What you Should Know About Fluoride?

Fluoride is one of those words you keep hearing about in both positive and negative sense. Some say use a fluoride toothpaste and some say don't. You might have heard people in Edmonton rambling about floridification of water, it is stopped in Edmonton and most parts of Canada. However, no solid evidence is found against ill effects of fluoride in water. It is a mineral found naturally in all your surroundings. In the air you breathe, in soil and in water. There is no need to get scared of fluoride. One thing we can say for sure is that fluoride does have some good effects on your teeth and oral health.

Why use a fluoride toothpaste?

95% of toothpaste sale is made from fluoride toothpastes. It simply means way too many people use fluoride toothpastes. They are available in various brands, and for various purposes like whitening and cavity protection and removing tartar. Many of them are recommended by dental health associations. Here is why you should use a fluoride toothpaste

• It helps you fight cavity
• Stops tooth decay
• Keeps the overall environment of your mouth healthy
• Reduces the effect of plaque
• Takes care of stains on teeth
• Whitens the teeth.

Fluoride helps remove plaque and demineralize the tooth. It makes the gums stronger and protects tooth enamel.

Amount of fluoride in tooth paste

If you have children in family and are worried about their fluoride intake, you should get a toothpaste with less than 600 ppm (parts per million) of fluoride. For a normal adult, use toothpastes with a fluoride amount of 1000 to 1500 ppm. Children tend to swallow the toothpaste more and hence the precaution. Avoid using a fluoride toothpaste altogether of children less than 2 years of age. See a dentist, he will understand your needs better and give you a prescription toothpaste if you need one.

Other things to know about fluoride toothpastes

• Fluoride toothpastes usually contain mild abrasives that remove plaque and debris from your surface of your teeth.
• They most include calcium carbonate, dehydrated silica, hydrated aluminum oxides, phosphate sales and silicates. Each of these components is meant to clean your teeth and make them cavity free and strong.
• All Canada Dental Association (CDA) accepted toothpastes contain fluorides. The saccharine and other flavoring agents added to your tooth paste isn't going to decay your teeth. Only sugar based tooth paste do that. Again no CDA accepted tooth paste will contain sugar.
• Some fluoride containing tooth pastes also contain potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. They help reduce sensitivity of you tooth. They help in gingivitis and gum inflammation.

Fluoride toothpastes also remove stains from the teeth and make them visibly lighter by physically removing surface films and debris. If you're using fluoride toothpaste, make sure it's CDA approved for you and your children.

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