fluoride

When it Comes to Toothpaste

Choosing the right toothpaste for yourself—or your family—goes beyond the coupon you may have in hand, or bright displays in the marketplace. For your health, you have to think like a dentist. At different times in our lives, dental strategies change, toothpaste requirements change. And product name isn't half as [...]

Fluoride, it’s for Life

If your goal is healthy teeth for life, then you need fluoride. It ensures newly formed teeth are strong; prevents plaque, cavities, and gum disease; and protects roots that get exposed as gums recede over time. This essential mineral is present in what we eat and drink, but a healthy [...]

Got Fluoride?

As we age, wrinkles and graying hair become evident. For adults, there's no reversing the aging process. But happily, a lifetime of fluoride use can help reverse the demineralizing process! Bacterial plaque continually forms on teeth, producing acids that initiate the process of decay. That's DE-mineralization. Fluoride helps add back [...]

Check Your Dental I.Q.

Read each question and choose the best answer. Scoring below. 1. The best toothbrush bristle is: (a) Medium (b) Hard (c) soft (d) electric 2. Teeth grinding and gnashing (bruxism) can lead to: (a) a pain in the neck (b) Sore teeth (c) Headaches (d) all of the above 3. [...]

Sense about Sensitivity

When teeth hurt, the sooner we reach the root of the problem, the sooner the pain disappears. What triggers tooth pain? Heat, cold, touch, air, sweet or sour foods. If you recently had a cavity filled, that area may be sensitive for awhile. Other causes of sensitivity are: Erosion of [...]

You and the Tube

Start reading labels to choose the right toothpaste for you and your family. All toothpastes have certain ingredients in common. They'll contain mild abrasives for scrubbing, foaming detergents to help float away debris, fluoride to protect tooth enamel, thickening agents for stability, humectants for moisture retention, and flavors to make [...]

Fluoride & Your Health

What is fluoride, and why is it good for my teeth? Fluoride is a compound of the element fluorine, which is found universally throughout nature in water, soil, air, and in most foods. The mineral is easily absorbed into tooth enamel, especially in the developing teeth of children. Once teeth [...]

Putting the Squeeze on Toothpaste

Why is brushing with it important? Brushing with toothpaste is important for several reasons: Toothpaste and proper brushing action work to remove plaque—a sticky, harmful film of bacteria that grows on teeth and causes cavities and gum disease. Toothpaste contains fluoride, which makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to [...]