Patients with young children always ask about fluoride. There\u2019s a lot of misinformation about fluoride out there, leading some people to think it does more harm than good. I\u2019m here to dispel those rumors and show you that fluoride is a crucial part of anyone\u2019s dental hygiene routine.<\/p>\n
Cavities occur when tooth enamel breaks down \u2014 called demineralization \u2014 causing decay. Fluoride helps prevent cavity formation in three major ways. First, fluoride actively halts demineralization, keeping your enamel healthy and strong. Second, when demineralization does occur, fluoride can help remineralize teeth, restoring them to their ideal condition. Finally, fluoride inhibits bacterial growth, eliminating nasty compounds that can lead to tooth decay.<\/p>\n
Many cities fluoridate their drinking water because it\u2019s so beneficial to oral health. To find out if your community is one of them, you can go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) \u201cMy Water\u2019s Fluoride\u201d website and search by state and county. Whether or not your drinking water contains fluoride, it\u2019s a good idea for children to begin using fluoride toothpaste as soon as they have teeth.<\/p>\n
For little ones under 2 years of age, you should only use a smear the size of a grain of rice. Children between 2 and 5 can upgrade to a pea-sized dollop. If your kids love the flavor of their toothpaste, it\u2019s a good idea to keep it in a place they can\u2019t reach. Too much fluoride, while not dangerous in the long term, can cause an upset stomach.<\/p>\n
Plenty of adults can benefit from fluoride as well. Those with increased sensitivity and exposed roots will find fluoride helpful in lessening pain. Patients who take medications that cause dry mouth should also use fluoride to fight the bacteria that saliva naturally combats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Patients with young children always ask about fluoride. There\u2019s a lot of misinformation about fluoride out there, leading some people to think it does more harm than good. I\u2019m here to dispel those rumors and show you that fluoride is a crucial part of anyone\u2019s dental hygiene routine. Cavities occur when tooth enamel breaks down […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-karas-corner","category-newsletter","category-hygiene"],"yoast_head":"\n