Visiting your family dentist in Mumbai or somewhere near you is the first step towards maintaining oral hygiene. What your dentist will also guide you on are the minerals your body needs, and the ones you should avoid. Regarding one mineral in particular, fluoride, we have already covered the various benefits and sources of fluoride. Today, we will be covering the health risks of fluoride and the precautions one should take.

Health Risks of Fluoride

Too much of anything can be harmful to the body. While fluoride is extremely efficient in fighting tooth decay, over consumption of fluoride is known to have adverse effects on the body.

  • Exposure to fluoride during pregnancy can result in premature birth of the child. High levels of fluoride increases the risk of anaemia in pregnant women.
  • Early exposure to fluoride results in lower IQ and hyperactivity during childhood.
  • Over ingestion of fluoride during developmental stages of a child results in discolouration and brown spots on the surface of teeth, known as dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is associated with skeletal and endocrine problems.
  • Exposure to high levels of fluoride causes vision impairment and bone deformities.

Precautions to Avoid Adverse Effects of Fluoride

It is important to monitor fluoride intake right from the grass root level. Preventive care needs to be taken right from pregnancy and breastfeeding, up to infancy and throughout childhood.

  • Pregnant women must avoid all forms of fluoride intake in the form of fluoridated water, tablets, supplements etc. They should consume filtered drinking water.
  •  Infants can excrete only 15% of the ingested fluoride. The excess fluoride accumulates in the body and can lead to bone deformities over time. It is thus crucial to monitor fluoride intake during infancy.
  • Infants and babies stay on a liquid diet of their mother’s milk, water, and other liquids. However, breastfeeding is encouraged over drinking water and baby formula, as the mother’s milk is fluoride free.
  • If breastfeeding is not possible, ready to eat baby formula is recommended over powdered and liquid formula, due to its low fluoride concentration. One can also consider natural homemade remedies for the same.
  • Vitamin D and sun exposure are alternatives to fluoride intake in infants and babies.
  • Children should be encouraged to spit out the toothpaste after brushing their teeth.

Fluoride is a powerful mineral needed to maintain oral health. Dental consultation is the key to monitor fluoride intake and reap its benefits. Professional consultation and guidance on this topic will help you in making a pre-emptive strike at tooth decay. Strengthen your teeth with fluoride so that you can cater to all your sweet tooth pangs without dampening your smile!

Visiting your family dentist in Mumbai or somewhere near you is the first step towards maintaining oral hygiene. What your dentist will also guide you on are the minerals your body needs, and the ones you should avoid. Regarding one mineral in particular, fluoride, we have already covered the various benefits and sources of fluoride. Today, we will be covering the health risks of fluoride and the precautions one should take.

Health Risks of Fluoride

Too much of anything can be harmful to the body. While fluoride is extremely efficient in fighting tooth decay, over consumption of fluoride is known to have adverse effects on the body.

  • Exposure to fluoride during pregnancy can result in premature birth of the child. High levels of fluoride increases the risk of anaemia in pregnant women.
  • Early exposure to fluoride results in lower IQ and hyperactivity during childhood.
  • Over ingestion of fluoride during developmental stages of a child results in discolouration and brown spots on the surface of teeth, known as dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is associated with skeletal and endocrine problems.
  • Exposure to high levels of fluoride causes vision impairment and bone deformities.

Precautions to Avoid Adverse Effects of Fluoride

It is important to monitor fluoride intake right from the grass root level. Preventive care needs to be taken right from pregnancy and breastfeeding, up to infancy and throughout childhood.

  • Pregnant women must avoid all forms of fluoride intake in the form of fluoridated water, tablets, supplements etc. They should consume filtered drinking water.
  •  Infants can excrete only 15% of the ingested fluoride. The excess fluoride accumulates in the body and can lead to bone deformities over time. It is thus crucial to monitor fluoride intake during infancy.
  • Infants and babies stay on a liquid diet of their mother’s milk, water, and other liquids. However, breastfeeding is encouraged over drinking water and baby formula, as the mother’s milk is fluoride free.
  • If breastfeeding is not possible, ready to eat baby formula is recommended over powdered and liquid formula, due to its low fluoride concentration. One can also consider natural homemade remedies for the same.
  • Vitamin D and sun exposure are alternatives to fluoride intake in infants and babies.
  • Children should be encouraged to spit out the toothpaste after brushing their teeth.

Fluoride is a powerful mineral needed to maintain oral health. Dental consultation is the key to monitor fluoride intake and reap its benefits. Professional consultation and guidance on this topic will help you in making a pre-emptive strike at tooth decay. Strengthen your teeth with fluoride so that you can cater to all your sweet tooth pangs without dampening your smile!