Most people have heard of fluoride before, even if they aren’t exactly sure what it is. If you’re a parent, you may have participated in debates about whether or not your child should use fluoridated toothpaste or drink fluoridated tap water. There are a lot of myths out there claiming that fluoride is harmful to children’s oral health, but according to a dentist in Jacksonville, that’s simply not true. In fact, drinking water that has been fortified with fluoride comes with several benefits. Keep reading to learn four of them.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that is found in many parts of nature, including water, soil, rocks, and even the air. In dentistry, fluoride is used to strengthen enamel, which is the hard white substance on the outer layer of your teeth. When you eat or drink something sugary, bacteria in your mouth break down those sugars and produce acids that erode the minerals in your enamel. This process is known as demineralization.
When your teeth are exposed to fluoride, whether through food, water, or toothpaste, they become remineralized. This can prevent tooth decay and even reverse early signs of cavities. For this reason, water has been fluoridated in many communities.
Benefits of Drinking Fluoridated Water
Some of the advantages of having fluoride in your drinking water include:
1. It Prevents Cavities
Since the introduction of fluoridated drinking water in the 1960s, the average number of decaying or missing teeth in 12-year-old children in the United States has decreased by a whopping 68 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They even named community water fluoridation as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
2. It’s Perfectly Safe
For 70 years, scientific evidence has concluded that water fluoridation is safe. More than 100 health organizations have recognized its benefits in preventing tooth decay, including the World Health Organization, the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
3. It Saves Money
In most cities, for every dollar invested in fluoridating water, an average of $38 in dental care costs is saved.
4. It’s Natural
Fluoride is naturally present in most water sources on Earth, including the oceans. Fortifying drinking water with fluoride is the equivalent of adding naturally occurring iodine to salt or vitamin D to milk.
Drinking fluoridated water is a completely safe and effective way to prevent cavities in people of all ages. To find out if the drinking water in your city has fluoride, you can contact your local government.
About the Author
At Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, both of our dentists believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of fluoride. Dr. Wayne Barker and Dr. Rose Johnson offer a variety of preventive dentistry services to prevent oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. We’re more than happy to answer your questions and address your concerns about fluoride. To learn more, visit our website or call (904) 645-6457.