All About Fluoride
Enamel is the protective coating on the outside of your teeth. It is the part of your teeth that helps naturally keep your teeth healthy and strong. Overtime, and even through things such as rough brushing, the enamel is worn away and your teeth become weaker. This makes your teeth much more susceptible to tooth decay and cavities (making one more likely to have to get dental work such as fillings or even a root canal). Fortunately, there is something that can help strengthen the enamel for both you are your child, and it’s fairly easy to do!
Get enough fluoride. Fluoride is a healthy mineral that helps strengthen your smile. In addition to other minerals, such as calcium and phosphate, fluoride can help reinforce enamel coating. There are many ways for you to get fluoride in your system. For one thing, fluoride can be found naturally in both water and food. Tap water and even canned food have traces of fluoride. It is important to keep in mind, however, that these levels are incredibly low and it is recommended that you try other ways to get enough fluoride in your body. For one easy way, most dentist’s office offer fluoride treatments. These are quick, easy, and affordable (as well by covered by most insurances). Fluoride treatments are a great method to be used by any age. There are also many over-the-counter options to use at home. Most mouthwashes and toothpastes (even for children) have some fluoride. This just makes regular brushing even more important for your hygiene. For more intense doses, there are supplements available, but they are generally recommended only for adults. It is important to always consult with your dentist and primary care physician about which methods are best for you, because there are some risk factors you have to watch out for.
Too much of any good thing can be bad, and that even goes for minerals like fluoride. It is important to remember that this comes with most vitamins and minerals. Like those minerals, while you must monitor doses, they are a crucial part of good dental hygiene that cannot be overlooked. What exactly does it do though? Fluoride can mean two different things depending on your age.
For adults, this means that when we ingest (or apply) fluoride, the enamel on your permanent teeth get strengthened. This can make you less likely to have cavities or breakage -something that tends to become for frequent as we get older.
For children though, this could even be more important. In addition to strengthening the baby teeth they already have, this can also effect their permanent teeth as well. Even before their adult teeth are visible, they have long begun to form under the gum line. While you can’t do any sort of invasive fluoride dental applications on these teeth, they can still get fluoride. When children ingest it, the mineral enters the bloodstream. When in the bloodstream, the child’s whole body can be exposed to it -including those hiding permanent teeth. It is important to remember that because children especially must monitor their doses, they must rely on regular brushing to get their fluoride. It is important that whether you watch them or monitor them through Brushies that you make sure they are brushing properly and regularly.
In addition to regular brushing and visits to the dentist, fluoride is an important part of your dental routine. Whether you are a child or adult, you need and can benefit from fluoride in your life.
