Most of us have heard about the benefits of fluoride when it comes to helping to ensure good oral health. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that already exists in much of our water. Many years ago, experts found that fluoride can actually help prevent cavities, so several municipalities started adding additional fluoride to their water supplies. When it comes to fluoride, it’s important to understand how much you and your children should be exposed to, and how much is too much.
Fluoride in Your Water Supply
Over the past several decades, many communities throughout the US have added fluoride to their drinking water. The first step in determining how much fluoride you and your family are exposed to on a daily basis is by finding out whether or not your drinking water contains any. Ideally, your community water supply should contain 1 ppm (part per million) of fluoride. That amount is just the right amount to help prevent tooth decay for an adult. If you’re like many Americans and don’t drink a lot of tap water – opting instead for some type of bottled water – it’s important to remember that most bottled water does not contain fluoride. So you can only benefit from the fluoride in your community water supply if that’s what you actually drink. Contact your local water supplier or water management company to find out the fluoride levels in your water.
Fluoride Treatments Offered by Your Dentist
If your drinking water doesn’t contain an adequate amount of fluoride, you might consider asking your dentist what type of fluoride treatments are available to patients. Most dentists offer in-office treatments that involve either a foam fluoride, a fluoride gel, or a fluoride varnish that is applied to the patient’s teeth for short period of time. The application is simple and fast. All you have to do is follow the directions provided by your dentist, which usually involves not eating or drinking for some amount of time after the treatment.
Over-the-Counter Fluoride Products
There are several over-the-counter products that contain fluoride, including a variety of toothpastes and mouth washes and rinses. It can be confusing to decipher all the information provided on these OTC products, so it’s a good idea to talk to your dentist about which are best for providing an adequate amount of fluoride if you’re not already getting enough from either your drinking water or in-office treatments.
Although there’s no doubt about the benefits of fluoride, even this healthy mineral can be produce unwanted results if you ingest too much of it. Dental fluorosis – the condition that occurs if you are exposed to too much fluoride – can produce white spots or lines on teeth. In extreme cases, it can even turn a child’s teeth gray or brown. Although it’s not likely that you and your children will be exposed to levels that cause dental fluorosis, it is a good idea to make sure that you and your family are getting the optimum amount of fluoride to help ensure your good oral health.
