Dear Dr. Ellie,
I know that my tap water has fluoride in it and that while I was a child the dentist did “fluoride treatments” to my teeth, but I really don’t understand what fluoride is or why it is important. Can you explain it for me?
Stacy M., Rochester, NY
Dear Stacy,
Fluoride is used to improve tooth health, and it is not necessary to ingest fluoride–it is put into some water supplies for its benefit as it washes over your teeth, not because drinking it has a benefit. I recommend drinking bottled water, or filtering out the fluoride in drinking water and using a fluoride rinse, where it can flow around teeth.
Fluoride remineralizes teeth–putting back the minerals that acids have dissolved from the tooth enamel. The fluoride in the rinse actually becomes part of the new enamel–stronger and smoother than the original tooth–and the added benefit to this is that the slippery surface makes it difficult for plaque to stick to teeth.
You should use a fluoride rinse before bed, and rinse at least 1 minute (the longer the better). Do not eat or drink after rinseing with fluoride. A second rinse during the day will add to the benefites.
I recommend ACT(r) Fluoride Rinse–it can be purchased from most drug or grocery stores or at www.zellies.com.
Dr. Ellie
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"Fluoride" as a term is meaningless. It is important to distinguish between calcium fluoride and sodium fluoride. Calcium Fluoride is the naturally occurring mineral. When you hear of someone who got great teeth from drinking WELL water, this is what they mean. Kelp powder is very high in calcium fluoride. Sodium Fluoride is the by product of weapons manufacture and is extremely toxic. So toxic that the government told them they could not put it in landfills and had to find another use for it. When you hear of someone talking of fluoridated water from a municipal supply, this is what they mean. There have been numerous studies on its toxicity, and many communities have banned it from their water supply. I would like to see further discussion of this on this web site. Please allow my contribution and allow others to contribute as well. We can't accept this program if there isn't open discussion of health concerns associated with fluoride!
Thanks for your comments. I discuss fluoride in detail in my book Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye. I agree with most of your comments – and I have a discussion in my chapter on Fluoride. I even tell of how I poisoned my now 32 year old children with fluoride – how I went to the library and started my own investigation back in 1980. I did a graduate thesis on Fluoride in 1990. With the internet I found out more and more.I have pieced the story together to my satisfaction. I only suggest rinsing with ACT sodium fluoride and Crest original toothpaste – (sodium fluoride). I do not recommend ANY other means of fluoride for teeth. Ellie http://www.zellies.com26 Corporate WoodsRochester, NY 14623(585) 272-1270