![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/alpinedentalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DrWadeElton-Denver.png\")
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Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that\u2019s found in groundwater and oceans in many areas of the world, and the people who live there have been drinking it for centuries. In the 1940s, dentists noticed significantly less tooth decay in areas with high concentrations of fluoride in drinking water, and surmised it was protecting people\u2019s teeth. To study the effect, scientists added fluoride to the drinking water in one city and compared tooth decay rates to a city with untreated water.<\/p>\n
The benefits to children who drank treated water were so obvious, researchers deemed it unethical not to immediately give both samples of kids treated water, and the study was discontinued!<\/p>\n
Since then, fluoride has been a part of most cities\u2019 water supply, and treatment plants supplement their water if it doesn\u2019t contain it.<\/p>\n
As most people know, bacteria create acids that decay the enamel on your teeth, dissolving some of the crystals that make up enamel. Fluoride carried in saliva helps rebuild these minerals and stave off tooth decay, as it combines with calcium and phosphates from your diet to re-infuse your teeth with the enamel to make it stronger!<\/p>\n
Even more importantly, when children under the age of 16 or so drink fluoride in their water, the digested mineral is used by the teeth to strengthen their development. It\u2019s a great way to help ensure children have a lifetime of healthy smiles! Unfortunately, fluoride only helps build teeth while they\u2019re still developing, and most people\u2019s teeth are fully developed before they graduate from high school.<\/p>\n
There are a lot of misconceptions about fluoride in drinking water. Many people don\u2019t understand that it\u2019s present in rivers, lakes and ground water in many places around the country, or think it\u2019s an industrial byproduct placed in the water supply. Others incorrectly worry that fluoride in drinking water can cause cancer, or isn\u2019t safe in drinking water. Some people even question fluoride\u2019s ability to fight cavities.<\/p>\n
All those doubts have been thoroughly researched, and conclusively proven false. Water fluoridation is safe and effective and remains one of our best tools to fight tooth decay!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that\u2019s found in groundwater and oceans in many areas of the world, and the people who live there have been drinking it for centuries. In the 1940s, dentists noticed significantly less tooth decay in areas with high concentrations of fluoride in drinking water, and surmised it was protecting people\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dental-health-questions","category-oral-health-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n