What is fluoride, what does it actually do and
Why people have a problem with it?
Matthew Mullett
Chemistry 111
Mrs. White
December. 22, 2017
Fluoride is most commonly known as the ingredient in mouthwash that is used to clean your teeth and mouth. What a lot of people don’t know is what fluoride is and what its purpose and function really is for. This is really important because some people may not know that fluoride is apart of our every day lives and plays an extremely important role in the development of our teeth. The way that fluoride is apart of every day life is that it is naturally and purposely put into drinking water which in some cases is a surprisingly controversial topic for some people. What is fluoride? It is a
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Fluoride is the 13th most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is naturally found in soil, water, foods, and several minerals, such as fluorapatite and fluorite (Nordqvist 1). Dentists use higher levels of fluoride in the forms of gel, foam, or varnish that can be applied to the teeth for cleaning (Dental 1). Then the fluoride is directly apply to teeth through fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinses is at a lower level for those who use it for personal use (Dental 1). Well what does fluoride do for teeth when being consumed and applying to teeth? Fluoride has a great importance in the protection and development of teeth. Fluoride helps protect teeth in many ways. First, for the protection against demineralization, which is when the bacteria in your mouth combine with sugars that produce acid, and it’s this acid that can erode tooth enamel and causes damage to teeth (Nordqvist 4). This damage is the lose of tooth enamel which is when minerals are lost from the enamel layer when acids are formed (Dental 1). Second, is remineralisation, which is what rebuilds the teeth’s enamel. How this works is fluoride,
We often say how lucky we are to live in a place where we have access to safe water at any time but what if that was questioned? What if our water isn’t safe; it’s just that now we can’t see the dangers? Throughout the world 25 first world countries fluoridate some amount of their water artificially; almost half of these countries have the majority of their population drinking this chemically enhanced liquid every single day. In the UK 11% of us only have access to fluoridated water [70% in Ireland], and in the USA its 60%. After a quick browse on Google, the information about fluoride that can be learned from the NHS is mainly about teeth and tooth decay as fluoride is put in our toothpaste due to its claimed abilities to help tooth enamel fight attack [nothing has ever alluded to supporting this claim]. What can’t be seen at
Thesis Statement: Concerns for water fluoridation stem from the toxicity of fluoride, the dangers fluoride pose to the body, and equal declining tooth decay seen for fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries.
Improper nutrition and misbalance in our body may be the causes for tooth decay. Always pay attention to your nutrition when your teeth are considered, instead of choosing fluoride or dentistry. Our health can also be in danger when fluoride is used, even though the main reason for using fluoride is to make the teeth stronger. According to a recent study, mental disabilities are often made more difficult with the usage of fluoride. Among fluoride, mercury and arsenic are also dangerous in cases of autism
Few object to the therapeutic use of fluoride to stop tooth decay, but fluoridation, the addition of fluoride to the public water supply, can spark avid controversy. Most dentists, medical groups, and government officials argue that fluoridation is a cheap and risk-free venture that doubles cavity prevention. In contrast, a small minority of dentists and conservative political groups argue that fluoride is a hazardous, poisonous substance that should not be consumed. Some antifluoridationists even claim that fluoridation is an untrustworthy form of socialized medicine. But rather than just attacking fluoridation as socialized medicine, opponents originally claimed that it was a conspiracy to poison or brainwash Americans through the water supply. This theory arose in the 1940s when the scientific community refused to endorse or reject fluoridation, thus allowing the debate to expand into the social sphere. While fluoridation opposition may be subconsciously inspired by naturalism, the social development of fluoridation into a Communist or fascist conspiracy resulted from a conscious effort by conservatives to suppress a growing government.
Fluoride is a trace of nutrients that occurs naturally in water and foods (Wilson). Fluoride has been a problem in the US for quite some time now. And as time goes along, it gets more worse. The only way to fight this problem off is to use less fluoride in our daily lives. This is something everyone should know about because it is getting to the point where it is affecting people's health. The question is, is fluoride being overused in the US? Many people are getting little benefits by the naturally occurring fluoride, plus they are getting more fluoride from the dentist office. There is only a certain amount of fluoride you should intake per day, and these days those numbers are higher than they should be. Fluoride is shown that is it being overused in the US by health issues, chemical intake, and children concerns.
