Can Fluoride Shield Teeth from Decay?

In a recent research, scientists have found that the protective layer fluoride that forms on teeth is 100 times thinner than previously believed.

In a recent research, scientists have found that the protective layer fluoride that forms on teeth is 100 times thinner than previously believed. This finding has raised a whole lot of questions about how this cavity-fighter works and could lead to protecting the teeth from decay.

Frank Muller and colleagues point out that tooth decay is a major public health problem worldwide.

Tooth Decay - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Tooth decay in toddlers, children and adults, also called dental caries, is a bacterial infection causing demineralization and destruction of the hard tissues of the teeth.

The fluoride in some toothpaste, mouthwash and municipal drinking water is one of the most effective ways to prevent decay.

Scientists long have known that fluoride makes enamel - the hard white substance covering the surface of teeth - more resistant to decay.

Some thought that fluoride simply changed the main mineral in enamel, hydroxyapatite, into a more-decay resistant material called fluorapatite.

The new research found that the fluorapatite layer formed in this way is only 6 nanometers thick. It would take almost 10,000 such layers to span the width of a human hair. That's at least 10 times thinner than previous studies indicated.

The scientists question whether a layer so thin, which is quickly worn away by ordinary chewing, really can shield teeth from decay, or whether fluoride has some other unrecognized effect on tooth enamel. They are launching a new study in search of an answer.

Teeth Chart
Do you know how many canines or molar teeth you have and what is their function? Find out from this interactive calculator.

Muller's study appears in ACS' journal Langmuir.

Source-ANI

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A new research has pointed out that intake of substantial amounts of fluoride by young children through infant formula and other beverages could cause mild fluorosis.