fluoride

Fluoride

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that is very effective in protecting teeth against decay.

How does fluoride work?

Tooth decay begins with dental plaque, a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. Plaque is mostly made up of bacteria, which feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acid attacks the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth structure. If this happens too often, tooth decay results.

Minerals in saliva can mend the teeth. If fluoride is present in the mouth, it helps teeth to repair themselves.

And if fluoride is consumed in appropriate amounts by young children, it helps to make growing teeth more resistant to decay.

Fluoride in toothpaste

Most people get fluoride from toothpaste. Packs tell you how much the toothpaste contains in parts per million (ppm). Adults should use toothpaste containing 1350-1500ppm, unless advised otherwise by a dentist.

For children, consuming too much fluoride can produce unattractive marks on their teeth. To prevent this, you should help children up to the age of seven to clean their teeth. Make sure they do not eat the toothpaste and only use the correct amount:

  • Children aged under 3 should only use a smear of toothpaste, which should contain no less than 1000ppm of fluoride.
  • Children aged 3-6 years should use a small pea-sized blob of toothpaste, containing 1350-1500ppm of fluoride.

Children may also have fluoride applied as varnish painted on by their dentist.

For patients with a lot of decay, dentists may recommend extra fluoride, either as tablets, drops or varnish, and for patients over 10 years of age, toothpastes with 2800ppm fluoride may be prescribed. For patients over 16 with high decay rates 5000ppm toothpaste may be prescribed.

Speak to your local Clear Dental Practice to learn more about fluoride.

Why do I need to brush my teeth?

Brushing helps prevent tooth decay

Dental plaque is a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. It is mostly made up of bacteria, which feed on sugar from food and drink, producing acids as a waste product. The acids attack the teeth by dissolving the minerals in the tooth surface. If this happens too often, tooth decay results. For this reason, you shouldn’t have sugary foods and / or drinks too often during the day.

Minerals in saliva can mend the teeth. If fluoride is present in the mouth, it helps teeth to repair themselves. Fluoride also makes bacteria less able to produce acid.

To remove plaque and help teeth to mend themselves, you need to brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.

Brushing helps prevent gum disease

You also need to brush to stop plaque damaging your gums. If plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can make your gums sore and infected. Painless gum pockets will start to form around the teeth and bone supporting the teeth will slowly be lost. If left unchecked, gum disease will lead to the loss of teeth.

How should I brush?

  • Brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day with a soft-to-medium brush and fluoride toothpaste. Replace the brush when the bristles get out of shape.
  • Put the bristles at the join between teeth and gums, pointing towards the gums, and brush using short circular movements.
  • Brush all round every tooth, carefully making sure you can feel the brush on your gums.
  • Don’t use too much force – give your teeth and gums a gentle rub.
  • It is recommended that people spend at least two minutes brushing their teeth – why not time yourself?
  • An electric powered toothbrush may be found easier to use and more effective than a manual brush.
  • After brushing you should spit out the toothpaste – but do not rinse, as this lessens the effect of the fluoride.
  • Small children should only use a small, pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. They cannot brush properly until they are at least six or seven, so an adult should help them brush their teeth. One way is to stand behind the child and tilt their head back so all teeth can be seen and reached.

Speak to your local Clear Dental Practice to learn more about brushing your teeth.