When you’re doing your best with your dental hygiene but you keep hearing rumors about a main part of it, such as fluoride, it can be very confusing. As you reach for the fluoridated toothpaste you were so sure was a good idea just a few days ago, you may find yourself hesitating and wondering if you should actually buy something else. To get the details sorted out, so you know you’re doing a good job, we’d like to explain! In short, fluoride is essential. For the longer version, stick with us to learn a bit more.
About The Rumors
The rumors you might hear about fluoride and your dental hygiene will go something like this: “Fluoride is toxic! You should be using toothpaste without it! It’s not essential, they just want you to think that it is!” While you may hear this over the course of your life (and can certainly find tons of opinions online to back up this belief), it’s simply not true. So, where do the myths come from? Well, there’s the fact that ingesting a lot of toothpaste at once can irritate your digestive tract and prove dangerous. Fortunately, as long as you spit your toothpaste out and you avoid eating lots of it (more than the amount you require for brushing), then all will be well.
What You Should Do
Now that we’ve got the rumors solved, let’s talk about what you should be doing. You should remember that it’s important to use toothpaste that contains fluoride, so every dental hygiene session (brushing should occur twice daily) is effective, keeping teeth clean and strong. You should floss once a day, too, of course. Finally, we should see you for a checkup once every six months or so. That way, we’ll know if your smile is getting enough fluoride or if you require more.
Ask Your Hygiene Questions During Checkups
We love providing you and your family with answers to common dental hygiene questions and more when you come in for visits! Visit us for a dental checkup in Ankeny, IA by contacting Dental Impressions to schedule a visit at (515) 965-0230.
