Does Fluoride Even Work?

A beautiful smile can boost your confidence and make you look attractive. However, people with misaligned, yellowish, stained teeth may feel conscious when interacting with anyone and barely smile.  What’s rather important to keep your pearly whites shining is to maintain a healthy oral healthcare regime that’s not limited to brushing and flossing. Fluoride treatment is one of the important aspects of keeping your teeth healthy and strong. However, you may wonder if and how fluoride works to protect teeth. Read on to find out.

What to Know About Fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in plants, soil, water, rocks, and air. Many dental products contain fluoride due to their ability to strengthen and treat tooth enamel. In addition, you may already be aware of fluoride toothpaste. However, did you know that fluoride is also present in the local water supplies of different cities across various regions?

Experts consider it a powerful ingredient to maximize tooth protection. Still, excessive exposure of teeth to fluoride can result in substantial damage. The main characteristic of fluoride is that it helps in keeping tooth enamel clear of any potential cavities. Below, we will discuss how fluoride actually works. 

How Does Fluoride Work to Protect Your Teeth?

Tooth enamel refers to the white outer layer of your teeth. It is the hardest tissue in the human body that is susceptible to a wide range of issues, diseases, and infections. It comprises calcium and is generally stronger than your bones. To understand how fluoride helps to protect your teeth, you should know that the saliva in your mouth contains phosphate and calcium. Thus, saliva keeps your teeth clean by washing away food debris. Both elements in the saliva strengthen your teeth. Once you start consuming sugary treats, drinks, foods, and other items, your tooth enamel struggles with bacteria buildup.

You need to be proactive as this buildup can lead to the formation of cavities. The bacteria convert carbohydrates and sugars on your tooth into acid. The acid then strips your tooth enamel off of phosphate and calcium, making it prone to a higher risk of decay and cavities. However, when your saliva is insufficient in coping with the growing acids, fluoride comes in. Fluoride mixes with your saliva through water and/or toothpaste; it forms a powerful combination along with calcium and phosphate. This defense system helps to prevent cavities by constantly coating the tooth enamel against cavity-causing bacteria.

Conclusion

Are you looking for the best oral and dental healthcare? At Gentle Dentistry, our professional dentists provide effective and advanced dental solutions to our patients. You can rely on our dental services for all dental healthcare needs and requirements. Besides, we can help restore your beautiful smile and also offer dental restoration procedures.

Call us at (435) 986-0699 to schedule an appointment with one of our experts today. Visit our official website  to learn more about our services.