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The Plus Sides of Fluoride

Fluoride ProtectionAs a direct result of fluoridation, dental health in our part of the world turned around dramatically. The improvement is evident in our children, fluoride in our water reduces tooth decay in children by 50 percent.

Why then, are some put off by the idea of fluoride? It’s true that excessive levels of fluoride can actually damage tooth enamel—too much of any good thing is too much. But continuing research, down to the molecular level, proves the bottom line: fluoride is good for us. With fluoride, bacteria are disarmed, plaque can’t get a foothold. Teeth and gums are nourished.

Make Sure There’s Fluoride in Your Water

If you and your family drink bottled water or use a filter on your tap, you may not be receiving the benefit that fluoride provides. Many home water filters remove approximately 90 percent of the fluoride from tap water. And fluoride levels in bottled water are often non-existent.

Bottom Line: Fluoride is Good For Us

  • We may opt to give children a head start by direct application of fluoride here in the office.
  • People with periodontal problems show encouraging recovery with fluoride gels and solutions.
  • Older patients can benefit too. With topical fluorides, adults enjoy 67% less decay on the root surfaces of teeth.
  • At home, fluoride-fortified toothpastes and rinses don’t hurt either!

Along with our concerns for your whole health, we welcome the benefits of fluoride—an important part of our preventive practice. And plain good sense.

About Yuri Kaneda, DDS

Dr. Yuri Kaneda was born in Japan and immigrated to the US when she was 4 years old with her family. She lived in Ohio, Nebraska, and Illinois before finally settling in the San Diego area. A graduate of Bonita Vista High School, she went on to the University of California Berkeley where she obtained her Bachelors in Microbiology and Immunology. After working for 2 years in growth plate research at University of California San Diego, she went to the University of California San Francisco Dental School for her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Upon graduation, she returned to San Diego where she worked as an associate in the practice of Drs. Morimoto and Yaryan, her childhood dentist. She then started her own practice in 1995 and has been at her present location since 1999 which happens to be across the street from her high school!

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