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There are a lot of things in which we trust that we use daily in London and simply assume that because they have been put there by the powers to be, that they can’t be doing us any harm; such a raging topic right now is the use of fluoride. For decades, this mineral has been used on mass; for a start it is put into our daily drinking water that comes through the taps as it tends to fight off bacteria in the water- ‘purifying’ it. Of course, about 80% of toothpastes contain it: fluoride is wonderful for mineralising the enamel that covers the teeth and hence, fights off tooth decay. However, with passing time comes progress and a better understanding of things, which is why the use of fluoride is being questioned. In some countries it isn’t used at all, in others its use is banned….so why? For all the good it is supposed to do for our oral health, we must remember it is also fairly toxic and this has only come to light over the last 20 years or so. For children, who love to eat toothpaste, it is highly dangerous and can be fatal in some cases. Constant use of it can also feed into the bloodstream and leave deposits in the brain, leading to a condition known as fluorosis. Problems however are rare, we also don’t live forever: we should do our homework, even ask our dentists about the use of fluoride and whether or not we do need it in our everyday use.