What is fluoride?
Fluoride plays a role in the development and health of bones and teeth.

What fluoride does for you
Fluoride hardens your bones and tooth enamel. Fluoride is absorbed into a child’s teeth as they form.

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How much fluoride you need
No RDA is currently stipulated. A safe upper limit for children has been set at 0.5mg per kg per day. If you don’t have fluoridated tap water, ask your dentist about giving fluoride drops to your children.

There is much controversy surrounding fluoride supplementation. Substantial research shows that fluoride can be very toxic when added to drinking water or toothpaste and can lead to a higher incidence of hip fractures, cancer and fluorosis with liver cell damage and discolouration of teeth.

Research also shows that fluoride supplementation doesn’t prevent tooth decay at all as originally thought. The biggest concern seems to be the inability to control intake when fluoride is indiscriminately added to drinking water. Most fresh foods contain small quantities of fluoride. The FDA doesn’t regard fluoride as an essential micronutrient at all.

Which foods have fluoride?
Tea, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fluoridated tap water.

Signs of fluoride deficiency
Brittle bones and badly formed teeth - controversial.

How much fluoride is too much?
More than 0.5mg per kg body weight can lead to fluorosis, which manifests as chalky white patches on the teeth.

New research on fluoride
It’s unnecessary to take fluoride if you have fluoridated drinking water. Fluoride is absorbed only by being swallowed, so using fluoride-enriched toothpaste or mouthwash and spitting it out won’t increase your fluoride levels.

South African Dental Association (SADA)
 

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