Dental Fluoride: Good Or Bad?

To prevent tooth decay, many people put their trust in fluoride, which is a very common chemical in toothpaste, mouthwashes and is even added to our water supplies. This practise adjusts the natural fluoride concentration of water to that recommended for improving health. For years, people have believed that fluoride in small doses presents no effects on health and has even proven benefits to strengthening the enamel of teeth, preventing decay and tooth loss. But with the increase in research, we doctors are now questioning this belief. In case you didn’t know, fluoride is a highly toxic chemical. Before it was deemed to fight cavities, this product was used as a pesticide and as a rat poison.
As a doctor from the institute of health, I, Wendy Le, believe that when it comes to oral hygiene, fluoride does more harm to us than good. …show more content…
People assume that fluoride only affect areas of dental health. However with extensive research, we have found that even with low levels of fluoride, can lead to a range of health problems. This included bone fractures, thyroid disorders, impaired brain function and can even disrupt blood sugar levels. Dental fluorosis, defined by discoloration, blackened or chalky white teeth, is an obvious indication of overexposure to fluoride during childhood when the teeth are still developing. In fact for infants, fluoridated water provides no benefits, only risks. Most importantly, studies have linked fluoride to as many as 10,000 cancer deaths per year, with a high occurrence of bone cancer among people exposed to fluoridated