Health Concern over Fluoride Levels hits National News!
"Fluoride in drinking water — credited with dramatically cutting cavities and tooth decay — may now be too much of a good thing." This is one of many comments posted throughout the news.
Doctor Travis Campbell, at 380 Family Dentistry, shared his remarks about the various press releases surrounding this dental health topic. As a Prosper family dentist
with patients in Frisco, McKinney, Plano and surrounding areas, he provides the fluoride levels broken down by the major cities here in North Texas.
There may be some confusion with the recent news reports of fluoride levels in water and the new HHS [Department of Health and Human Services] and EPA recommendations. The new recommended levels are 0.7 parts per million (ppm), which replace the old standard of 0.7 - 1.2 ppm since 1962. Dallas and surrounding communities have kept their fluoride levels below 0.8 ppm since they started supplementing the water. The Dallas area will still be within the new recommended levels, so there is no cause for alarm.
- Frisco 0.7 - 0.8
- McKinney 0.7 - 0.8
- Plano 0.5 - 0.7
- Prosper 0.45
- Dallas 0.67
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that gets absorbed by the teeth as they form. Fluoride will strengthen the structure, making teeth more acid and bacteria resistant. Fluoride supplementation in water has led to a 20-40% decrease in decay rates in patients. When fluoridation started in the 1940s, access to fluoride was very limited. Today, fluoride is available in many dental products, so the need for fluoride in water has declined. An estimated 64% of Americans drink fluoridated water. This is the reason behind these recent changes.
What happens if you get too much Fluoride?
Excess fluoride during formation can cause white splotchy areas on the tooth, which are extremely resistant to decay, but may not be esthetically pleasing. A majority of cases are mild and are rarely noticeable except by a dental professional.
More severe cases, such as skeletal fluorosis, are extremely rare in the U.S. and are only seen in individuals that have been exposed to levels in excess of 5-8 times the recommended levels for many years. Only 5 cases have been reported in the U.S. in the last 40 years.
To learn more about dental health matters and wellness for your family, you can visit their website at www.380dental.com
