Is fluoride really just poison?

One of the main areas of activity at our clinic is the prevention of oral diseases. Oral disease prevention is a combination of measures that are applied both at the clinic and, most importantly, at home. Oral care at home should be as simple, quick and effective as possible. It should not become a tedious, mentally demanding routine that you constantly want to avoid. There is a wide variety of products available in pharmacies and supermarkets. We have therefore selected the ones we consider most suitable for our clinic. The most important selection criteria are scientifically proven effectiveness and substantiated naturalness.

Naturalness must be substantiated so that we do not become victims of green, organic, and indeed very good ideas that are promoted for commercial purposes. For example, which toothpaste should you choose: with or without fluoride? “Green” sellers will say that fluoride is a strong poison. It is a very active element of the halogen group which inhibits the body’s enzyme system, damages bones, sometimes even teeth, etc. Based on this statement, fluoride-free toothpaste is recommended for everyone, regardless of the condition of their mouth. This approach can only be summed up by the popular saying, “He heard the bells ringing, but didn’t know which church they were in.” Fluoride is indeed a toxic substance, but only when ingested in large quantities. However, when used in the mouth for three minutes while brushing our teeth, it does not cause any toxic reactions. Fluoride binds to tooth tissue and makes it significantly more resistant to decay. This has been proven by numerous scientific studies. Brushing your teeth with fluoride-free toothpaste does not reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Fluoride-free toothpastes clean teeth but do not make them more resistant to modern dietary habits (see “Prevention of oral diseases”). We constantly snack on foods that are high in carbohydrates. To avoid any unfounded speculation, it should be emphasised that this is based on data provided by independent experts. Fluoride should therefore be treated not as a general remedy, but as an effective medicine for local use against decay. Like all medicines, it should help the body with a weak, genetically determined link that the body cannot fix itself. As a medicine, it must be used properly. It is important that the fluoride content in drinking water is not too high. Fluoride toothpaste is not necessary for people who have no tooth damage or only have dentures fixed on implants. Children’s teeth should be brushed with fluoride-free toothpaste until they learn not to swallow it and to spit it out. Taking into account the possibility of accidental swallowing, the fluoride concentration in toothpaste depends on the age of the child.

Other ingredients in toothpaste are also important: it should not contain sodium lauryl sulphate or parabens which irritate the mucous membranes. If periodontal disease is diagnosed, toothpastes containing various medicinal herbs (e.g. tea tree, aloe vera) are recommended. When choosing oral hygiene products, it is advisable to consult a professional who will assess the individual condition of the mouth and help find the most cost-effective solution.