What Is Fluoride? – An Easy Explanation

What Is Flouride? – An Easy Explanation

So what nutrient do the teeth need to stay resilient against dental conditions? – fluoride. Surely, the name isn’t new to you since you’ve heard it from toothpaste and mouthwash commercials. But aside from knowing that it’s important for the teeth, what other things do you know about it? Not a lot right?

Sit down and stay on this page for a while. Allow us to give you a quick educational tour of fluoride. Who knows? You might find some of the information in this article quite interesting.

Some Fun Facts About Flouride TO Get You Engaged…

There are so many things that you might find new about fluoride such as:

1. Fluoride is present in all water (freshwater, saltwater, etc. )
2. Fluoride is a source of fluorine, the 13th most abundant element on earth
3. Grapes, wine, and raisins are a natural source of Flouride
4. Fluoride doesn’t stay on the teeth too, it might also stay on the gums and saliva for a wonderful
5. Fluoride works best for teeth that have only started to grow out of the gums

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral compound that’s commonly used as an ingredient for dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. It’s safe to say that dental products aren’t “dental” if they don’t contain even a small trace of it.

But this isn’t all, Flouride is also utilized for making pesticides, Teflon, steel, and aluminum products. With that being said, the mineral that keeps your teeth healthy is also essential for making everyday objects that you use for convenience.

Let’s Talk A Bit About Flouride History…

So when did dentists recognize Flouride’s importance for the teeth? In the 1990s, a scientist whose name was Frederick Mckay started a dental practice in Colorado Springs. During his time there, he discovered that the natives have discolored teeth that were surprisingly resistant to decay.

This observation eventually led to a lot of numerous research conducted by him and other dentists. Eventually, one researcher discovered that the water, which the natives drank, has a hefty fluoride concentration and caused their teeth to discolor.

So an idea began to emerge, overexposure of the teeth to fluoride causes discoloration but makes the teeth not susceptible to decay; What if it’s introduced to the teeth in safe concentrations where it’s enough to protect the teeth but not stain them?

And so new research undertook in 1914 and continued for 15 years. The instrument for the research was fluoridated water which was administered to about 30,000 schoolchildren. The result showed that adequate fluoride intake of the teeth through fluoridated water prevented tooth decay by more than 60 percent.

How Do You Get Fluoride?

You can get fluoride by applying it to the teeth or by ingesting it. The application of fluoride on the teeth is done with the use of mouthwash, toothpaste, and other similar dental products.

Drinking fluoridated water is will allow you to ingest fluoride. You may also eat fluoride-rich foods such as wine, grapes (jam and juice), blue crabs, shrimps, raisins, black bean soup, chocolate almond milk, cooked carrots, cooked spinach, white rice, and oysters.

Conclusion

For strong teeth, get fluoride either by applying it on your teeth or by ingesting it. Finding fluoride for the teeth isn’t a problem since it’s present in water and everyday foods. Always remember this; fluoride intake or use is an essential component of excellent dental health.

For more information regarding your dental health,  please give Dr. Apsey of Smile Brightly Dental a call today!  We are located in Warren, MI and we can be reached at 586-573-7700!