How Safe is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a common ingredient in nearly all commercially available dental hygiene products, such as toothpaste and mouthwash. Fluoride is also added to the public drinking water supply in some countries including the United States. It is used to aid in the mineralization of teeth and bones to keep them strong and healthy, as well as to prevent dental cavities. While fluoride is generally considered to be safe for consumption, recent articles have shed some light on the possible negative effects.
A recent article published by Healthline, “Flouride: Benefits and Precautions”, weighs these possible negative effects against the positive health benefits. The article first lays out the known benefits of fluoride. One important benefit highlighted is the prevention and reversal of dental cavities. Bad Bacteria in the mouth can produce harmful acids, which damage the tooth enamel and lead to demineralization. This loss of minerals can lead to cavities. Supplementing with fluoride through daily brushing or drinking fluoridated water can help replace the lost minerals and prevent cavities.
While the benefits of fluoride are indisputable, some negative effects cannot be ignored. The first downside mentioned in this article is a process called fluorosis. This occurs as a result of long-time exposure to excessive amounts of fluoride. Fluorosis can be as mild as white spots on the teeth, but severe cases lead to brown, weakened teeth. Another form of fluorosis is skeletal fluorosis, which can cause stiffness, joint pain, and increased fracture risk. Clearly, this effect is significant. This article also cites a review that links excessive fluoride exposure in children to impaired brain development. The evidence for this claim seems weak but definitely suggests a need for more research.
Overall, this article does a good job of laying out all of the pros and cons of fluoride use as we know it. While fluoride has been portrayed as a healthy way to promote dental health for many years, it may be time to take a closer look at some possible downsides. More research is needed to determine if fluoride is worth keeping in our daily lives, but for now, it is here to stay.
Anya Quaglietta (8)
Pálsdóttir, H. (2021, August 10). Fluoride: benefits and precautions. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fluoride-good-or-bad#bottom-line
Hi Anya this was a really interesting and unique topic. I had never heard of fluoride having a negative effect. I have heard of people who's water doesn't contain fluoride will supplement fluoride. I wonder if there is a happen medium in the amount of fluoride we should be consuming where these negative effects wouldn't be seen.
ReplyDelete-Payton Carroll
Hello Payton! Thank you for the feedback. I think there are definitely benefits to fluoride when used in moderation. Personally, I will continue to use fluoride in my dental hygiene products, but it was really interesting to learn about possible negative effects.
Delete-Anya Quaglietta
Hi Anya! This is super interesting. I feel like growing up I had heard a lot of controversy whether fluoride is a good thing or a bad thing. Although there are some clear benefits, I feel there is also a great deal of negative effects like you had mentioned. I wonder if it would just be better to have fluoride once in a while rather than daily?
ReplyDeleteHi Madeline! I find it so interesting that you have heard of this controversy. I am glad that it is not completely hidden from the public discourse. There are definitely negatives and positives to fluoride use, and I think it is up to each of us to educate ourselves and make am informed decision. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks!
Delete-Anya Quaglietta
Hi Anya! This is very fascinating! My dentist has always put fluoride on my teeth whenever I went for a teeth cleaning. She always made sure to tell me not to do it on my own at home but I never really understood why. I thought fluoride was just something that was slimy on your teeth. This makes a lot of sense now and is a good thing to educate people on!
ReplyDelete- Nicole M.
Hello Nicole! I am glad you found this interesting. I think a lot of people can relate to this topic as you mentioned. We often don’t know much about the chemicals and medicines which we are prescribed, or use on a daily basis. I learned a lot from this article and I am glad you were able to as well!
Delete-Anya Quaglietta
Hi Anya. This is really interesting. I think there was a Parks and Recreation episode exactly about this topic actually. I think that when a lot of people hear that there are chemicals in the water, they immediately get super nervous and don't think about how dangerous the chemical actually is. I personally believe that putting relatively harmless and fairly beneficial chemicals such as flourine into the water is probably a positive, but there is something to be said about the extent to which we add chemicals to drinking water. We could take it to far and suddenly have a public health crisis on our hands.
ReplyDelete-Sid Warrier
Hi Anya!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this informative blog post about the safety of fluoride. It is indeed a topic that has been discussed and debated for quite some time. While fluoride is widely used in dental hygiene products and public water supplies to promote dental health with minerals and prevent cavities, it is important to consider the potential negative effects as well. While fluoride has undeniable benefits, such as the prevention and reversal of dental cavities, it is crucial to weigh these benefits against the potential risks. More research is needed to determine whether the use of fluoride in our daily lives is worth it or if alternative solutions should be explored. I wonder what other alternatives or additional measures can be taken to promote dental health and prevent cavities, especially considering the potential risks associated with fluoride?
-Carla B
Hey Anya! Great post! I remember reading in high school that consumption of fluoride can cause the calcification of our pineal glands which monitors our sleep/wake cycle and can cause disturbances in sleep. I'm sure there's research already going on in this area but it'll be interesting to see if that is what's contributing to the massive spike in insomnia and sleep related disorders in recent decades. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Anya! This was an interesting read! I haven't really heard or researched much into fluoride, but i guess it does make sense that using the stuff not in moderation would be harmful. That's how it goes with most things. But I find it funny that the stuff prescribed to prevent tooth decay/ cavaties can also be the one to cause tooth weakness.
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