Jermaine Ritchel M.

Coquilla

Fluoride and its contribution to oral health

Fluoride is the ionic form of fluorine that has a strong link with calcium. One of it's uses

is to reduce the risk, reverse or stop cavities that would result to tooth decay.

The first use for fluoride in dental health was late 1930s where researchers try to solve on

how to drop the rate of tooth decay in their area. Dr. H. Trendley Dean began studying

about Fluoride using the former studies that Dr. Mackay and Dr. Green Vardiman Black

did in 1909. Dean tasked Dr. Elias Elvove to make an accurate measuring of fluoride for

drinking water that took him 2 years to accomplish. They then discovered through the

measuring system made by Elvove that 1.0 ppm of fluoride in drinking water cannot

cause dental fluorosis. Then through many discussions from other researchers and

Doctors, Grand Rapids became first to apply fluoride to their public water supply. And

after 15 years of studying the dental health in the citizens in Grand Rapids, they saw a

60+% drop on the cavities. This made fluoride the main weapon of dental doctors to fight

cavities.

Fluoride, having a high affinity to calcium, which stimulates the teeth to make calcium

that would replace the damaged areas that is caused by cavities . This was proven by the

research done by Dr. H, Trendley Dean in the Grand Rapids with the cavity drop of more

than 60+% considering the thousands of participants that was involved the study.
Today, fluoride is commonly found in toothpaste that we use to brush our teeth, food that

we consume might have fluoride in them, and especially fluoride water. People who use

the following have a low chance to acquiring tooth decay.

The only criticism about fluoride is that they are said to be poison, or that they would

prefer natural fluoride-free toothpaste as such. Fluoride is poisonous, but such case only

happen if the person would ingest the too much fluoride than recommended. Which

means the dangers of fluoride only exist if the fluoride intake not normal.

Fluoride is has been proven to be one of the best way to maintain one's dental hygiene.

It's behaviour that can stimulate now bone formation can be of a use to make artificial

teeth or bone models that could be of greater use in the near future.

Sources:

Clark, M., Keels, M. A., & Slayton, R. L. (2020). Fluoride Use in Caries

Prevention in the Primary Care

Setting. Pediatrics, 146(6). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-034637

Sifris, J. M. &. D., MD. (2022). Benefits and Safety of Fluoride

Toothpaste. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/facts-about-

fluoride-toothpaste-4587999#toc-benefits

Gessner, B. D., Beller, M., Middaugh, J. P., & Whitford, G. M. (1994). Acute

Fluoride Poisoning from a Public Water System. The New England Journal of

Medicine, 330(2), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199401133300203

Krol, C. J. (2023b). 10 Reasons To Use Fluoride-Free Toothpaste. Truth About

Fluoride. https://truthaboutfluoride.com/fluoride-free-toothpaste/

Cafasso, J. (2019, July 3). What Is Fluoride, and Is It

Safe? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-fluoride#side-

effects

Office of Dietary Supplements - Fluoride. (n.d.-

b). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Fluoride-HealthProfessional/

The Story of Fluoridation. (n.d.). National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial

Research. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride/the-story-of-

fluoridation

National Academies Press (US). (1997). Fluoride. Dietary Reference Intakes

for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride - NCBI

Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109832/#!po=2.17391

Office of Dietary Supplements - Fluoride. (n.d.-

c). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Fluoride-Consumer/?

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