Fluoride - what should you know about it?

Since the day we received our first toothbrush, our parents and specialists have told us that fluoride is an essential and the only way to care for our teeth. However, in recent years, some studies have indicated possible harmful effects of fluoride, which may concern particularly health-conscious individuals. The problem is that most of us don't understand what fluoride is or why it's added to mouthwashes and toothpastes.

The Elixio team believes that teeth can be cared for using natural, organic ingredients, instead of fluoride or other synthetic, harmful substances found in many popular products.

Below, we will try to demystify fluoride and its importance for your health.

What is fluoride?
That depends on who you ask. According to the NHS website, it is "a naturally occurring mineral found in water," with varying levels depending on where you live. This natural mineral is also a great tool for protecting against tooth decay, a major health problem worldwide, which is why it is often added to dental products and drinking water.
And this is entirely true.

Sounds harmless enough, right? Unfortunately, the above description does not indicate that although fluoride occurs naturally in water, it is present in such small amounts that it is almost impossible for it to contribute to the health of our teeth. If you look beyond this simple description of fluoride - a chemical that most of us consume daily - it turns out to have a less innocent side.

In reality, the fluoride added to our toothpaste or mouthwash
does not come from a natural mineral form. Instead, it is replaced by one of three industrial options:

- Sodium fluoride

- Hydrofluorosilicic acid

- Sodium fluorosilicate, which is a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer production

Much less appealing, isn't it? Not to mention that few people know that fluoride is actually a poison and is often a main ingredient in psychotropic drugs, as well as... insect repellents.

What does fluoride consumption cause?

Fluoride is widely considered an excellent tool for protecting against tooth decay,
a major global health problem, which is why it is often added to
toothpaste and mouthwashes.

Preventing tooth decay involves remineralization. Fluoride is believed to aid
this process by leaving a thin, protective layer on the teeth, replacing the
mineral with a harder, more bacteria-resistant material than was lost.

However, because fluoride is also used in more concentrated doses as
an insecticide and is known to be toxic to humans, long-term use of fluoridated
water and products can unexpectedly lead to health problems.

A 2012 report by the Harvard School of Public Health,
combining 27 studies on the destructive effects of chemicals,
found that fluoride can affect the improper development of brain function in children.
Studies conducted in 1995 by P.J. Mullen also found
links between the toxic effects of fluorides on the brains and kidneys of rats.
What is concerning for humans is that these same studies also showed that rats are
more resistant to fluoride than we are.

These are just a few examples, but depending on what you read, the list of negative effects can be much longer!

This certainly doesn't sound like good news for the rest of the body.
But let's get back to teeth! Excessive use of fluorides in childhood is widely
recognized by the medical community as a cause of oral fluorosis
and gum damage, because fluoride blocks bacterial enzymes in the mouth, sugars do not convert into acids, which slows down gum repair.

Do we have another choice?
While fluoridated water has reduced tooth decay since its introduction, tooth decay in countries where fluoridated water is not used has also decreased, which calls the effectiveness of its application into question. In fact, many countries around the world choose not to use fluoridation for moral and medical reasons, e.g., Germany, France, and Denmark.

In a report written by the Cochrane Collaboration in 2015, researchers indicated that most studies conducted in favor of fluoride were carried out before 1975, many of which had scientific flaws, and of course, the widespread use of fluoride toothpastes or rinses applied later could not have been foreseen.

Given all the controversy surrounding fluoride, the solution seems clear.
Let's find a safe, natural alternative to prevent tooth decay!

There are many natural ways to clean and remineralize teeth through diet and
natural oral care. Providing the tools to achieve this is what motivated us to create Elixio.