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Home › Articles › Dental Health › Nature's Cavity Fighter

Nature's Cavity Fighter

Feeling Good About Fluoride

By Melissa Granberry

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How many times in our life have we heard "Brush your teeth!" As parents, how many times have we said it? Though there is no dispute that brushing our teeth, along with flossing and visiting the dentist, can help our overall oral health, there is some concern about fluoride and how much we are using.

"I grew up drinking water from a private well, which had large amounts of fluoride," says Stephanie Granberry of Plano, Texas. "Such large dosages of fluoride have made my teeth strong, which resulted in few cavities, but my teeth have noticeable brown spots and a lack of enamel. On the other hand, my husband grew up drinking bottled water and has beautiful white teeth. But the lack of fluoride in the bottle water left him vulnerable to decay, resulting in a mouth full of fillings." She and her husband are concerned about finding the right amount of fluoride for their children. "We want them to have great looking teeth with as few cavities as possible," she says.

According to Dr. Michael Wasserman, a pediatrician at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, doctors and dentists agree that fluoride is beneficial for children. "The concern is getting the appropriate quantity of fluoride to the child," he says.

What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that is found naturally in all water sources. "Fluoride is nature's cavity fighter," says Dr. Paul Reggiardo, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "It is a naturally occurring element that helps prevent tooth decay when swallowed during the ages of tooth development (birth through adolescence) and when applied to the surface after tooth eruption."

Fluoride is beneficial in several ways, such as:

  • Aids in the formation of tooth enamel.
  • Makes tooth enamel stronger.
  • Repairs early stages of tooth decay.
  • Prevents decalcification (white scars) of teeth.

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