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Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth's crust and widely distributed in nature.
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Fluoride is often added to drinking water to help reduce tooth decay.
In the 1930s, researchers found that people who grew up drinking naturally fluoridated water had up to two-thirds fewer cavities than people living in areas without fluoridated water.
Studies since then have repeatedly shown that when fluoride is added to a community's water supply, tooth decay decreases.
The American Dental Association, the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association, among many other organizations, have endorsed the use of fluoride in water supplies because of its effect on tooth decay.
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How does deminalization occur and How does Fluoride stop it?
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Demineralization occurs when the natural bacteria in our mouths uses the sugar and carbohydrates that we eat, to produce acid. In turn, that acid removes essential calcium from the teeth.
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Remineralization occurs when the calcium is replaced in the tooth. This can be accomplshed by either drinking fluoridated water or topical Fluoride gel or rinses.
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Who supports fluoridation?
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The American Dental Association (ADA) fully supports the fluoridation of community water supplies. To see more research based fluoride findings visit the ADA website.
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At our office, we promote the use of topical fluoride gel in patients that have mild decalcifications (aka "white spots") on their teeth. In edition, the community of Salem has a fluoridated water supply that strengthens our teeth any time we take a drink.
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