What fluoride is and where it comes from?
Fluoride is a non-essential (i.e. non-essential) trace element that is found everywhere in nature – for example, in mineral water, black tea, and fish. The human body also contains fluoride, especially in the bones and teeth.
How does fluoride in the body?
Fluoride is only absorbed through the mouth by swallowing from the body, so, for example, with the food. Completely fluoride free feed is virtually impossible.
What fluoride makes the Tooth?
Fluoride contributes as a building block to the tooth substance. When Brushing the teeth take up fluoride from the toothpaste and resistance become more competitive.
Is really proven that fluoride is good for dental health?
Yeah, fluorides are worldwide investigated very thoroughly. Many studies show that fluoride toothpaste is safe and an excellent protection against dental caries offers. Thus, it is demonstrated both for children and adolescents as well as adults, it is sufficient that
- Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, the caries incidence is reduced, and
- multiple daily brushing with a fluoride-containing toothpaste better protects against cavities than once daily Brushing.
How much fluoride is considered to be recommended?
A sufficient hardness of the enamel and to ensure a daily intake of about 1 milligram of fluoride recommended.
The current guideline for caries prevention in permanent teeth is recommended as a base measure, at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste when brushing your teeth apply.
How can you strengthen his teeth?
In addition to fluoride in toothpaste to protect the following dental care products against dental caries:
- fluoride-containing mouth rinse solution
- Fluoride varnish (in dental practice)
- Fluoride gel (for own use)
However, fluoride rinses, fluoride varnishes and gels are not a substitute for brushing your teeth, but are only recommended. Who his teeth already well-dressing, these measures are likely to be only a small additional Benefit. Recommended you are in poor oral hygiene, or the beginning of caries.
A further possibility, the teeth to strengthen, the absorption of fluoride through the diet. In Germany, for example, fluoridated table salt in the traffic. Also some foods, is added fluoride added. In addition, many mineral supply water fluoride. However, tap water contains, in Germany, relatively little fluoride.
In addition, fluoride tablets available to that a solid dose of fluoride (0.25 mg) is included. They are mainly for small children thought that not yet have learned the toothpaste spit again: it makes sense, fluoride-free toothpaste to brush your teeth to use, and to the improved caries protection of fluoride tablets to give.
Fluoride-containing supplements are useful?
No. The body takes on simply by fluoride-containing water, and the fluoridation of dental care products, and salt enough fluoride. That’s why fluoride should not be used in addition in dietary supplements.
Can fluoride be toxic?
It depends on the dose. Fluoride in toothpaste and other dental care products is harmless to health.
Only in large quantities, fluoride is poison to the body. So it causes in higher concentrations (approximately 10 milligrams of fluoride per day, or drinking water with about 6 to 10 milligrams of fluoride per Liter), and a skeletal and dental fluorosis. That is to say: Too much fluoride can lead to bone loss and damage the enamel.
By the way: fluorine is not the same as fluoride!
Fluorine is a toxic Gas. In contrast, fluorides are the salts of fluorine and is only toxic in large quantities. Mistakenly, the two terms are used, however, are often synonymous.
How high is the risk of a fluoride Overdose is?
The risk of Overdose is extremely low: In Germany, takes an adult a day is estimated to be between 0.4 and 1.5 milligrams of fluoride to. This is significantly less than the guideline value of the German society for nutrition, is 3.5 milligrams.
Can use Pregnant fluoride-containing toothpaste?
Yes. A study of Pregnant women in Mexico has shown that a significantly increased intake of fluoride during pregnancy can reduce the child’s intelligence in the long term. However, the Mexican population takes up significantly greater amounts of fluoride from different sources than the German. For women in Germany is therefore no reason to worry.
In addition, fluoride-containing toothpaste plays for the total intake of fluoride is as good as no role, because it is usually spat again. And even if someone accidentally swallowed fluoride-containing toothpaste, the amount below the Benchmark.
What to consider in children?
Particularly in the case of small children, it is important to dose of fluoride right. Because young children swallow toothpaste often. If you also in addition, fluoride tablets and fluoride-containing salt, it can easily lead to undesirable effects.
The increased fluoride intake can cause white stains to form on the teeth. However, these have usually no further consequences.
Such side effects can children fluoride tablets to take, due to fluoride-free toothpaste avoid. As soon as the teeth work brush easily, and the kids spit out the toothpaste again (it is usually between the ages of two and four years so far), you can get fluoride-containing toothpaste is used.
For children, depending on age, toothpastes with different fluoride content wise:
- for small children, particularly low-dose toothpaste with 0.05% fluoride or 500 ppm (parts per million)
- for children from approximately six years (when the permanent teeth are coming through) toothpaste with 0.1% fluoride and more than 1000 ppm
What is it with fluoride-free toothpaste on it?
Fluoride-free toothpaste can be used as active ingredient, the naturally occurring mineral hydroxyapatite contain. This forms the main component of bones and teeth.
That hydroxyapatite effectively protects against cavities, or even with fluoride comparable protective effect against dental caries has, however, is so far not scientifically proven.
Conclusion: toothpaste without fluoride is only in the Baby and toddler age – appropriate. Anyone who puts otherwise healthy teeth, should brush only the teeth, but a fluoride-containing toothpaste use. This is also consistent with the current recommendations of the dental professional societies.
In addition, the dental recommend medical professional societies,
- to use fluoride-containing salt in the household and
- if needed (particularly in the case of active caries) in addition, toothpastes with increased fluoride concentration and fluoride varnishes, gels or rinses to use.
Sources
Online information of the Pschyrembel: www.pschyrembel.de (retrieval date: 4.12.2019)
Fluoride. Online information of the German nutrition society (DGE): www.dge.de (retrieval date: 4.12.2019)
Toothpaste: The best toothpaste in the Test. Online information is the Foundation of the test: www.test.de (status: 17.10.2019)were
Opinion of the German Association for operative dentistry (DGZ) and the German society for Preventive dentistry (DGPZM) and the Federal chamber of dentists (BZÄK): caries prophylaxis with toothpaste (January 2018)
Born, A., et al white.: Maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals in food supplements. Journal for consumer protection and food safety (Online publication, 4.1.2018)
Guideline of the German Association for operative dentistry (DGZ) and the German society for Dental, oral and craniomandibular Sciences (DGZMK): in caries prevention in permanent teeth – basic recommendations. AWMF guidelines Register No. 083/021 (as of: 1.6.2016)
Guideline of the German society for Dental, oral and craniomandibular Sciences (DGZMK): fluoridation measures for decay prevention. AWMF guidelines Register No. 083/001 (as of: 23.1.2013)
Press release of the German society for nutrition e. V.: Colorful pills for a good Conscience – what is a dietary Supplement bring? (4.12.2012)
For More Information
Onmeda-Reading Tips:
- Fluoride: Important building block of the human body
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Last content review: 04.12.2019last Modification: 28.01.2019
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