In order to fully understand fluoride, and it's benefits, one must first have an adequate understanding of what the element fluorine is. According to Merriam-Webster, fluorine is a nonmetallic halogen element that is isolated as a pale yellowish flammable irritating toxic diatomic gas. And fluoride is basically the ionic form of the element, fluorine. It's essential role is to help the development of healthy teeth and bones. Fluoride is a trace mineral, meaning that our diet needs it in small amounts. According to the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance), the adequate intake of fluoride for men is 4 mg per day, while women can ingest 3 mg per day, and children 4-8 years of age can consume 2.2 mg per day. We can get fluoride from many reliable sources. Some food sources include, fish, legumes and whole grains. But, nothing seems to scream fluoride quite like municipal water supply, …show more content…
We need our chompers to help us break the food that enters our mouths on a daily basis. And since our mouth is the first stop in the digestive void, our teeth play a very important role. Many times sugar will interfere and cause problems for the antagonist (still talking about our teeth). Sugar spreads bacteria, which is accompanied by acids that eat away tooth enamel (one of four major tissues that make up teeth). This can eventually cause gum disease and tooth decay. Tooth decay is the process in which teeth begin to decompose, do to bacteria and other fungi. Crackers, sugary cereals, caramels and soda pop's are some of the main components of tooth decay. Even breast milk has some sugars that can effect the baby's gums if they are fed for long periods of time. This is where fluoride steps in. Fluoride enhances tooth mineralization and inhabits the metabolism of the acid-producing bacteria that cause tooth decay. Fluoride is even being researched currently, for the potential treatment for osteoporosis (a fragile bone
Thesis Statement: Concerns for water fluoridation stem from the toxicity of fluoride, the dangers fluoride pose to the body, and equal declining tooth decay seen for fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries.
All water sources, whether fresh or salt, have varying levels of fluoride (Awofeso, 2012). Around 1945 it was discovered that communities with higher rates of naturally occurring fluoride had lower rates of tooth decay (Dean, 1938) which resulted in the addition of artificial fluoride to public water supplies. The incidence of tooth decay fell drastically in fluoridated communities as a result, leading to widespread adoption of public water fluoridation as a public health strategy.
We often say how lucky we are to live in a place where we have access to safe water at any time but what if that was questioned? What if our water isn’t safe; it’s just that now we can’t see the dangers? Throughout the world 25 first world countries fluoridate some amount of their water artificially; almost half of these countries have the majority of their population drinking this chemically enhanced liquid every single day. In the UK 11% of us only have access to fluoridated water [70% in Ireland], and in the USA its 60%. After a quick browse on Google, the information about fluoride that can be learned from the NHS is mainly about teeth and tooth decay as fluoride is put in our toothpaste due to its claimed abilities to help tooth enamel fight attack [nothing has ever alluded to supporting this claim]. What can’t be seen at
Few object to the therapeutic use of fluoride to stop tooth decay, but fluoridation, the addition of fluoride to the public water supply, can spark avid controversy. Most dentists, medical groups, and government officials argue that fluoridation is a cheap and risk-free venture that doubles cavity prevention. In contrast, a small minority of dentists and conservative political groups argue that fluoride is a hazardous, poisonous substance that should not be consumed. Some antifluoridationists even claim that fluoridation is an untrustworthy form of socialized medicine. But rather than just attacking fluoridation as socialized medicine, opponents originally claimed that it was a conspiracy to poison or brainwash Americans through the water supply. This theory arose in the 1940s when the scientific community refused to endorse or reject fluoridation, thus allowing the debate to expand into the social sphere. While fluoridation opposition may be subconsciously inspired by naturalism, the social development of fluoridation into a Communist or fascist conspiracy resulted from a conscious effort by conservatives to suppress a growing government.
Fluoride is a trace of nutrients that occurs naturally in water and foods (Wilson). Fluoride has been a problem in the US for quite some time now. And as time goes along, it gets more worse. The only way to fight this problem off is to use less fluoride in our daily lives. This is something everyone should know about because it is getting to the point where it is affecting people's health. The question is, is fluoride being overused in the US? Many people are getting little benefits by the naturally occurring fluoride, plus they are getting more fluoride from the dentist office. There is only a certain amount of fluoride you should intake per day, and these days those numbers are higher than they should be. Fluoride is shown that is it being overused in the US by health issues, chemical intake, and children concerns.
Dental carries is one of the most common oral diseases in the world, and it often goes untreated due to the expense of treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 60 to 90 percent of school-aged children throughout the world suffer from untreated dental carries. Ethnic minorities, the poor, the elderly, and those who are mentally and/or physically disabled are other disparities who also suffer from untreated dental caries (Alcorn & Rogo; 2012). Looking for a way to solve the epidemic of dental caries by providing affordable treatment, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), also known as the “silver fluoride bullet,” was created. Claiming to be both affordable and effective, SDF could be the answer to low cost carry treatment the world has been searching for.
