How Did the Fluoride Get Into Your Toothpaste?: The Chemistry Behind Adding Fluoride in Dentifrices for Preventing Dental Decay.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Elias, Anil J.,
- Source
- Resonance: Journal of Science Education; Nov2022, Vol. 27 Issue 11, p1869-1879, 11p
- Subject
- Dental caries
Toothpaste
Dentifrices
Fluorides
Dietary calcium
Colorado
- Language
- ISSN
- 09718044
Fluoride is one of the main ingredients of modern toothpaste and has a proven record of preventing dental decay, especially among children. The history, need and development of adding fluoride based inorganic compounds in the toothpaste for preventing dental decay is presented in this article. The fine balance required for maintaining healthy teeth and at the same time preventing dental and skeletal fluorosis by controlling the amount of fluoride intake is discussed. The chemistry behind prevention of dental decay by fluoride in relation to the minerals hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite is presented. The requirement of soluble calcium in the diet and its role in removing excess fluoride when consumed is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]