Tooth decay is the leading cause of toothache, especially in children. Since fluoride participates in the build-up of natural tooth enamel, an additional fluoride supply is often used in caries prophylaxis. This is also called Fluoridation known. However, it is not undisputed.
What is fluoridation?
Fluoride is a trace element that occurs naturally in the human body. Among other things, it participates in bone formation and the maintenance of tooth enamel.
The human organism usually has a quantity of around 2 - 5 grams of this element available. More than 95 percent of this is in the bones and teeth. The remaining amount of fluoride is found in the fingernails and toenails, as well as in the hair and skin.
If the body gets into an undersupply of fluoride, the organism cannot be adequately supplied with this micronutrient. For this reason, the food and pharmaceutical industries sometimes resort to fluoridation. This means an additional supply of fluoride via food and dental care products. It involves adding fluorides to products such as milk, salt and drinking water. Numerous toothpastes are also fortified with a high dose of fluoride.
The main purpose of fluoridation is to prevent tooth decay. That is why fluoride preparations are also used to protect against tooth decay. Since fluorine is a very toxic gas, different fluoride compounds are used for fluoridation:
- Sodium fluoride: in fluoride tablets and toothpastes,
- Tin (II) fluoride: in toothpastes,
- Amine fluorides: in toothpastes and gels,
- Potassium fluoride: in table salt,
- Sodium monofluorophosphate: in toothpastes,
- Fluoridosilicates: in drinking water.
Function, effect & goal
It is known that high-dose fluoride protects against tooth decay. This effect is enhanced by applying it directly to the tooth. The pharmaceutical industry therefore produces a large selection of toothpastes and tooth rinses containing fluoride for the prevention of caries. In many cases, dentists also perform external fluoridation of the teeth. He seals existing holes and hazardous areas with a fluoride varnish, for example.
When fluoride is absorbed through food, the positive effect on tooth enamel is not as strong as when it is applied externally, but the body still benefits from the moderate fluoride intake. The absorbed fluoride has a remineralizing effect on the tooth enamel from the inside. After eating, bacteria process the nutrients, creating acids. These attack the minerals stored in the tooth enamel. The loss of minerals reduces the protection of the teeth. At the same time, the risk of tooth decay increases. With the help of fluoridation, the detached minerals are stored back in the tooth enamel.
In addition, fluorides take on the function of inhibiting the bacterial metabolism and thus the production of acids. Internal fluoridation thus also contributes to maintaining dental health in the long term. In everyday life, the increased fluoride intake can also be controlled through diet, for example with fluoridated salt and mineral water containing fluoride.
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➔ Toothache medicationRisks & dangers
Fluoridation is still controversial among experts, as it can be associated with the risk of poisoning; after all, fluorine is also a very toxic gas. Even in very small quantities it has a toxic effect on the human organism. For this reason, fluoride is used for fluoridation rather than fluorine. But the latter can also be toxic to the body if ingested or used in large quantities. The use of highly concentrated toothpastes requires strict dental control. Anyone who already cooks with fluoridated salt in everyday life should not also take fluoride tablets.
There is a particular risk of overdosing if a very large amount of fluoride is taken at once or if several fluoride-containing products are used at the same time. In rare cases, oversupply can lead to fluoride poisoning, known as fluorosis.
The symptoms are very different. They also depend on whether the fluoride overdose was internal or external. If too much fluoride has been applied to the teeth, white spots will appear on the teeth. On the other hand, if a large amount of fluoride has been ingested, symptoms of poisoning can occur.
These manifest themselves in nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. In the worst case, there are intestinal irritations, cardiac arrhythmias or blood clotting disorders.
If the overdose is only minor, a glass of milk will help. The calcium contained in milk has the property of binding excess fluoride. Alternatively, an effervescent calcium tablet counteracts the fluoride overdose. If a child has eaten a whole pack of fluoride tablets at once, a doctor should be consulted immediately. However, fluorosis rarely occurs when people are very conscious of handling fluoride-containing products.
