent teeth.
When is Fluoride Most Necessary? While children are growing teeth, whether it is baby teeth or their mature permanent teeth, this is the time that they must be exposed to fluoride. This is typically around six months to 16 years of age. After this age it is important to continue to use fluoride in order to prevent tooth decay.
Who does Fluoride Benefit the Most? Fluoride helps all of us, but there are some that have more than just plaque and demineralization to worry about and fluoride helps them with those things. For example, Dentists in Oklahoma recommend that those with dry mouth, gum disease, braces, and those with a history of frequent cavities could be greatly helped by fluoride.
Dry Mouth Also known as xerostomia, dry mouth is a real disease caused by Sjรถgren's syndrome, or bad reactions to certain medications or radiation treatments. The lack of saliva makes it more difficult to break down what you eat to the necessary amount which leads to plaque buildup.
Gum Disease Also known as gingivitis, gum disease can spread to the teeth, leading to tooth decay, necessitating the fluoride.
History of Frequent Cavities If you or your family have been known to have more cavities every year than most, it is recommended that you use more fluoride.
Braces Any sort of treatment in the mouth puts the teeth at slightly more risk for decay where the tooth meets the appliance. Be careful of these areas and apply copious amounts of fluoride for best results.