Is fluoride good for our teeth?

You've probably heard of fluoride, this natural mineral that helps protect teeth against cavities and is present in many commercially available toothpastes. 🪥

However, fluoride is subject to many controversies regarding its possible negative effects on teeth and overall health. But then, is this substance good or bad for your health? 🧐

MyVariations tells you more in this article...

In order to familiarize yourself a little with the essential mineral that is fluorine, it is important to know its origin and its properties.

In its early days, around the 16th century, fluorine was used to etch glass in the form of fluorite. 💎

More recently, scientists have discovered that fluoride plays several major roles in favor of our health, both in the teeth and in bone and cartilage tissue. 🦴 Indeed, Along with calcium and phosphorus, fluorine is one of the most important components of these elements in our body.

Fluoride is an essential trace element for our overall health. 🩺 Moreover, it is naturally present in our body, especially in teeth, cartilage and bones. It is also found in variable quantities in certain foods such as tea, sea fish, dates, cabbage, carrots, onions, asparagus or spinach for example. 🥬 Fluorine is also present in many mineral waters, and some countries even add it to running water. 🚰

The major industrial groups have therefore begun to add fluoride in large quantities to certain everyday consumer products (fluoride toothpaste, salts, etc.) in the belief that consumers will benefit from the maximum benefits of fluoride. 🤷‍♀️

However, as essential as it is, this trace element can become harmful if consumed in excess. This fluoride overdose is commonly called fluorosis.

The best known and most useful benefit of fluoride for our oral and overall health is that it helps prevent cavities. Note that, from a global point of view, 2.3 billion people suffer from permanent dental caries (that's a lot of people!). It is therefore a very widespread and very common concern, against which all defenses are good to use. 🪖

And fluorine is an excellent one. It strengthens tooth enamel , slows down dental erosion and helps prevent dental caries by making them stronger and better protected. Fluoride contains no calories, so it can be safely added to toothpastes to take better care of our teeth. 🦷

The therapeutic value of the action of fluoride (applied topically) in the treatment of incipient caries has been clinically proven by several studies, and its effectiveness is recognized worldwide by professionals in the dental sector. 👩‍⚕️

The Cochrane Institute has also conducted a general study on the effects of fluoride, with thousands of people of different ages for 36 months. The results of this study, published in 2018, clearly show that fluoride reduces the development of cavities, especially in young children. 👶

However, certain precautions should be taken to avoid fluorosis (excess fluoride in the body).

Indeed, if you consume too much fluoride, there is a risk for the body: fluorosis. It can damage the skeleton, then the kidneys in the most serious cases. Fluorosis is manifested by the appearance of spots on the enamel of the teeth in the majority of patients. These stains occur due to hypomineralization of the enamel. This gives a look that fluorosis patients describe as “aesthetically unappealing” to the teeth. 🤕

Thus, the fluoride dosage of your toothpaste must vary according to age, in order to have the best protection against cavities but also to avoid any risk of overdose which can cause fluorosis during childhood on future permanent teeth. .

As mentioned earlier in the article, WHO guidelines for the use of fluoridated toothpaste vary depending on the age of the consumer. ☝️ Therefore, it is recommended to choose a toothpaste containing 250 to 600 ppm of fluoride for children from 2 to 3 years old. From 3 to 6 years, we recommend a fluoride toothpaste between 500 and 1000 ppm. For children over 6 years old, the French Union for Oral Health (UFSBD) recommends a fluoridated toothpaste between 1000 and 1500 ppm, as for adults. Note that the average dose of fluoride present in the majority of toothpastes is 1450 ppm. Toothpastes with a higher fluoride dose are intended for people with very strong tendencies to develop cavities. 🙅‍♂️

These fluoridated toothpastes, although beneficial for the teeth, must however be used sparingly, as their excessive use can lead to various fluorosis-related side effects. Children under seven should only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste (no more, no less! 😉).

In addition, it is recommended to spit out the contents of the mouth well after brushing your teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste, rather than rinsing your mouth with water. This is so that the fluoride can remain in contact with the dental surfaces for a longer period, and therefore exert its anti-caries action correctly.

However, we would like to point out that the best way to prevent dental caries and slow down their development (or even stop it completely) is to adopt a balanced diet (not too sweet, too cold, too hot, too spicy, too acidic ) as well as applying good hygiene measures. 🪥
Indeed, thermal changes can sensitize tooth enamel .

Thus, the regular elimination of dental plaque by brushing your teeth with the right, daily and effective method is essential. At the rate of 2 times a day for 2 minutes with the appropriate use of fluoridated toothpaste, without forgetting the annual control visit to the dentist. 💉

In order to facilitate the application of these dental hygiene measures, the My Variations brand markets sonic electric toothbrushes. Thanks to the thousands of vertical micro-movements of their bristles, they offer extremely effective brushing against dental plaque, while remaining gentle on gums and enamel. 👄 They are also equipped with an integrated timer programmed at 2 minutes, to respect the time of optimal tooth brushing. ⏳

Discover our toothbrushes

Is fluoride good for health? The answer is yes, but it should be used with caution. 🤏

Its bad reputation comes from its first uses in consumer products, at a time when the effects of excess fluoride were unknown.

However, fluoride remains an essential trace element for oral and overall health, due to its preventive action against dental caries. It does not present any inconvenience for the organism when it is precisely dosed. 🤗

Thus, we will give preference to:

• 250 to 600 ppm fluoride for children 2 to 3 years old
• 1000 to 1500 ppm of fluoride for children over 3 years old
• 500 to 1000 ppm 3 to 6 years
• 1000 to 1500 ppm for children over 6 and adults

Since the average dose of fluoride in toothpaste is 1450 ppm, higher dose toothpastes are only rarely available over the counter, and are classified as prescription drugs. 📝 Overdose of fluoride can also give rise to unsightly stains on tooth enamel, but it can also affect bones and kidneys in the most serious cases. 🤒

The best prevention against cavities nevertheless remains a good thorough and effective brushing of teeth, for 2 minutes at least 2 times a day. 😌

Now that you are an expert in fluoride, why not become one on other subjects? Read the other My Variations articles right here: https://myvariations.com/blogs/infos