Though you might not know it, the drinking water that is pumped in houses in the city of Leeds will contain fluoride and the reasoning behind this is firstly, this mineral lowers the risk of bacteria getting into the water and secondly it has always been the belief that fluoride is a healthy way of keeping the enamel of the teeth strong, therefore fending off tooth decay. This is very true, fluoride does make the enamel stronger and more resistant to bacteria and acids that affect the teeth; it is why most toothpaste that you buy contains it and why dentists will administer fluoride treatments if you are suffering with poor teeth: fluoride has been used for a good hundred years in dental treatments. But that was due to the fact that everyone went along with it and never once questioned it either- they trusted in the powers to be. Now though, questions are being raised about its use because it has come to light that actually, it isn’t the great saving grace that it was once portrayed to be and that it is quite toxic. Too much of the stuff can lead to a condition called fluorosis, where deposits build up in the brain and ironically, cause discoloration in the enamel of the teeth. It is well known that fluoride toothpaste shouldn’t be left in the hands of children for they like the taste and tend to consume more than they actually use and in some cases, this can be fatal. It is a hard call to say whether or not it should be used daily and you should do your research before coming to an informed decision about fluoride.
Fluoride is an element that naturally occurs in both water and food and has a beneficial impact on the teeth. So much so, that for the last eighty years or so we have been adding it to drinking water as a preventative measure against tooth decay. As well as this there is also a range of fluoride toothpastes and supplements that people use in areas of low fluoridation of the water.