Seventy percent of the US population now receives fluoridated drinking water, an industrial grade level chemical most commonly associated with the prevention of tooth decay, and in Virginia especially, 95.7% of all public water is fluoridated (CDC). I present this numbers to your concern because for something that is almost in all public drinking water, it is not informed to the average Virginia citizen, but that is not the primary issue I am addressing you for. My main matter of concern is that more recent studies performed by scientist in the US and abroad are now finally advocating decade old cautions back then just acknowledged as unsubstantial research or even myths on how rather potentially hazardous the fluoridation of water is for
Many mothers fail to realize that they are the first source of passing the bacteria causing tooth decay to their infant early on during pregnancy and after postnatal birth by breast feeding and sharing their feeding spoon or licking the infant’s pacifier. Baby bottle syndromes causes tooth decay that occurs rapidly in infant while naptime or bedtime after they are placed in there bed with a bottle of liquid high sugary substance that they suck or drink during bedtime at night when sleeping Then flow of the saliva glands decreases allowing the sugar to start to settle on the teeth, which cause breaking down in the dentin on the enamel causing tooth decay. .Still till this days, parents are still putting their infants to bed with a baby bottle, pacifier and juicy cup for calming, giving them fruit juice, milk formula, and others liquids that are naturally high in sugar .After a long period of time the bacteria in the mouth begins to thrives or grow from acids that comes from the sugar and attacks the teeth that lead to early baby caries. That's when the tooth decay is present it's usually affecting the front anterior teeth and also the posterior in early
is an international confederation of 17 different organisations working in 94 countries worldwide to find solution for the poverty, so it is also owned by many people.
Another preventive way to help children build stronger teeth is water fluoridation prevents 2/3rd of children from them not getting cavities. (Evans par. 6) Fluoridation benefits children and let alone fifty percent of the dental bills were cut in price. (Evans par.6) The future is looking bright for the children getting better dental and oral health services. Approximately 8.7 million children are expected to gain some form of dental benefits by 2018. (Evans par.8) Regular preventive dental care, such as cleaning and regularly brushing and flossing, improve the overall health and brightens up your life. (Wallace par.1) Keeping up on the regular cleaning at the dental office, which is once every six months, helps out tremendously but some people need more then twice a year. (Payne par.5)
People receive fluoride from many other sources besides water. Some food and beverages processed with fluoridated water are; dental products, tea, and coffee (Connett). No study has been shown to require fluoride, it’s not an essential nutrient. There are many studies however, that show that fluoride can interfere with important organs such as the kidney.
It is what contributes to the cleaning power of toothpastes as it gives it the gritty texture that it has. Generally, abrasives take up to 50% of toothpastes and when used in excess will cause enamel erosion. Fluorides are also present in toothpastes to prevent cavities. A large variety of toothpastes also contain surfactants as a foaming agent, antibacterial agents, flavourants and colourants for consumer appeal and last but not least,
Fluoride is most commonly known as the ingredient in mouthwash that is used to clean your teeth and mouth. What a lot of people don’t know is what fluoride is and what its purpose and function really is for. This is really important because some people may not know that fluoride is apart of our every day lives and plays an extremely important role in the development of our teeth. The way that fluoride is apart of every day life is that it is naturally and purposely put into drinking water which in some cases is a surprisingly controversial topic for some people.
Children need to regularly see the dentist, usually every six months, to monitor their dental progress and catch any issues before they can cause pain and infections. Teach children how to properly brush their teeth and not miss areas. They should also receive instruction on how to properly floss their teeth to get the plaque and food out of the spaces and crevices of the teeth where cavities are most likely to form. Adults should be very vigilant about their oral hygiene and brush afer every meal. Brush your teeth before bed and refrain from eating right before bed without brushing. Some foods that contain high levels of sugar or acid can accelerate the process of tooth decay. Avoid these foods, and if you do consume them you should brush your teeth right away. Having your teeth cleaned regularly by a dental hygienist or the dentist is also a great way to remove tartar that can cause tooth decay. Schedule a cleaning at least every six months to keep your teeth clean and
Minerals are used in everyday life and in almost everything we do. From the manufacturing of the plastic in our toothbrushes we use to brush our teeth in the morning, to the gasoline we put in our cars. Minerals touch our lives throughout the day and in many different ways. Fluorite is no exception. This mineral is used in so many different industries throughout the world and has been important to our daily lives in one form or another since its discovery which can be dated to prehistoric times. While it is not one of the most abundant minerals on the planet, it can be found in many different places and environments around the globe. What is fluorite though? What kind of environments does it exist in, and where can it be found today? What uses does such a common mineral have?