Benefits l Fluoridation Facts 13 Fluoridation Facts 13 Benefits 1. What is fluoride?...................................................13 2. Fluoride prevents tooth decay?..........................13 3. Water fluoridation?. ..............................................14 4. Fluoride is in your water?.....................................15 5. Fluoride additives?................................................16 6. Natural vs. adjusted?............................................16 7. Effectiveness?.......................................................17 8. Still effective?........................................................20 9. Discontinued?........................................................21 10. Tooth decay problem?..........................................22 11. Adult benefits?......................................................24 12. Fluoride supplements?.........................................25 13. Fluoride for children?...........................................27 14. Alternatives?..........................................................28 15. Bottled water?.......................................................31 16. Home treatment systems?..................................32 1. What is fluoride? Answer. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can help prevent tooth decay. Fact. The element fluorine is abundant in the earth’s crust as a naturally occurring fluoride compound found in rocks and soil.1 As ground water moves through the earth, it passes over rock formations and dissolves the fluoride minerals that are present, releasing fluoride ions that are naturally occurring fluoride in the rocks. This increases the fluoride content of the water. The concentration of fluoride in ground water (e.g., wells, springs) varies according to such factors as the depth at which the water is found and the quantity of fluoride-bearing minerals in the area. Fluoride is present at varied concentrations in all water sources including rainwater and the oceans. For example, the oceans’ fluoride levels range from 1.2 to 1.4 mg/L.2 In the United States, the natural level of fluoride in ground water varies from very low levels to over 4 mg/L.3 In comparison, the fluoride concentrations in surface water sources such as lakes and rivers is very low. For example, the water analysis completed by the city of Chicago for the year 2016 lists the range for Lake Michigan’s natural fluoride level as 0.11 to 0.13 mg/L.4 2. How does fluoride help prevent tooth decay? Answer. Tooth decay begins when the outer layer of a tooth loses some of its minerals due to acid produced by bacteria in dental plaque breaking down the sugars that we eat. Fluoride protects teeth by helping to prevent the loss of these minerals and by restoring them with a fluoride-containing mineral that is more resistant to acid attacks. In other words, fluoride protects teeth by reducing demineralization and enhancing remineralization. Fluoride also works to hinder bacterial activity necessary for the formation of tooth decay. Fact. One of fluoride’s main mechanism of action is its ability to prevent or delay the loss of minerals from teeth.5,6 Cavities start to form when minerals are lost due to acid attacks from bacteria in dental plaque (a soft, sticky film that is constantly forming on teeth). Bacteria grow rapidly by feeding on the sugars and refined carbohydrates that we consume. This process of losing minerals is called demineralization. Fluoride’s second mechanism of action is called remineralization, which is the reversal of this demineralization process.6,7 Teeth gain back the minerals lost during acid attacks through remineralization but with an important difference. Some of the hydroxyapatatite crystal lost is replaced with fluorapatite. This fluoride-rich replacement mineral is even more resistant to acid attacks than the original tooth surface.6