London cosmetic dentistry

Posts Tagged ‘flouride’

What is Fluoride and Why Is It So Important? Dentist in London Answers Questions

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Fluoride is a natural wonder that has proven to be a critical component to maintaining good oral health. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens the enamel of our teeth, protecting our teeth from dangerous bacteria that threatens to eat away at the hard surfaces of our teeth causing tooth decay and gum disease. Fluoride can be found in the foods and drinks we eat, even in regular drinking water from the tap in some parts of the country. However, this minimal intake of fluoride is not enough and it is very important that you use a good fluoride toothpaste that has been recommended by your dentist. You should be brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, though children should only be using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste at each brushing. Your dentist can offer you fluoride treatments if you suffer from teeth sensitivity and have strong reactions to cold or hot foods. Fluoride therapy is also a great way to help with dry mouth, bad breath, gum disease, a history of cavities, or if you have crowns, bridges, or braces. Fluoride treatments can also be used to reverse the earliest symptoms of tooth decay. Fluoride has proven to be completely safe, so there is nothing to fear. If you have any further questions, speak to your dentist in London about fluoride today.

What are the facts about using fluoride? Ask dentists in City of London for the answers

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

There are few health issues that are without controversy of one kind or another as studies and counter studies dispute the findings of each other. It can thus be difficult to decide what lifestyle choices to make in order to ensure that you are living with excellent health at all times. The use of fluoride in dentistry is one of these issues and consumers have had to decide about what is best for them for a number of decades.

Dental scientists have long recognised the benefits of using fluoride on teeth. It is helpful for oral health because it strengthens the enamel which coats teeth. Once enamel has gone it will not come back and cavities can form which will need to be filled. Plaque breaks down the enamel on teeth, leaving them exposed.

As such fluoride is added to tooth paste so that, when brushing your teeth you are strengthening the enamel. But some people have long argued that fluoride can be damaging to the health of users. Indeed even dentists recommend that the very young do not use fluoride at all. It is true that especially large doses of the chemical can cause a condition called dental fluorosis but this is rather rare.

Especially controversial was the decision in many countries to add fluoride directly to the water supply, thereby essentially removing peoples’ choice as to whether they use fluoride. Tooth paste without fluoride is available but most dentists agree that fluoride forms a vital part of preventive dentistry and should be used daily. Feel free to talk to your City of London dentist if you have any questions about fluoride.

What are the facts about fluoride? Central London dentists give expert advice

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Fluoride is a chemical that is extensively used in dentistry because of its capacity to strengthen your teeth. Like lots of things, however, it is not without controversy and many people are anxious to know the facts about fluoride.

You will be likely to come across fluoride in two particular settings. The one that you are probably aware of is in tooth pastes. Many tooth pastes are enriched with fluoride because of its quality of strengthening your teeth. It does this by strengthening your enamel, the hard, protective outer layer of your teeth. This is your teeth’s first line of defence against attack from acids which can cause cavities and decay.

It is likely that you are consuming fluoride too in the water that you drink from your taps. When governments began to add fluoride to the water supply there was some controversy over this move and indeed one can still find campaign groups today that are against it. Dentists agree on the benefits of fluoride to teeth and the health risks are minimal. There is a condition which can develop in infants if they consume too much fluoride but it requires a significant amount to be consumed, more than is present in peoples’ every day water supply.

Dentists recommend that those residing in ‘low fluoride’ areas actually take fluoride supplements and that people don’t only drink bottled water. Instead they should also take tap water because of the fluoride content.

If you are concerned about any of the issues connected to the use of fluoride then you should contact your Central London dentist; they are experts in the issue and will be able to give you all the facts.

Learn the truth about fluoride at London dentist

Friday, October 15th, 2010

You can be forgiven for being confused about the nature of fluoride as there is a lot of misinformation going around, especially on the internet that causes the problem of confusion. It can also make it very hard to know which advice to follow. For example, some toothpastes contain fluoride and depending on what website you have looked at this can either be good for the teeth because it hardens them or bad for the teeth as well as the rest of the body. It is also important to remember that fluoride is added to many water supplies so there must be a reason for using it in the first place.

Fluoride certainly does harden the teeth and make them stronger against plaque and bacteria. However, it is true that fluoride can damage children’s teeth if used too early in their lives. Dentists advise against giving children any kind of fluoride as it can lead to damage and discolouration later in life. Therefore you should always check with your London dentist before letting your child use any kind of fluoride product.

Your London dentist will also be the best person to ask about the levels of fluoride in the water and how this might affect your teeth. They can also advise which toothpastes are suitable for your teeth. Once the teeth are fully developed they can certainly benefit from small amounts of fluoride. The decision to add fluoride to the water supply has seen a dramatic reduction in the rate of dental cavities over the years. Although this might have had an adverse affect on a small number of patients’ teeth in the long run it has been very beneficial to the health of the public’s teeth.

Central London dentist clarifies benefits of fluoride

Monday, April 12th, 2010

There is a lot of information around that gives conflicting opinions about what is best for your teeth. This can be very confusing and leave you not sure which advice is the most appropriate or useful for you. One example of such a confusing issue is whether or not fluoride in toothpaste is good for you. Some reports say that fluoride hardens teeth and therefore offers more protection but conflicting reports say that it may be damaging to the teeth as well as the rest of the body. It is also necessary to remember that most water supplies already contain fluoride so using toothpaste that also contains fluoride may be a further cause for concern.

There is little doubt that fluoride strengthens teeth, reinforcing them against decay and plaque. This is why for many years it has been added to water supplies. As a result, the numbers of people suffering dental decay has fallen. However, fluoride can pose a risk for children’s teeth. Dentists advise against giving children any kind of fluoride dental health products, such as toothpaste, as excessive fluoride may cause discolouration to occur later in life.

For most adults it is important to use small amounts of fluoride in dental health products. Once the teeth have fully developed they are less likely to suffer from flourosis but are still constantly under threat from cavities. The one sure-fire way to know if you are getting too much or too little fluoride is to ask your local dentist. Dentists in Central London will know the fluoride levels of the local water supply and can also examine your and your children’s teeth to see how they are reacting. Make an appointment today to be sure that you are getting the right information from an expert.