Dental decay is, by far, the most
common and costly oral health problem in all age groups. It is one of the
principal causes of tooth loss from early childhood through middle age. Decay
continues to be problematic for middle-aged and older adults, particularly root
decay because of receding gums. Older adults may experience similar or higher
levels of dental decay than do children. In addition to its effects in the
mouth, dental decay can affect general well-being by interfering with an
individual’s ability to eat certain foods and by impacting an individual’s emotional
and social well-being by causing pain and discomfort. Dental decay,
particularly in the front teeth, can detract from appearance, thus affecting
self-esteem and employability. In addition to impacting emotional and social
wellbeing, the consequences of dental disease are reflected in the cost of its
treatment.
Again, the goal must be prevention rather than repair. Fluoridation is
presently the most cost-effective method for the prevention of dental decay for
residents of a community
What’s fluoride ????? and it’s spotlight effect in dentistry
There are
several examples of how everyday products are fortified to enhance the health—
iodine is added to salt, folic acid is added to breads and cereals, and Vitamin
D is added to milk.
Fluoride is not a medication, but rather a nutrient
found naturally in some areas but deficient in others and when present at the
right level, Fluoride is often called Nature’s
Cavity Fighter and for good reason. Having 0.7 to 1.2 parts of
fluoride for every million parts of water has been shown to have the best
effect. Fluoride in drinking water has two beneficial effects:
preventing tooth decay and contributing to healthy bones.
Fluoride a natural guardian
It is important to note that dental decay is caused by dental plaque,
a thin, sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth.
When sugar and other carbohydrates are eaten, the bacteria in plaque produce
acids that attack the tooth enamel. After repeated attacks, the enamel breaks
down, and a cavity (hole) is formed. There are a number of factors that
increase an individual’s risk for dental decay:
§
Snacking habits
§
Poor oral hygiene
§
No (or little) access to a dentist
§
Sticky/sugary/carbohydrate diet
§
Increased consumption of fruit
juices/ soft beverages
§
Bridges, crowns, braces, and other
restoration procedures
§
Irregular/ misaligned teeth
§
A history of tooth decay (cavities).
How fluoride plays
its role?
It potentiates its effect in broadly 2
ways
·
Systemic/ through
our body
·
Topical/ applied
directly to tooth
When Is
Fluoride Intake Most Critical?
It is certainly
important for infants and children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years to
be exposed to fluoride. This is the time frame during which the primary and
permanent teeth come in. However, adults benefit from fluoride, too.
Systemic fluorides are those ingested into the
body. During tooth formation, ingested fluorides become incorporated into tooth
structures. Fluorides ingested regularly during the time when teeth are
developing (pre-eruptively) are deposited throughout the entire tooth surface
and provide longer-lasting protection than those applied topically. Systemic fluorides
can also give topical protection because ingested fluoride is present in
saliva, which continually bathes the teeth providing a reservoir of fluoride
that can be incorporated into the tooth surface to prevent decay.
Children who have fluoride when their
teeth are developing tend to have shallower grooves in their teeth, so plaque (thin,
sticky film of bacteria) can be more easily removed.
Topical fluorides strengthen teeth already present in the mouth
(posteruptively). In this method of delivery, fluoride is incorporated into the
surface of teeth making them more decay-resistant. Topically applied fluoride
provides local protection on the tooth surface. Topical fluorides include
toothpastes, mouthrinses and professionally applied fluoride foams, gels and
varnishes. As mentioned previously, systemic fluorides also provide topical
protection.
Fluoride is said to protect the
teeth in two ways:
§
Protection from demineralization - when bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars they
produce acid. This acid can erode tooth enamel and damage our teeth. Fluoride
can protect teeth from demineralization by making teeth resistant to acid
attack.
Fluoride disrupts the process of
tooth decay by:
§
Providing an environment where better
quality enamel is formed, which is much more resistant to acid attack
§
Reducing the bacteria's (bacteria in
plaque) ability to produce acid, a major cause of tooth decay.
§
Remineralization - if there is already some damage to teeth caused by acid,
fluoride accumulates in the demineralized areas and begins strengthening the
enamel, a process called remineralization.
