Fluoride: What Is It, and Do We Actually Need It? 

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral added to water and dental products to prevent tooth decay, but it may not be as glamorous as it seems. In fact, it may not be necessary at all and actually causes harm to our bodies. To fully understand fluoride, we have to start by looking at the history. In the 1930s, a dentist named Frederick McKay noticed something interesting about the people living around him in Colorado. Many of them had brown spots on their teeth, and although the teeth didn’t look nice, they were resistant to decay. He discovered that these people were drinking water with high fluoride levels, causing the brown spots. Further research into this phenomenon found that small amounts of fluoride could reduce some tooth decay and prevent cavities without causing brown spots. The government took these findings and concluded that it would be beneficial to the public health to add fluoride to the public water systems to increase the water’s fluoride level and thus increase resistance to tooth decay and cavities.

Concerns of Fluoride

Although fluoride can reduce tooth decay, there are concerns about its safety and overall effects on the body, especially with it being added to our water at an uncontrolled dose. Ingestion or exposure to excessive fluoride can cause many health problems, including arthritis, increased risk of bone fractures, brain damage, impairment in learning, memory problems, neurobehavioral deficits, increased risk of heart attacks, diabetes, thyroid disease, issues with male fertility, endocrine disruption, and an increased risk of developing GI disorders. Multiple studies have shown that high fluoride content can adversely affect cognitive development in children and cause neurotoxicity in adults, which negatively impacts memory and learning. Exposure to fluoride has even been linked to a decreased IQ in children. Fluoride is also known to have a negative impact on thyroid vitality as it decreases thyroid function. In fact, fluoride has been used to treat hyperthyroidism (a condition characterized by an overactive thyroid) due to the way it diminishes thyroid function. If there isn’t conclusive evidence on the benefits of fluoride and there are multiple studies stating the dangers of it, then maybe we should be cautious when it comes to the amount we’re exposing ourselves to. We can’t control the amount of fluoride added to the water, but we can limit our exposure by opting for fluoride-free toothpastes and mouthwashes, skipping the fluoride treatment at the dentist, not swallowing fluoride toothpaste, using a water filter that filters fluoride, choosing organic fruits and veggies, and limiting processed foods.

There’s a Better Way

The good news is, you can get the same benefits of fluoride, simply from diet and other dental products. When it comes to preventing tooth decay and cavities, it’s far better to strengthen and rebuild teeth with the minerals they are made of. Hydroxyapatite is a safe alternative that does just that. Because it’s a naturally occurring mineral in human bones and teeth, it remineralizes your tooth enamel and protects against decay without the harmful side effects of fluoride. doTerra’s toothpaste is my favorite. 

Additionally, my favorite filtration system is Ideal Earth Water and their filter gets chlorine and fluorides down to non detectible levels.

If want more information on doTerra or Ideal Earth Water, reach out to me via email at [email protected]