It seems like every day we hear about some new thing that will make a miraculous difference for our health. Whether they are actually effective needs to be determined by time. One thing that has been proven effective time and again for improving oral health is the use of fluoride.
Your tooth enamel is made of a material called hydroxyapatite, which is itself composed in part of calcium and phosphate. Acid produced by bacteria breaks down tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. Fluoride works by reintegrating calcium and phosphate into tooth enamel in a process known as remineralization. This literally reverses the progress of early tooth decay caused by acid. Since enamel cannot be replaced or regenerated, strengthening the enamel that is there is essential.
Continued fluoride use actually goes even further. During remineralization, fluoride joins together with calcium and phosphate to form an additional protective compound, called fluoroapatite. This new compound is actually stronger and more resistant to decay than hydroxyapatite.
Incorporating fluoride into consumer products such as toothpaste as well as many community water supplies has seen a measurable drop in cavities among people of all ages. In fact, the CDC has called community water fluoridation one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
With such clear benefits, at Wynatte Chu, DDS, fluoride treatment is an element of every routine checkup. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of fluoride or wish to schedule an appointment in either of our locations, please call us at 347-868-6546. Dr. Wynatte Chu is eager to meet you.
