All of us look for it when we are purchasing our toothpaste but do we know why it’s so important? Fluoride actually plays a huge role when it comes to oral care, so much so that according to research, the decline of dental caries is attributed mainly to the use of fluoridated toothpaste. 

So what is it and how does it work?  

Fluoride is a naturally occurring water based mineral that helps reduce tooth decay. 

It’s useful to your oral care in two main ways. When children drink fluoride in small doses like when it’s added to drinking water, it enters the bloodstream, helps the child in developing permanent teeth and hardens the enamel on teeth before they emerge. It also strengthens the teeth from the outside. 

When you apply fluoride directly by using fluoridated toothpaste, it helps to speed up remineralisation which produces a surface that is now more acid resistant and can help you avoid cavities. 

Fluoride is not just limited to toothpaste and water. There are professional fluoride treatments given in dental offices in the form of a gel, foam or varnish which is more potent than that of toothpaste.

But is fluoride harmful? 

If used with proper care, fluoride is no threat.  It’s recommended that all children aged 2 and up should use fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day to prevent the formation of cavities. 
It is however best to avoid swallowing the toothpaste as it can cause ‘fluorosis’, a cosmetic defect which leads to the appearance of white specs on teeth. 

Text by Panchali Illankoon