MECHANISM OF FLUORIDE

WRITTEN BY => Nigerian Dental Association

Often times your Dentist will ask you what type of toothpaste you use , the major aim is to ascertain if you use a fluoride containing toothpaste. Fluoride is one of the most important
ingredients in the toothpaste especially in this part of the world .
Not every toothpaste contains fluoride , and different toothpaste contain varying levels of fluoride .
In this post,we shall attempt to educate us on fluoride; its mechanism of action and its safety levels Fluoride is a chemical that occurs naturally world wide , present in natural water and even plants . It’s effects are widespread and important at certain levels, but just like all substances excessive ingestion is harmful At low levels , fluoride improves the strength and quality of the teeth by improving the crystalline structure of the enamel making it less susceptible to acid dissolution . It also helps to decrease the acids produced by the caries causing bacteria. Simply put , fluoride is beneficial to both the tooth structure and against the bacteria causing tooth decay . Hence, it’s importance in toothpaste However , an excess consumption of fluoride is harmful . Clinically excess levels of fluoride is called FLUOROSIS which can vary in appearance from a whitish color on the teeth to even severe pitting.
Children below 8 years are more prone to fluoride toxicity. Hence,
you should monitor your children when brushing until they come of age to handle it effectively Most toothpaste come in levels of fluoride indicated on them in PPM ( parts per million ). 1000 ppm indicates 1mg of fluoride per milliliter of toothpaste. Traditionally, our toothpaste should contain 1000- 1500 ppm of fluoride
While the daily recommended dose of fluoride for children below 8 years is about 0.1mg/kg, adults can go as high as 7-10mg without any toxic effects .
As a note of warning , it’s important to use a fluoride toothpaste while brushing . Also don’t allow your children to ingest and swallow toothpaste when they brush .
There are brands of toothpaste for children with lesser fluoride contents too .
Always try to patronize the Nigerian brands of toothpaste as they contain the recommended dose of fluoride for this part of the world .
However, check that the toothpaste contains fluoride .
Some of the toothpaste that we buy outside the country may contain much reduced levels of fluoride , the reason is that toothpaste isn’t the only source of fluoride for them there , so they’ve calculated their daily need to suit Intake .
Using those kind of toothpaste here in Nigeria might mean you’re not getting adequate fluoride for your teeth .
Feel free to interact with us and ask questions . You can also tag your Dentist for wider reach and more explanations on fluoride.