Lexington Dentist Explains Why Fluoridation is Beneficial for Your Teeth

More and more, fluoride has been the talk of the town! There are several ways to get the proper intake of fluoride in order to protect your teeth. As a patient, you may be wondering, “what’s fluoride and how is it going to help my smile?” Thankfully, your Lexington dentist is here to provide you with the right information about fluoride, how it’s available, and what it does for you!

To start from the beginning, let’s discuss what fluoride is. It’s a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and water, and some companies even provide it in their bottled water. This mineral is beneficial because when you eat and drink throughout the day, you’re breaking down the protective minerals that coat your teeth. These protective minerals are created by your saliva, but the process of creating saliva has slowed down because of the sugars from your meal. When you drink fluoridated water, you’re helping the process of saliva to restart, along with the minerals from the fluoride coating and protecting your teeth.

The reason that these minerals are so important is because they help protect your teeth from tooth decay. Not only does drinking fluoridate water help recreate minerals but also helps wash out any loose, lingering bacteria. Tooth decay occurs when there are bacteria and sugars that haven’t been properly cleaned from your mouth after eating or drinking. Poor oral hygiene leads to cavities and eventually decay.

Another way of receiving the proper amount of fluoride is using toothpaste that contains this mineral. A lot of pastes contain fluoride, so it won’t be very hard to find. If you’re not sure which toothpaste is the right one for you, don’t be afraid to ask your dentist to recommend the best one! Combined with consuming fluoridated water, brushing your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride with have your smile saying thank you!

Going to your dentist and discussing if you’re getting the proper amount of fluoride to benefit your teeth is important because it can truly help prevent cavities. If your water or toothpaste doesn’t contain this mineral, your dentist can also recommend other forms of receiving fluoride. There are gels that can be applied to your teeth, but must be done by a dentist because there’s a larger amount of fluoride that needs to be handled carefully. It’s true that too much fluoride can be harmful, but toothpaste has a small, safe amount. If you’re worried about your fluoridated water, call your local water district to see the levels of this mineral.

Contact your Lexington dentist for more tips and information about fluoride by calling our office at (859) 266-2570. To schedule an appointment, you can click here and request one online!