How To Get Natural Fluorides Into Your Diet
If you’ve undergone surgery for dental implants in Richmond you’ll know first hand the importance of looking after your teeth by daily brushing and flossing. You’ll probably also know that most tooth pastes and mouthwashes contain fluoride that cause no harm to the implant itself. However what you might not know is that fluoride is also contained naturally in many foods.
So what exactly is fluoride?
In essence fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral and its connection with dental health was first discovered back in the early 1950’s. Ever since then it’s been added to toothpaste and in many countries including the UK, it’s also added to our water system as a safe way to make sure that the nation benefits from stronger teeth and hopefully less tooth decay.
So how does it work?
When we eat or drink any type of foods the natural or artificial sugars within produce a sticky coating which clings to the outside of out teeth. This is commonly known as plaque. This in turn produces acids which attack the surface of our teeth causing cavities and toothache. Fluoride attacks the acid while also hardening our existing tooth enamel, giving us the protection we need to keep our teeth and gums healthy.
So what foods naturally contain fluoride?
As stated earlier, fluoride is present in many foods and the highest levels tend to occur in food such as cucumber, spinach, and potatoes and drinks such as tea and grape juice; although there are many others that contain lesser amounts. One important point to note is that there’s been no hard evidence to suggest that fluoride is bad for you although you could argue that if taken excessively and in very high doses it might be. This is why there are limits to the amount of fluoride in toothpastes and is also why dentist recommend that we spit after brushing.
From a health perspective, choosing foods or drinks that contain higher levels of fluoride won’t do you any harm and for the main, most of the foods that contain it such as fresh fruit and green vegetables are healthy options anyway. So if you want to make sure that you’re getting proper protection from your teeth, then you might want to do some research of your own into the best foods that naturally contain fluorides.
Whether or not you regularly consume food and drink containing fluoride, the only sure fire way to make sure your teeth remain healthy is to practice proper brushing and flossing. If you combine this with regular six monthly trips to the dentist, then there’s a strong chance that you’ll remain cavity free with healthier teeth and gums.
If you want to find out more about how you can protect your teeth and gums after having a dental implant in Richmond, or would like to find out more information about how implants can help you achieve a dream smile then talk to Sheen Dental. We’ve had years of experience in fitting dental implants and know first hand the benefits that they can bring to patients. Contact us today on 020 8876 5277 or visit our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk