1-800-PAINLESSWhat the fluoride content in your water means to your teeth
At your next dental check-up, don’t be surprised if your dentist asks if you’ve been drinking your recommended eight glasses of water a day. That’s because keeping your family’s teeth healthy and cavity-free requires more than regular brushing and flossing. Fluoride naturally occurs in water and it plays an important role in healthy tooth development in children and cavity prevention for all.
Fluoride is a mineral that has been proven to help prevent cavities. Cavities happen when a hole is formed in the tooth caused by decay. The hole in your tooth made by a cavity can lead to pain, tooth loss, or serious infection if left untreated. The best way to prevent tooth decay is to brush and floss after each meal, get regular dental cleanings and check-ups by a dentist, and make sure your drinking water contains fluoride.
You may be wondering how fluoride can prevent tooth decay. When fluoride comes into contact with the surface of your teeth it helps to prevent the bacteria found in plaque from dissolving your tooth enamel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than one quarter of 2 to 5-year-olds and half of kids 12 to 15 years old have one or more cavities, and tooth decay has affected two thirds of 16 to 19-year-olds. The CDC states that untreated cavities can cause “pain, dysfunction, school absences, difficulty concentrating, and poor appearance; problems that greatly affect a child’s quality of life and ability to succeed.”
The good news is that most cavities are preventable. According to the CDC, fluoride prevents tooth decay and the best way to deliver the benefits of fluoride to the members of our community is through water fluoridation. This is done by adjusting the fluoride in the public water system to the “appropriate level for decay prevention.”
According to the Michigan Dental Association (MDA), “in communities with natural levels of fluoride exceeding 1.0 parts per million there was a significant reduction” in the amount of cavities. The MDA reports that approximately 70% of American households have the benefit of fluoridated water.
So how do you get fluoridated water in your home? In some communities, fluoride is naturally occurring in their water. Some other communities add fluoride to their water supply at the water-processing plant that supplies their water.
Your family dentist may know whether or not your local water supply contains the optimal level of fluoride to help prevent tooth decay. If you have public water in your home, you can also call your local public health department for more information.
If you discover that your water does not contain the recommended amount of fluoride to aid in the prevention of tooth decay, you should talk to your family’s dentist about your options. Your dentist may be able to administer regular fluoride treatments in his or her office. Your dentist may also recommend a fluoride rinse to be used at home daily. There are even fluoridated bottled waters available to be used in conjunction with your dentist’s treatment.
Bio
Josh Gershonowicz is a Marketing and Public Relations Executive at Brightside Dental, a dental group with locations in Sterling Heights, Livonia, Canton, and Royal Oak, Michigan, Visit www.BrightsideDental.com for more information on fluoride protection
