The Benefits of Fluoride – Help Your Smile Be Its Best!

Fluoride is important to your dental health because it makes your teeth strong. Fluoride comes from toothpaste, mouth rinses, treatments from your dentist, and even your drinking water.

Quite simply, fluoride protects your teeth from getting cavities. The toothpaste you use every day should always contain fluoride. Your dentist may also use fluoride during your cleaning, especially if you have a family history of tooth decay.

Did you know that you can benefit from fluoride’s cavity protection just by drinking your tap water?  More than 70 years of scientific research has consistently shown that an optimal level of fluoride in community water is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay by at least 25% in children and adults.  There is a lot of information online about fluoride, and it’s hard to know which websites you can trust. Here are a few sources where you can find scientific data on the safety and importance of fluoride:

• CDC Fluoridation Frequently Asked Questions: http://cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/
• American Dental Association: http://mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/f/Fluoridation      
• PEW Charitable Trusts: http://pewtrusts.org (search fluoride)