Protecting your teeth is so important! When it comes to keeping your pearly whites in excellent condition, there’s a lot you can do on a day-to-day basis. When figuring out what toothpaste to use, researching dentists to visit, and establishing a routine to take care of your oral health, you may run across mentions of fluoride. Regular toothpastes purchased from your local grocery store as well as mouthwashes and treatments used at the dentist’s office during your regular teeth cleaning all often contain fluoride. Even the water that comes from your tap typically contains fluoride!

But just what is this ingredient, and why is it so important?

An Important Mineral

Fluoride is actually a naturally occurring mineral found in various places in nature. Some foods naturally contain fluoride, and some water sources also naturally contain fluoride. Because it is an added ingredient in many community water sources and in toothpaste, many people believe fluoride is a synthetic additive, but that is not the case.

Fluoride wasn’t known to prevent cavities and tooth decay until the 1930s when it was discovered that those who grew up drinking water containing natural fluoride had fewer problems with tooth decay than those living in areas where the water did not naturally contain fluoride. Since that initial discovery, there have been countless studies about the effects of fluoride on tooth decay that have cemented the mineral into place as an important part of oral health.

How Does Fluoride Prevent Tooth Decay?

Now that we know how great fluoride is at preventing tooth decay, you may be wondering just how it works. There are demineralization and remineralization processes that naturally occur throughout your day-to-day life inside your mouth. When you eat food, bacteria builds up in your mouth and creates saliva that is acidic and can wear away at your tooth enamel.  When fluoride is introduced to your teeth, it helps to protect the acidic saliva in your mouth from weakening your tooth enamel.

Even when your teeth are not threatened by acidic saliva, fluoride can still help protect your teeth. When fluoride is used in this type of scenario, it helps to strengthen your tooth enamel by replenishing minerals like calcium and phosphate that protect your teeth and make them strong.

Without fluoride, your teeth can lose minerals from the acidic saliva created in your mouth and not replenish the minerals, which leads to tooth decay. With fluoride, your teeth are able to replenish the minerals that have worn away before the loss of minerals becomes too serious.

Why You Should Care About Fluoride

Fluoride largely helps your teeth in two ways, though there are other benefits as well. The first way that fluoride helps is when children consume it. Fluoride consumed via the water supply as a child enters the bloodstream. This is, in fact, a good thing as it helps a child’s permanent teeth grow strong and healthy. For adults and children alike, fluoride helps to strengthen teeth from the outside where tooth enamel is wearing down from acidic saliva. Both of these benefits are excellent reasons why fluoride is an important part of your oral care regimen!