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Fluoride is effective at remineralizing your enamel. Fluoride isn’t just for cavities.

by azinman2 4y ago

MathMonkeyMan 4y ago
What other uses does mineralized enamel have, aside from resisting attack by plaques? Honest question.
- azinman2 4y ago
  Plaque and tartar eat away at your enamel causing caries. Remineralizing is important to restore what has been taken away. So it’s not so much about resisting attack (I don’t believe fluoride fights bacteria) as much as reversing the attack.
saurik 4y ago
You are much better off using nanohydroxyapatite for that, though; you can easily import such toothpastes from Japan via Amazon.
- quotz 4y ago
  Source?
  - wingworks 4y ago
    Not really a source, but this Dental Hygienist talks a bit about hydroxyapatite. Sounds like it could be of at least equal effectiveness. Though further studies are needed. https://youtu.be/kQAPEZaqwfY?t=63 https://youtu.be/kQAPEZaqwfY?t=63
  - alexsereno 4y ago
    Not OP but I have a family member who’s a specialized dentist who’s well regarded in the field and constantly harps on this kind of toothpaste over fluoride. I think fluoride is basically cheap and that’s all
- azinman2 4y ago
  Interesting. Hadn’t heard it it before, but at least according to this and it’s linked paper it’s roughly equivalent. What makes you say that you’re better off? https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/14276225/nanohydroxyapatite-in-dental-products-better-than-fluoride https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/14276225/nanohyd...
- commoner 4y ago
  See also the bioactive glass compounds BioMin (fluoro calcium phosphosilicate) and NovaMin (calcium sodium phosphosilicate), which come in toothpastes that also include fluoride to cover all the bases. https://ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-today/biomaterials/bioactive-glass-toothpaste-is-on-the-way https://ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-today/biomaterials/bioacti... BioMin F is as effective as nanohydroxyapatite, and is less expensive than the Apagard nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste. (BioMin F is not yet available in the U.S. and needs to be imported.) https://www.journalcra.com/sites/default/files/issue-pdf/31741.pdf https://www.journalcra.com/sites/default/files/issue-pdf/317...
- warble 4y ago
  I use this stuff and I stopped getting cavities. Just one example obviously, but it was night and day better I think. It's a little pricey is all.
  - lost_tourist 4y ago
    It's great for tooth sensitivity as well.
- lost_tourist 4y ago
  there is boka an American company. there are others as well, no reason to import from japan.
colordrops 4y ago
Perhaps, but how much of a difference does it really make? Your saliva remineralizes your enamel naturally. I've gone over 10 years without fluoride in my toothpaste or water and my teeth are in perfect condition, at least according to the dentist. So is the toxicity of fluoride worth some clearly minor and perhaps not even necessary improvement? I used large quantities of fluoride as a child, both in toothpaste and mouth washes, and still got 10 cavities.
- wingworks 4y ago
  Everyones teeth, diet etc are different. What works for you may not work for others.
- azinman2 4y ago
  Most people benefit significantly. That has been proven in study after study. The toxicity has not been, or it wouldn’t be widespread world wide. I’m glad your genetic makeup, diet, microbiome, etc is working out for you. That may or may not change with time. The CDC says there’s a 25% reduction in cavities for children due to fluoride [1]. So it’s not like fluoride is only for cavity prevention, and perhaps your teeth would have been even worse without it. [1] https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html
  - colordrops 4y ago
    I've gone through several studies and you are not representing the field fairly. There are many studies going both ways. It's far from a slam dunk consensus. Furthermore, there is absolutely no question that fluoride is toxic. It's just a question whether the amounts in water and toothpaste are enough to cause measurable negative effects. Considering this, why don't we add things like B12, magnesium, and vitamin D to the water? They are all deficient in a large percentage of the population and cause severe problems, far worse than dental caries. The reason they are not is because it's not the business of the water supply to act as medicine for the general populace. It should come from individual products. You see fortified foods and vitamins, as well as fluoride toothpaste and mouth washes.

