Fluoride is used in toothpaste to strengthen enamel as it helps to prevent cavities. It’s also added in small amounts to public water supplies in England and in many other countries. This process is called water fluoridation. If you tend to get a lot of cavities, your dentist might suggest using a prescription mouth rinse with fluoride. These rinses usually have a higher concentration of fluoride than OTC options do.
What actually is it?
Fluoride is a mineral in your bones and teeth. It’s also found naturally in the following:
- water
- soil
- plants
- rocks
- air
Fluoride is commonly used in dentistry to strengthen enamel, which is the outer layer of your teeth. Fluoride helps to prevent cavities. It’s also added in small amounts to public water supplies in the United States and in many other countries. This process is called water fluoridation.
healf or hype?
While the amount added to drinking water, mouth wash and toothpaste is considered to be relatively safe, exposure to high levels of fluoride may be linked to several health issues. Additionally, studies are beginning to appear linking the mineral to endocrine disruption which is your hormone system.
The key to oral health is maintaining an ecologically balanced and diverse microbiome. Contrary to this, we have been told to use chemicals in dentistry to fix cavities such as fluoride. However, there is not much peer- reviewed evidence to suggest it actually helps and we know for fact that it destroys our oral biome which acts as a natural tooth cleanser making fluoride absolutely hype!
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