Dentistry as a profession over the years has evolved rapidly in light of new scientific evidence. Rapidly evolving science and technology have implemented changes within dentistry as evidenced by new standards and guidelines being produced by nationally recognised associations including National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) in Scotland, in provision of new scientific evidence. The latest standards and guidelines produced, endorse everyday clinical practice through evidence based dentistry (REF). All dental professionals as part of continued professional development are expected to keep to date on relevant guidelines and knowledge related to their practice (REF). This is supported by the General Dental Council who state all clinicians must maintain their professional knowledge and competence throughout their working career (REF).
Seventy percent of the US population now receives fluoridated drinking water, an industrial grade level chemical most commonly associated with the prevention of tooth decay, and in Virginia especially, 95.7% of all public water is fluoridated (CDC). I present this numbers to your concern because for something that is almost in all public drinking water, it is not informed to the average Virginia citizen, but that is not the primary issue I am addressing you for. My main matter of concern is that more recent studies performed by scientist in the US and abroad are now finally advocating decade old cautions back then just acknowledged as unsubstantial research or even myths on how rather potentially hazardous the fluoridation of water is for
No study has been shown to require fluoride, it’s not an essential nutrient. There are many studies, however, that show that fluoride can interfere with important organs such as the kidney. Fluoride added to our waters would also add other toxics that we may not know about. “The CDC admits that 43% of fluoridation chemicals tested contain arsenic, 2% contain lead and 3% contain copper” (12 Reasons). How is that supposed to help our bodies or decrease tooth decay?
The main reasons for adding fluoride to water is because of the pressure from industries like aluminum and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Addition of fluoride to water continues and it has become hard to go against these actions. This practice has been controversial right from the beginning. It was first added to water in 1940 by Grand rapid, mich to avoid dental cavities. Due to the same reason fluoridated toothpastes are being used. In 1969 world health organization advertised fluoridation, since then all the countries started adding fluoride to water. The American dental association, the world health organization and the British government emphasized that addition of fluoride to water will reduce the tooth decay and does not pose any threat to health.
In conclusion, its recommended that patients brush two-three times a day two minutes long to insure that most of the bacteria is removed from the teeth,gums, and tongue also. Flossing after every meal should also be done regularly because of left foods that get stuck between the teeth. There are many kinds of toothpaste, but not all contain fluorine. Its important that you chose on that does have fluorine because it rebuild tooth enamel and strengthen the tooth too.
Healthcare is a necessity to sustain society. Dentistry is an area of healthcare that I feel extremely passionate about because access to proper dental care is limited, especially in the underserved communities. As an African American, I want to become a dentist and healthcare provider in the hopes of helping patients and adding to the diversification of the field. With a growing minority population in the United States, it has become apparent that there is a shortage of black dentists. This is problematic because underrepresented minorities are in great need of access to culturally connected dentists who understand their clinical needs as much as their lives and their challenges. I believe that when the profession includes a range of ethnicities
All water sources, whether fresh or salt, have varying levels of fluoride (Awofeso, 2012). Around 1945 it was discovered that communities with higher rates of naturally occurring fluoride had lower rates of tooth decay (Dean, 1938) which resulted in the addition of artificial fluoride to public water supplies. The incidence of tooth decay fell drastically in fluoridated communities as a result, leading to widespread adoption of public water fluoridation as a public health strategy.
I would like to push back on the claim that a cavity is a disease, but I did find it interesting that fluoride fights against dental caries and I enjoyed that my attention was held up with the culprit of decay comes from sugar and bacteria from plaque.
Introduction: In Canada, general dental health is not part Canada’s national system of health insurance (Medicare) (1) except for some dental surgical procedures that are performed at hospitals. Since Oral health does not come under the Health Act about ninety-five percent of the oral health care services are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Oral health care is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction like other health care services and publically financed dental care programs provide the remaining five percent of oral health care services (2). Thus, majority of Canadians receive oral health via privately owned dental clinics. Privately owned dental care gives these services providers control over dental service charges, types of available treatment for the patients and number of follow-up appointment for treatments or routine care. Service users pay for the dental expenses from their own pockets or utilize insurance coverage (1).
There are basic procedures to follow in order to uphold proper oral hygiene including brushing and flossing. The first step in maintaining a healthy mouth is performing proper brushing every day. Brushing properly helps lower the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, which are the major causes of tooth loss (Oral-B). It is recommended by the American Dental Association to brush teeth after every meal or at least twice a day (Edwards). It is important to choose the right toothbrush and toothpaste in order to get the best cleaning. A toothpaste containing fluoride will strengthen teeth and prevent cavities...