Fluoride is effective at remineralizing your enamel. Fluoride isn’t just for cavities.

MathMonkeyMan 4y ago

What other uses does mineralized enamel have, aside from resisting attack by plaques? Honest question.

azinman2 4y ago
Plaque and tartar eat away at your enamel causing caries. Remineralizing is important to restore what has been taken away. So it’s not so much about resisting attack (I don’t believe fluoride fights bacteria) as much as reversing the attack.

saurik 4y ago

You are much better off using nanohydroxyapatite for that, though; you can easily import such toothpastes from Japan via Amazon.

quotz 4y ago
Source?
- wingworks 4y ago
  Not really a source, but this Dental Hygienist talks a bit about hydroxyapatite. Sounds like it could be of at least equal effectiveness. Though further studies are needed. https://youtu.be/kQAPEZaqwfY?t=63 https://youtu.be/kQAPEZaqwfY?t=63
- alexsereno 4y ago
  Not OP but I have a family member who’s a specialized dentist who’s well regarded in the field and constantly harps on this kind of toothpaste over fluoride. I think fluoride is basically cheap and that’s all
azinman2 4y ago
Interesting. Hadn’t heard it it before, but at least according to this and it’s linked paper it’s roughly equivalent. What makes you say that you’re better off? https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/14276225/nanohydroxyapatite-in-dental-products-better-than-fluoride https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/14276225/nanohyd...
commoner 4y ago
See also the bioactive glass compounds BioMin (fluoro calcium phosphosilicate) and NovaMin (calcium sodium phosphosilicate), which come in toothpastes that also include fluoride to cover all the bases. https://ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-today/biomaterials/bioactive-glass-toothpaste-is-on-the-way https://ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-today/biomaterials/bioacti... BioMin F is as effective as nanohydroxyapatite, and is less expensive than the Apagard nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste. (BioMin F is not yet available in the U.S. and needs to be imported.) https://www.journalcra.com/sites/default/files/issue-pdf/31741.pdf https://www.journalcra.com/sites/default/files/issue-pdf/317...
warble 4y ago
I use this stuff and I stopped getting cavities. Just one example obviously, but it was night and day better I think. It's a little pricey is all.
- lost_tourist 4y ago
  It's great for tooth sensitivity as well.
lost_tourist 4y ago
there is boka an American company. there are others as well, no reason to import from japan.

colordrops 4y ago

Perhaps, but how much of a difference does it really make? Your saliva remineralizes your enamel naturally. I've gone over 10 years without fluoride in my toothpaste or water and my teeth are in perfect condition, at least according to the dentist. So is the toxicity of fluoride worth some clearly minor and perhaps not even necessary improvement? I used large quantities of fluoride as a child, both in toothpaste and mouth washes, and still got 10 cavities.

wingworks 4y ago
Everyones teeth, diet etc are different. What works for you may not work for others.
azinman2 4y ago
Most people benefit significantly. That has been proven in study after study. The toxicity has not been, or it wouldn’t be widespread world wide. I’m glad your genetic makeup, diet, microbiome, etc is working out for you. That may or may not change with time. The CDC says there’s a 25% reduction in cavities for children due to fluoride [1]. So it’s not like fluoride is only for cavity prevention, and perhaps your teeth would have been even worse without it. [1] https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html
- colordrops 4y ago
  I've gone through several studies and you are not representing the field fairly. There are many studies going both ways. It's far from a slam dunk consensus. Furthermore, there is absolutely no question that fluoride is toxic. It's just a question whether the amounts in water and toothpaste are enough to cause measurable negative effects. Considering this, why don't we add things like B12, magnesium, and vitamin D to the water? They are all deficient in a large percentage of the population and cause severe problems, far worse than dental caries. The reason they are not is because it's not the business of the water supply to act as medicine for the general populace. It should come from individual products. You see fortified foods and vitamins, as well as fluoride toothpaste and mouth washes.