Is Fluoride Good or Bad?
Fluoride. One of the heavily debated topics of dentistry. I have read a lot of information on both sides of the story. I'll start out by saying from the research I've done and the evidence I've seen as a dentist I am pro-fluoride. As with most things fluoride is useful in moderation. (For studies and more information on fluoride click here .) Even water can be “toxic” in high enough doses. High levels of fluoride can cause dental or skeletal fluorosis. Dental fluorosis occurs from very high levels of fluoride as a child and results in mottling (spotting) of the teeth (and no cavities). (Click here for more information on fluorosis.) My patients that grow up in areas with high fluoride exposure often have NO cavities into their 20's, 30's and 40's. Fluoride is found naturally in most water sources. The amount and concentration of naturally occurring fluoride in water is due to different types of soils and rocks found around a water source. Flu...