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The History of Fluoride in Dentistry

Live Life Smiling

fluoride
  • Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics
  • December 30, 2020

 

IN ORDER TO EARN the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, a tube of toothpaste must contain fluoride as its active ingredient. We also add trace amounts of fluoride to our drinking water across the country to help keep our teeth healthy and strong. So what’s so special about fluoride?

The Wild Origin Story of Fluoridated Drinking Water

Our tale begins at the dawn of the 20th century in Colorado Springs. Local dentists were seeing so many cases of brown — but not decayed — teeth that they named the strange condition “Colorado brown stain.” They were observing what we now know to be fluorosis, and it was happening because of the abundance of naturally occurring fluoride in the town’s drinking water.

The residents of early-1900s Colorado Springs were clearly getting too much fluoride in their water, but dentists wanted to see if there was a level of fluoride that would help reduce cavities without staining the teeth. Happily, there was! The first town to add fluoride to its drinking water was Grand Rapids, Michigan. It brought down the rate of childhood caries by a staggering 60%, with no adverse effects aside from a few cases of mild fluorosis.

Fluoridated Water Today

More than half of the U.S. Population enjoys the dental health benefits of fluoridated drinking water today, something the CDC considers to be one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the last century. It benefits everyone, whether they’re rich or poor, young or old, male or female. It might seem strange if you aren’t familiar with it, but it’s about the same as using iodized salt, baking with enriched flour, or drinking milk with added vitamin D.

What Fluoride Does for Our Teeth

The processes of remineralization and demineralization are happening constantly in our tooth enamel, and the goal of dental health habits is to make sure that remineralization is winning. For that, we need the raw materials to rebuild enamel, and fluoride is one of them. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste is one way to get it, but the trace amounts in our drinking water ensures an continuous supply of fluoride in our saliva.

Fluoride: Not Too Much or Too Little

We saw in Colorado Springs that it’s possible for fluoride to do more harm than good to teeth when the exposure level is too high. Avoiding fluoride entirely, on the other hand,  leaves the teeth more vulnerable to decay. Drinking water only contains up to 1.2 parts per million of fluoride, and we should be spitting out our toothpaste after brushing and only using small amounts of it, especially for children. This is how we hit that Goldilocks zone of cavity protection without fluorosis!

Do You Have Fluoride Questions?

If you still have questions about the fluoride in toothpaste or in drinking water, you can check sources like the ADA and the CDC, or you could ask us! We want our patients to have all the information they need to feel confident in their dental care and the value of the daily habits we encourage.

Our patients’ healthy smiles are wonderful to see!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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Patient reviews

EVERY SMILE TELLS A SPECIAL STORY

We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our community with excellent care and take pride in our mission of having a patient-centered philosophy. Check out what our patients are saying about us!

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Shawna B.
My son is a patient and everyone is so nice and very Great with Patients.Dr is amazing and always so good at explaining everything...I would refer these Drs and Nurses 100 times over...Thank You all for everything you do to make sure my babys have a beautiful smile...😁
Shawna B.
My son is a patient and everyone is so nice and very Great with Patients.Dr is amazing and always so good at explaining everything...I would refer these Drs and Nurses 100 times over...Thank You all for everything you do to make sure my babys have a beautiful smile...😁
Norenea C.
Three of my children are patients of this office and I have to say that the staff and drs are all very polite & courteous. They really take the time to explain everything to their patients in ways that make sense for every age.
Norenea C.
Three of my children are patients of this office and I have to say that the staff and drs are all very polite & courteous. They really take the time to explain everything to their patients in ways that make sense for every age.
Lisa L.
My daughter, Gabi, goes to the Teays Valley/Hurricane office. She’s not had anything but good experiences. Everyone is super nice from the receptionist to the doctor. She’s having a great experience with her braces. The hygienist is always super helpful with any questions we may have. They have been amazing through all of my daughters care so far.
Lisa L.
My daughter, Gabi, goes to the Teays Valley/Hurricane office. She’s not had anything but good experiences. Everyone is super nice from the receptionist to the doctor. She’s having a great experience with her braces. The hygienist is always super helpful with any questions we may have. They have been amazing through all of my daughters care so far.
Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go put of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic cate we need from this business.
Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go put of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic cate we need from this business.
Pam C.
All Dr. And staff were very professional and friendly. Would definitely recommend their service.****
Pam C.
All Dr. And staff were very professional and friendly. Would definitely recommend their service.****
Autumn C.
My sons had appointments to get braces put on and mouthpiece to help with overbite issues. The staff was phenomenal when it came to helping and comforting my child with autism and they were super friendly at making my youngest fill comfortable every time we’ve visited them. Highly recommend them!!
Autumn C.
My sons had appointments to get braces put on and mouthpiece to help with overbite issues. The staff was phenomenal when it came to helping and comforting my child with autism and they were super friendly at making my youngest fill comfortable every time we’ve visited them. Highly recommend them!!
Amber P.
Very friendly and welcoming staff. My son was nervous, but they made him feel safe and excited about getting braces. I would highly recommend Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics to anyone in need of braces.
Amber P.
Very friendly and welcoming staff. My son was nervous, but they made him feel safe and excited about getting braces. I would highly recommend Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics to anyone in need of braces.
Kelley M.
This is my second child to receive orthodontic care with Dr. Holmes. This practice is efficiently run and the staff is always friendly. We’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to be seen. Highly recommend!!
Kelley M.
This is my second child to receive orthodontic care with Dr. Holmes. This practice is efficiently run and the staff is always friendly. We’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to be seen. Highly recommend!!
Genesa J.
I truly believe they have the patient's best interest in mind. My daughter's previous orthodontist pressured us to start services for her at a very young age. The honesty, care and treatment we have experienced from Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics has been phenomenal.
Genesa J.
I truly believe they have the patient's best interest in mind. My daughter's previous orthodontist pressured us to start services for her at a very young age. The honesty, care and treatment we have experienced from Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics has been phenomenal.
Stacy N.
My daughter always feels safe and listened to when getting treatment! Her teeth look amazing.
Stacy N.
My daughter always feels safe and listened to when getting treatment! Her teeth look amazing.
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    Ashland, KY 41101
  • 606-388-2561

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