Most people are aware of the benefits of fluoride for their oral health. They buy toothpaste with fluoride, but that is not the only source of fluoride people rely on. Water often contains fluoride, especially if it is tap water. In fact, fluoride is added to tap water to help prevent tooth decay. The question that many ask us is if they get enough fluoride in their tap water or should they turn to other sources.
How Much Fluoride Do You Get?
There are many different sources of fluoride that everyone gets. Fluoride is in toothpaste, mouth rinses, justice and supplements. Because of the increased ways that you can get fluoride, the government lowered the amount of recommended fluoride in drinking water from 1.2 parts per million to 0.7 parts per million. There are some parts of the world that do not put fluoride in their water at all.
The other thing to consider is the amount of tap water that people drink. The growing use of bottled water can limit or eliminate the amount of fluoride people get when they drink water. When a person does not get fluoride through tap water because they use bottled water, they can turn to us for a fluoride treatment.
Getting Too Much Fluoride
There is a danger of getting too much fluoride and that is why some places do not put any in the tap water. A condition known as dental fluorosis occurs when the body gets too much fluoride. Its symptoms include discoloration of the teeth because of hypermineralization. It can lead to other dental issues if the amount of fluoride is too much.
There is no reason to worry about the fluoride in tap water. It still serves a useful purpose and is something that can help you maintain good oral health. For more information about this or any other oral health issues, contact our office to schedule an appointment.