Fluoride is a negatively charged ion of the element
fluorine. It’s naturally found in water, food, and soil, and is also
artificially synthesized in laboratories for various uses, including water
fluoridation. For decades, people have debated the wisdom of treating public
water supplies with small amounts of fluoride. On one side of the debate,
research has proven that fluoride in small measures promotes healthy mouths by
fighting cavity formation. On the other, people believe that fluoridating water
supplies is useless and unsafe. Rather than reignite the flames of debate, your Grand
Prairie dentist, Dr. Quinn Smith, explains how fluoride helps your teeth
and why some people consider it dangerous.
Fluoride’s Benefits to Your Teeth
Tooth decay begins when acids attack tooth enamel, which is
a highly mineralized substance that protects the outer surfaces of your teeth.
Everything you eat or drink contains elements that oral bacteria also process.
When these bacteria synthesize sugars and carbs, the result is lactic acid,
which is excreted onto your teeth. Other foods and beverages contain a natural
acidity that changes the pH (acid alkali balance) of your mouth to facilitate
acid production and damage. The acid dissolves your tooth enamel and siphons
minerals from your teeth (demineralization). To strengthen your teeth and
reduce the risk of cavity formation, fluoride protects enamel from the
demineralization process. If enamel is already damaged by acid erosion,
fluoride can accumulate in the demineralized areas and strengthen the outer
layer of your teeth through remineralization.
The Risks of Fluorosis
Fluoride’s benefits to dental hygiene were discovered
in the early 1900’s, when a dentist in Colorado Springs noted that the
townspeople had brown-stained teeth, but very little tooth decay. The resulting
research discovered that the discolored but healthy teeth were due to fluoride
levels in the water supply. The brown teeth foretold the main drawback of
fluoride. If a child is exposed to too much of the mineral during the years
when permanent teeth are forming under the gumline, dental fluorosis can affect
the tooth enamel’s appearance. These changes can range from barely-noticeable
stains to deep discoloration, pits, and grooves. Because fluorosis occurs
during permanent tooth formation, it cannot occur once the tooth has already
fully developed and erupted.
ABOUT YOUR GRAND PRAIRIE DENTIST:
Dr. Quinn Smith is a well-respected and highly experienced
general, restorative, and family dentist in Grand Prairie, TX. He takes a
patient-first approach that starts from the moment patients enter our Pecan
Tree Dental office, and he offers a three-year guarantee on all dental
work that he performs. Whether you and your family are new or returning
patients, you can schedule a consultation or your next appointment with Dr.
Smith by contacting us at (972) 262-5111.
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