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The Role of Fluoride in Protecting Your Teeth: Dr. Mingus Explains

Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that plays a key role in maintaining the health of your teeth. It serves as a protective agent that helps prevent tooth decay – a major problem for people of all ages. In the dental profession, our primary concern is the prevention of dental caries (cavities), and fluoride is one of the most effective weapons against tooth decay. Here, Dr. Kelley Mingus explains the important role of fluoride in protecting your teeth.

Understanding Tooth Decay

To understand the role of fluoride in protecting your teeth, it’s necessary to have at least a rudimentary understanding of how tooth decay occurs. Tooth decay – commonly referred to as cavities or dental carries – happens when plaque, a biofilm of oral bacteria, builds up on the surface of your teeth. This plaque produces acids that can eat away at the enamel of your teeth, causing pits, holes, and ultimately cavities. Cavity-causing bacteria feed on sugars and produce acid, and aggressive acid attacks from the bacteria coupled with poor oral hygiene can lead to decay.

The Protective Role of Fluoride

The role of fluoride in the prevention of tooth decay is complex and multifaceted. Fluoride works in three primary ways to help protect your teeth from decay:

1. Remineralization

When decay-causing bacteria produce acid, it can begin to break down the enamel of your teeth. The protective role of fluoride is that it can speed up the process of remineralization. This involves replacing the minerals that have been lost from the enamel in order to restore the structure of your teeth, making them stronger and more resistant to decay.

2. Inhibiting Bacteria

Fluoride also inhibits the proliferation of bacteria in your mouth. When the levels of fluoride in your mouth are high enough, it can interrupt the metabolic activities of oral bacteria, making it harder for them to produce the acids that can lead to tooth decay.

3. Promoting Stronger Teeth

Finally, drinking fluids that contain fluoride or using fluoride toothpaste can help promote the production of harder, denser tooth enamel. This makes your teeth less susceptible to decay and can help to prevent cavities.

How to Get Enough Fluoride

For most people, consuming enough fluoride is not an issue. Fluoride is found in a variety of natural and processed foods, as well as in fluoridated water – a measure taken by most municipalities in the United States to ensure that everyone has access to the benefits of fluoride. However, most cities in Oregon (including Bend) do not add fluoride to their drinking water. So you may have to look for fluoridated drinks if this is your preferred way of getting more fluoride.

In addition to consuming fluoride-containing foods and beverages, you can also talk to your dentist about the best types of fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash that are right for you and your family.

The Importance of Regular Dental Checkups

To ensure that you are getting enough fluoride and taking the right steps to protect your teeth from decay, it is important to have regular dental checkups. During your visits, your dentist will assess the health of your teeth and gums and mention the role of fluoride in preventing tooth decay. If your dentist finds that you are at an increased risk of decay, he or she may also recommend that you use additional fluoride treatments in order to strengthen your teeth and resist decay more effectively.

Conclusion

Fluoride is a safe and effective way to protect your teeth from decay and promote dental health. It works by speeding up the remineralization process, inhibiting the proliferation of decay-causing bacteria, and promoting stronger, more decay-resistant enamel. Combined with good oral hygiene habits and regular dental checkups, fluoride can be one of the most effective tools in the fight against tooth decay.