When you are choosing oral hygiene products and making a plan for your smile, you want to make sure that you’re prioritizing ingredients that deliver results. That is why, today, our Glendale dentists are sharing some information about one especially important ingredient in dental care: fluoride. Let’s get started!
Get The Facts
Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally found in everything from rocks, to soil, to water. This mineral is particularly important in the world of dentistry because it helps natural dental enamel to re-mineralize and harden. Your enamel is continually at risk of de-mineralization due to oral bacteria and exposure to acidic substances. Fluoride makes it harder for bacteria to weasel their way into your teeth.
Keep in mind that while water in nature does contain fluoride, it doesn’t contain it in particularly large amounts. That is why, in the United States, we fortify the public water supply with additional fluoride.
Ways To Get Fluoride
You are well on your way to getting the fluoride you need if you are brushing your teeth morning and night, and drinking tap water on a regular basis. It’s also likely that the toothpaste you are using contains fluoride. There are fluoride-free toothpastes on the market, but most products formulated for adults contain fluoride.
There are fluoride rinses and topical gels that are created with higher concentrations of fluoride than over-the-counter options. These are usually dentist-prescribed and dentist-administered. Your dental team will let you know if you could benefit from professional fluoride applications.
One Exception
While fluoride is, on the whole, beneficial for dental health, it should be used thoughtfully and sparingly for young patients. If a young child ingests too much fluoride (by swallowing toothpaste, for example) they can develop adult teeth that are stained and pitted. So, talk to your dentist about when it’s appropriate for your child to use a fluoridated toothpaste.
As always, our Glendale dentists are here to answer your questions, and to help you achieve and maintain a healthy smile. Speak to a member of our team, and schedule a personal consultation, by giving us a call!