Fluoride is Essential for Preventing Cavities

While holidays are certainly a time of celebration and sugary food may be a big part of it, they are also a fertile breeding ground for bacteria and plaque that can cause cavities. Today, ingredients in the water supply and toothpaste help to prevent cavities. One of these essential ingredients is called fluoride.

How does Fluoride Prevent Cavities?

First, it is important to explain how cavities form. When children eat sugar, much of that sugar is left behind. Bacteria use sugar for growth and energy production. Once bacteria metabolizes sugar, they release acid that can damage the teeth. This process is called demineralization. The more bacteria there are, or the more sugar that is in the mouth, the more acid is produced and the more damage that is done to teeth. Maintaining a healthy diet that is high in calcium will help keep the enamel strong to resist the acid demineralization process that bacteria can cause.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

In addition to maintaining a healthy diet, drinking water and using toothpaste that contains fluoride is another effective way to prevent cavities. Many years ago, the FDA decided to add fluoride to the water as a way to prevent cavities from forming in people’s mouths. The body can use fluoride as a component in the enamel. Once fluoride is incorporated as a part of the teeth, they form a strong structure on the surface that helps to resist the acid demineralization process that bacteria generate. Fluoride does a better job of resisting the acid that bacteria produces than the native components that make up the enamel. Therefore, water and toothpaste with fluoride is an essential part of preventing cavities.

Fluoride Accelerates the Healing Process

Finally, Fluoride can actually help accelerate the healing process when cavities are formed. Because fluoride can bond as a part of the enamel structure, fluoride can actually help regrow parts of the teeth that are damaged by cavities. Studies have shown that fluoride actually accelerates the rate of enamel production. If enamel grows quicker, the body can fill the cavities faster and restore the mouth to its normal, healthy state in a shorter time span. Therefore, fluoride is also essential to healing teeth that have been damaged by cavities.

When it comes to preventing cavities, there are certain parts of the mouth that brushing and flossing simply can’t reach. Therefore, seeing a dentist regularly every six months is an important part of routine dental care and maintaining a healthy mouth. For parents looking for an Aliso Viejo pediatric dentist for their children, consider contacting OC Kids Dental and Dr. Cima Mazar-Atabaki in Aliso Viejo, CA. Dr. Cima is a board certified pediatric dentist with an impressive track record of maintaining healthy mouths for many children. Contact Dr. Cima today to schedule an appointment.