Florida Town Votes to Remove Fluoride from Water

Fluoride is beneficial to teeth because it helps to:

rebuild (remineralize) weakened tooth enamel
slow down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel
reverse early signs of tooth decay
prevent the growth of harmful oral bacteria

When bacteria in your mouth break down sugar and carbs, they produce acids that eat away at the minerals in your tooth enamel. This loss of minerals is called demineralization. Weakened tooth enamel leaves your teeth vulnerable to bacteria that cause cavities.

Fluoride helps to remineralize your tooth enamel, which can prevent cavities and reverse early signs of tooth decay.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, the average number of missing or decaying teeth in 12-year-old children in the United States dropped by 68 percent from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. This followed the introduction to, and expansion of, fluoridated water in communities, and the addition of fluoride to toothpastes and other dental products. ...