The Importance of Fluoride For Good Dental Health

Mark S. Dill, DDS • Jul 18, 2019

You're probably familiar with fluoride as a common ingredient in oral care products. There's a good reason so many dental hygiene products contain fluoride. Scientific research has shown the positive impact of fluoride on dental health. Here's what you need to know about your teeth and the importance of fluoride.

What Is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral. It naturally occurs in soil and rocks, both of which release fluoride into water. Therefore, all water has some level of fluoride. However, most American communities add fluoride to the community water supply. Studies carried out in the 1930s showed children whose water supply had high levels of naturally occurring fluoride had lower levels of tooth decay. As a result, community water fluoridation was introduced to America in 1945. Since then, researchers discovered a 25 percent lower rate of tooth decay for people of all ages in communities with water fluoridation.

In addition to water, fluoride is found in:

Toothpaste
Rinses
Professional fluoride treatments

What is the Importance of Fluoride and How Does It Benefit Your Teeth?

Fluoride prevents cavities when your teeth have exposure to adequate levels of it. Also, another factor contributing to the importance of fluoride is the fact that it strengthens enamel, which is the hard tissue that covers your teeth.

A professional fluoride treatment provides a much higher concentration of fluoride than you receive from fluoridated water. Children should get a fluoride treatment along with their regular dental check-ups. The early exposure to higher concentrations of fluoride on their developing teeth reduces their risk of tooth decay.

Also, adults who are at greater risk for cavities also can benefit from a fluoride treatment. If you drink bottled water instead of tap water, you're not getting the benefits of water fluoridation. Diets high in sugar or acidic food and beverages also put you at higher risk for tooth decay.

At the office of Dr. Mark S. Dill, DDS, our caring professionals provide compassionate dental services to patients of all ages. If you're interested in a professional fluoride treatment for your child or yourself, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Newer Post >

Providing a Safe Environment for Our Patients During COVID-19

By Mark S. Dill, DDS • 15 May, 2020

We are proud that we remained open and staffed every day of the pandemic to see people in need of emergency dental care when most dental offices closed their doors. The patients we treated were so thankful they had an office to care for them so they would not need to go to the ER. Our goal was to free the ER of dental emergencies. When we opened for routine dental procedures we remained leaders and have led the Chattanooga area through the Covid-19 pandemic. At Nooga Dentistry we have continued to provide a safe environment for our patients during this Covid-19 pandemic. We practice very safe and sterile office procedures on a regular basis. Our staff is fully trained in cross contamination and sterilization occurs after each patient. We want our patients and staff to feel comfortable in our office during this time. We currently maintain the following standards of cleanliness and precaution against Covid-19: We provide and encourage hand sanitizer Masks are encouraged for patients who choose to wear them Our office is sprayed down and cleaned daily Each patient room is sprayed down and cleaned We look forward to seeing our patients on a regular basis; we have missed talking with everyone! We are here to provide amazing and comfortable dental care to our patients and the Chattanooga area. Thank you all for your support during this time and for understanding the changes we have made, in order to keep you as a patient and our staff healthy and safe.