Fluoride in Wilmington Water- How Does It Affect Your Teeth!
Water, Water, Water! It is in everything! Living down on the East Coast people are literally surrounded by water. From the basic need to drink water to survive to simple tasks like brushing your teeth or playing in the ocean. Water is everywhere and its effect on human teeth is a biggie!
Your Community Dental is located in Wilmington, North Carolina where Dr. Brown and his staff take pride in their dental practice. One small thing the staff at Your Community Dental recommend to their patients is to keep their teeth healthy and protect their teeth from decaying by drinking water with Fluoride in it. Whether it is in your drinking water or your daily toothpaste, it has a huge effect on your teeth and can help keep them protected.
What is Fluoride? What does it do? And why is it in the water? These are just a few questions that are probably running through your head. Having fluoride added into water has been a huge, and sometimes controversial, topic for years. From the health benefits and drawbacks to the advantages and disadvantages it has over tooth decay, it is something that has people, especially dentist, talking.
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that can be found in various places in nature. It is a very abundant mineral that is found naturally in food, water, soil, and other components of earth. Fluoride is also added to food, water, and things like toothpaste for the many benefits it has for tooth protection. Fluoride is transparent; it has no smell or taste and is naturally made in the Earth’s crust. This makes it the perfect mineral to artificially add to substances because it is unnoticeable with no effect on the appearance or taste.
What Does Fluoride Do?
Fluoride has several health benefits that are extremely valuable to dentists. These benefits revolve around keeping teeth clean and protected. Drinking fluoride and having fluoride in toothpaste helps create strong gums, protects teeth against tooth decay, and helps teeth fight against sugary foods.
Added Fluoride to Water
Fluoridated water is currently being distributed to about 75 percent of people living in the United States. Fluoride is added to public water systems and regulated to safe standards to protect teeth. It is added in the water supply because this a simple and cost effective way to prevent tooth decay throughout the population. After all, everyone has to drink water.
How Does the Fluoridated Water Work?
Fluoride is naturally found in almost all water supply but in artificially fluoridated water, the public water system has adjusted the fluoride levels to an active level for healthy tooth decay prevention. When drinking water with fluoride it helps the teeth in two ways:
- Water with fluoride is swallowed and enters the bloodstream
- When fluoride enters the bloodstream it enters the jaw bone and helps create healthy growth for children. The fluoride combines with other minerals like calcium and phosphate and encourages healthy growth as children’s teeth form inside the gums.
- Drinking water with fluoride as a child helps teeth resist tooth decay in young development years and throughout adolescence.
- Water with fluoride coats the teeth with the healthy mineral
- When water is consumed it soaks the teeth allowing the teeth to be coated with fluoride. This strengthens the tooth enamel and prevents tooth decay.
- With fluoride enters the mouth it mixes with the saliva on a person’s teeth. The saliva neutralizes acid and bacteria on teeth and the fluoride them from further decay.
Fluoride in water is most important for young children because their teeth are still growing and developing. The early years in childhood is a crucial time for there teeth to growth. It is very important for them to have healthy jawbones and strong gums to support the adult teeth that will soon grow in and be permanent. Aside from helping teeth develop, fluoride is also important for people of all ages by protecting teeth and enamel from decaying. Over time our teeth are exposed to many different foods and sugary treats that tear down the good bacteria on our teeth and often cause decay. Fluoride helps keep the teeth protected in a cost effective and easy to consume method.
Is It Safe To Consume Fluoride?
Fluoride is a safe and effective method to prevent tooth decay. It is not scientifically linked to causing any harmful disorders or diseases. Fluoridate water is safe for people of all ages including infants and children.
The only condition reported that is associated with EXCESSIVE fluoride is a cosmetic condition called dental fluorosis. Dental Fluorosis is not typically caused by consuming fluoridated water. Fluorosis is very minor and nothing to cause concern. Dental fluorosis is when a small change in the appearance of teeth occurs by causing faint white marks on the enamel. This can cause water that has no fluoride added, it is a natural effect.
Fluorosis is caused with children consume too much fluoride over time. Children’s teeth are still developing and growing beneath the gums. Toothpaste with contains high levels of fluoride and should be monitored well when used by young children.
Overall, drinking water with fluoride is very healthy and encourages strong healthy teeth. Your Community Dental is available to answer any questions you may have about fluoride or using toothpaste with fluoride. Call 910-342-9210 to schedule a dental appointment.