December 23, 2022 4 min read
Ever wondered if the toothpaste you're using is the best choice for your teeth and overall health?
Like most of us, you’ve probably grown up using the stock-standard Colgate or Oral-B fluoride toothpaste. It may have been bubblegum flavored when you were a kid, and it may even have advanced whitening features when you feel like spoiling yourself as an adult.
Should you be using fluoride-free toothpaste? The answer has a lot to do with your age. Children younger than two years old, for example, shouldn't use more toothpaste than a grain of rice in case they ingest it. However, for the majority of children and adults, fluoride provides excellent benefits to your teeth. While some people debate over whether or not to use fluoride, this naturally occurring mineral is a safe ingredient that helps protect your teeth from cavities.
This blog explains the difference between using fluoridated toothpaste and toothpaste. It's a fluoride-free toothpaste, so you'll have all the information you need the next time, but did you know that the toothpaste you’re using could actually harm your teeth? Most toothpaste brands we use include fluoride in them. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in your bones and teeth. Fluoride is also found in other places like water, soil, plants, and the air we breathe.
Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral commonly used to strengthen tooth enamel (the hard, protective outermost layer). There is some amount of fluoride in all drinking water and other supplies. Fortunately, fluorosis doesn’t present any dental health-related issues for you or your child; that being said, it is still recommended that young children not use fluoride toothpaste.
Although fluoride is found in most public drinking water, the levels vary. For this reason, many dentists recommend toothpaste and/or mouthwash with fluoride to reach the recommended daily adequate fluoride intake. Fluoride is a known ingredient that can reduce tooth decay. The truth about fluoride is that it's not the only way to fight decay and prevent cavities. There are potential side effects to fluoride.
Fluoride effectively removes plaque buildup on the teeth and gums. Left in place, plaque can harden and turn into tartar, which increases your risk of developing cavities and gum disease. This natural mineral can prevent tooth decay or keep it from progressing.
Ingesting too much fluoride can harm tooth enamel, especially in younger kids. This condition, called dental fluorosis, is prevalent among younger kids.
Parents with very young children are advised to use non-fluoridated toothpaste until their child is two years old. Or until they can spit it out. These recommendations are made because too much fluoride can cause poisoning. Dental fluorosis is caused by excessive fluoride intake. This condition causes the tooth enamel to discolor and can signify that fluoride has been too heavily ingested elsewhere in your body. In addition, excess fluoride exposure can be linked to low thyroid function, learning and behavioral difficulties, and bone fragility in children.
Understanding how fluoride works help to know the basics of tooth decay. Tooth decay, also known as dental caries or cavities, occurs when bacteria destroy tooth tissue or the enamel from dental plaque, a sticky film that forms on teeth when you eat or drink anything sugary.
According to studies may be effective against tooth decay because it converts harmful acids on enamel into less harmful ones, reduces the ability of plaque organisms to produce acid, and strengthens enamel that acids have damaged.
When is fluoride not a good thing, or how much fluoride is too much to swallow? When you ingest too much of it. The main fluoride side effect is fluorosis, which happens with the overconsumption of the substance. Fluorosis gives teeth an unsightly mottled appearance and, in extreme cases, may lead to skeletal fluorosis.
The following, therefore, should certainly use fluoride-free toothpaste:
It is also quite possible that you may already be getting enough fluoride from your diet alone and can thus use fluoride-free toothpaste. However, should you choose fluoride-free toothpaste from Great oral health?
In general, fluoride toothpaste is safe to use. We have guidelines for fluoride toothpaste use in children younger than three years old: Use no more than a smear or the size of a grain of rice; brush teeth thoroughly twice a day or as directed by a dentist, and supervise children’s brushing to make sure they use the right amount of toothpaste. Children three to six years old can use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste; supervise their pressure to minimize the amount of toothpaste they swallow.
Why fluoride-free toothpaste? You should use non-fluoride toothpaste simply because you don’t need more fluoride. Also, there are some great fluoride alternatives out there that are better for you and the planet.
Great oral health Fluoride Free Toothpaste With Nano Hydroxyapatite For Enamel Support is an effective option that’s completely non-toxic and made from natural ingredients. It uses safe and sustainable xylitol to strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent cavities.
Our no-fluoride toothpaste formula also contains natural ingredients to bind bacteria, plaque, and tartar and lift away stains. In addition, it promotes healthy teeth pH balance.
Say goodbye to fluoride toothpaste and shop for natural, sustainable, and fluoride-free toothpaste.
