Time and again, my patients ask me whether fluoride in toothpaste is really as dangerous as many claim nowadays. Perhaps you have asked yourself this very question. Let me put your mind at ease: No, in such small amounts, fluoride is by no means dangerous; on the contrary, it helps protect your teeth. Given the fact that fluoride is literally on everyone's lips and is all too often demonized, let us take a closer look at the topic.
FLUORIDE IN TOOTHPASTE
How did fluoride end up in toothpaste in the first place? Good question! It was by coincidence that the positive effects of fluoride on dental health were discovered. Due to a new water supply in the town of Bauxite, Arkansas, white fluoride spots suddenly appeared on children's teeth. This enabled the first scientific conclusions about the influence of fluorides on teeth. The first attempts to deliberately add fluorides to toothpastes were then undertaken from around 1900, and in Europe from around 1950. When Washington W. Sheffield brought the first toothpaste to market in 1850, it already contained fluorides, although they were not specifically added. In that sense, fluoride has always been in toothpaste.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLUORIDE AND FLUORINE?
Many people are not even aware of the distinction. Yet the two substances are extremely different, which is also "not entirely insignificant" for our health.
1. FLUORIDE (AS A TRACE ELEMENT)
Fluoride is a commonly occurring mineral in the earth's crust that appears in various forms: sodium fluoride and fluorspar are the most important examples. As a trace element, fluoride also occurs very frequently in nature in various concentrations, including in our drinking water. Many trace elements are essential for our body despite their minimal concentration, meaning they are indispensable for our organism. While fluoride is not among these essential trace elements, it has the positive effect of protecting against tooth decay.
How do we consume fluoride if not through dental care? The main source of fluoride intake is our drinking water and mineral water. The concentration in drinking water is location-dependent and consequently varies by region. Mineral water often contains significantly higher levels of fluoride than drinking water. In addition, foods such as green and black tea, fish, and many types of grain also contain fluoride.
2. FLUORINE
The chemical element fluorine is a highly reactive gas that rarely occurs in its pure, elemental form in nature, except during volcanic eruptions. Elemental fluorine is a highly toxic and corrosive substance that we can detect even in small doses by its intense odor.
WHAT EFFECT DOES FLUORIDE HAVE ON TEETH?
The surface of our teeth is not smooth, even if it sometimes feels that way. The outermost layers of tooth enamel are constantly under attack from acid-producing lactobacilli, also known as lactic acid bacteria, and acids from food. Especially at night, bacteria can multiply unchecked and exert their damaging effect on the tooth enamel unhindered. The acid severely attacks the enamel surface and the enamel crystals are dissolved out. When we brush our teeth with fluoride-containing toothpastes or use fluoride-containing dental care products (gels, mouthwashes, etc.), we counteract this process. By using fluoride, we essentially build a protective shield around our tooth, thereby increasing the resistance of the tooth enamel and thus our dental health.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE SUFFICIENT FLUORIDE IN YOUR BODY?
The pathway through the bloodstream enables fluoride to be incorporated into the tooth substance as early as childhood. In addition, the intake through food and beverages ensures that our teeth are supplied with fluoride during growth and that it is absorbed into the tooth substance. The result: a resilient tooth enamel that significantly reduces tooth-damaging influences in the form of acids and bacteria. However, a toothpaste containing fluoride is indispensable; otherwise, the protection is insufficient. Let us now go into a bit more detail:
THE THREE STAGES OF TOOTH DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE CRUCIAL FOR FLUORIDE ENRICHMENT
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Enamel Formation
During the enamel formation phase, fluoride can be directly incorporated into the tooth substance. The enamel formation phase begins after birth. -
Enamel Maturation Before Tooth Eruption
After enamel formation, the so-called enamel maturation takes place before tooth eruption. It lasts a full three to four years. During this time, enamel substance continues to be formed and compacted. -
Enamel Maturation After Tooth Eruption
After tooth eruption, fluoride can only be absorbed externally. Local and systemic fluoride from saliva protects the tooth enamel and, as the only substance, it can also repair superficial damage caused by acids and caries-forming bacteria.
Is Hydroxyapatite an Alternative to Fluoride?
Let us first clarify: What is hydroxylapatite or hydroxyapatite, exactly?
Hydroxylapatite or hydroxyapatite is a natural compound of calcium and phosphate that our body produces, thereby creating very hard substances within our body. These substances are found, for example, in dentin or tooth enamel. Hydroxylapatite is therefore a component of the natural tooth structure. The problem is that when exposed to acid in the mouth, hydroxyapatite crystals dissolve out of the tooth enamel. This makes the tooth vulnerable -- for example, to caries bacteria. It also becomes more sensitive to pain and changes its color. However, hydroxyapatite crystals cannot be reinserted through external application. Fluoride is the only way to create a barrier against bacteria on the tooth and to protect it.
More and more toothpastes advertise hydroxylapatite or hydroxyapatite as ingredients or active substances, but they are not an adequate substitute for a fluoride-containing toothpaste.
Should you have any further questions, I recommend a professional dental consultation with a dentist.
Is Fluoride Dangerous for Our Health?
We can put your health concerns at ease: fluorides occur naturally in the human body and in nature -- including in groundwater and in food products, such as fluoridated table salt. As an ingredient in toothpaste, it is therefore not harmful. Of course, the same principle applies here: the dose makes the poison. Should excessive amounts of toothpaste be swallowed -- and we are talking about a total of 109 tubes -- this could have negative effects. Incidentally, the same applies to the excessive consumption of green or black tea or mineral water.
CONCLUSION: FLUORIDE -- YES OR NO?
A resounding YES! From the perspective of a dental professional and dentistry in general, fluoridation of the teeth is indispensable and strongly recommended due to changed dietary habits. Especially when consuming industrially processed foods as well as foods and beverages with high sugar and acid content, you should ensure an adequate supply.
Yours, Dr. Roberto Lhotka