It can be found in chocolate, even in your bones, and it is likely to be present in your glass of water. Numerous governments around the globe insert fluoride into drinking water to protect your teeth, and everyone else’s free of cavities.

Even though, like other parts of public health, water fluoridation brings constant debate and myth. Is Fluoride Safe? Is it okay? What advantage does it have? How important is it for our enamel? This write-up will answer all these questions, but first, let’s look at fluoride.

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride, F⁻, is a fluorine atom with an additional electron attached. Though this might appear as a small difference, this addition greatly changes its properties—same as the chloride (Cl⁻) in your sodium chloride (NaCl) table salt is very different from chlorine (Cl₂) gas.

Fluoride happens naturally in Earth’s crust, rocks, minerals, and water at varying levels. It possesses no smell or taste and is also available in foods such as apples, tea, and almonds. fluoride has proven to be indispensable over the years.

Fluoride is present in water, and some foods have caused lots of debate over the years as people give their opinion about why it has been in the water. Most people think people who intake fluoridated water will contact fluorosis.

But fluorosis only happens when someone consumes a huge quantity of fluoride. In most countries, the quantity of fluoride inserted into drinking water is at a degree that guarantees a very low probability of fluorosis.

Another school of thought is that fluoride is harmful to children. But fluoride is not known to be a harmful substance for children when consumed properly. Consuming fluoridated water not only helps to strengthen teeth as they grow, but it can also help stop future tooth decay and loss.

People also complain about how expensive it can be for communities to fluoridate water, but inserting fluoride into the water is one of the less expensive ways to prevent tooth decay. It is less expensive in general than curing tooth decay.

Why Is Fluoride So Important to The Enamel?

Fluoride is so important to the enamel because it helps do the work a trusted dental professional would, such as:

• Restabilize weakened tooth enamel 
• Decrease the loss of minerals from tooth enamel
• Correct early signs of tooth decay 
• Stop the development of dangerous enamel bacteria

When bacteria exist in your mouth, they extinguish sugar and carbs. They generate acids that munch away all the minerals in your tooth enamel. This loss of minerals is known as demineralization. Weakened tooth enamel means your teeth are open to bacteria that can invite cavities. Fluoride assists in remineralizing your tooth enamel, which can stop cavities from happening and correct their early stages.

Studies have indicated that by putting fluoride in government water supplies, dental issues have depreciated by 25 percent among adults and kids. Fluoride protects tooth enamel in small quantities against acids generated by the bacteria in your mouth. Long term, this method depreciates the rate of tooth decay and reduces the number of cavities people experience.

Fluoride Lessons

The demineralization process can remineralize the enamel, decreasing little amounts of early-stage decay. Fluoride also reduces the amount of plaque on your teeth.

Due to these benefits, many fluoride kinds of toothpaste have been given the ADA Seal of Acceptance. This accolade comes after many experiments that show toothpaste is good at stopping cavities.

Along with containing fluoride, ADA-accepted kinds of toothpaste must not contain any ingredients that can fasten cavities– for instance, flavorings that contain sugar.