Why is Fluoride Important to My Dental Health?

Posted on December 3, 2019

We know that in a place as eco-conscious as San Francisco, you may have heard horror stories of fluoride usage. It’s a common issues that’s circulating the Internet and natural living groups. Rest assured, our dentists are here not only to put all those fears at ease, but also to help you understand why fluoride usage is so important to your overall dental health.

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in many places, including your own teeth!  You can also find fluoride naturally occurring in places like:

• Rocks
• Soil
• Plants
• Water
• Air
• Bones

The important thing to remember is that fluoride isn’t made in some chemical factory and it isn’t a man-made substance. It’s completely natural!

Why is Fluoride Used By Dentists?

Dentists like Dr. Skoulas who have many patients, uses fluoride to help improve their patients’ oral health. Some of the most common reasons that dentists recommend using fluoride include:

• Remineralizing tooth enamel that has become weakened over time
• Slowing down the loss of minerals from your natural tooth enamel
• Reversing early signs and symptoms of tooth decay
• Preventing the growth of harmful oral bacteria that can cause havoc in your mouth

Where Can I Find Fluoride Products

Often times when you visit the dentist, he or she places fluoride on your teeth to help strengthen them and provide the additional benefits listed above. San Francisco dental patients can also find fluoride in many over-the-counter oral hygiene products including toothpaste, mouth rinses, and fluoride supplements. In some areas, tap water is even fluorinated to help residents have stronger teeth as they drink water daily!

What Are Some of the Reasons San Francisco Residents Avoid Fluoride?

There are a few, very uncommon side effects of fluoride that have recently proliferated natural-living webpages. Often times, these sites scare patients away from fluoride usage. But you should know, negative side effects from fluoride are extremely rare, and every dentist agrees that using fluoride greatly outweighs the benefits of not doing so.

While still occurring very infrequently, the most common side effect of fluoride is dental fluorosis, which is when fluoride causes white spots to appear on your teeth. This usually only occurs in small children, though, who still have their baby teeth and inadvertently swallow some toothpaste rather than spitting it out. Other than the white spots which usually occur on baby teeth, there’s no other risk from dental fluorosis.

Our Dentists are Great Dentists for San Francisco Workers and Residents with Whom to Discuss Any Dental Concerns

Of course, our dentists know how important going natural is to San Francisco residents. That’s why they never recommends you just “do what you’re told” without having an honest, open conversation with a dentist first.

If you have questions about fluoride, and whether or not you and your family should use it, talk about your concerns with our dentists during your next dentist appointment. You can schedule one today by calling (415) 757-0110.