What Does Fluoride Do? Is It Important?

Fluoride is an important ingredient in many dental products. When you go to the dentist in Beaver Dam, KY, and Owensboro, KY, you may get fluoride treatments applied to your teeth. When you buy toothpaste, it may contain fluoride. Even the water you drink may contain fluoride.

If you have questions about fluoride, we have answers. Here’s what you need to know about how fluoride works and what it does to your teeth.

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in many foods and in the natural water supply. Fluoride is also mixed in with many dental products because of its benefits for dental health.

How Does Fluoride Impact Your Oral Health?

Fluoride can stop your teeth from decaying and can sometimes reverse mild tooth decay. Fluoride helps “remineralize” your teeth, which means it helps to add minerals back to your tooth enamel. This helps protect your teeth from acids in foods and tooth decay.

How Can You Get Fluoride?

Fluoride is in the water supply in many communities, but not in all. Check with your community water utility to determine whether fluoride is in your water supply.

Your dentist or doctor can prescribe fluoride supplements if you don’t get fluoride through your community water supply. You can also get fluoride through toothpaste and other dental products. Talk to your dentist to find out what dental products they recommend.

Is Fluoride Safe?

Fluoride is safe except in very large doses. Consuming an unsafe amount of fluoride through your community water supply or dental products would be very difficult.

Have questions about fluoride? Ask them during your next teeth cleaning in Beaver Dam, KY, and Owensboro, KY. Call Dr. Travis Wilson Family Dentistry today.