What happens if you eat fluoride

In order to get kids excited about brushing their teeth, it is often flavored with fruit or bubble-gum. The flavoring and the pictures of kids' favorite cartoons on the package can make it irresistible for kids to eat. Training toothpaste is usually sweetened with sorbitol, which can have a mild laxative effect. Despite its safety, toothpaste is considered medicine and should be treated and stored as such.

If you are concerned because someone swallowed toothpaste, do not make them vomit. Call Poison Control for treatment advice. Poison Control will calculate the dose of fluoride or other ingredients possibly swallowed and tell you exactly what to do. Call or. A mother of a 3-year-old girl called Poison Control after finding the child with a tube of fluoride-containing toothpaste in the bed with her. The girl was supposed to be napping. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , the average number of missing or decaying teeth in year-old children in the United States dropped by 68 percent from the late s through the early s.

This followed the introduction to, and expansion of, fluoridated water in communities, and the addition of fluoride to toothpastes and other dental products.

While fluoride is a naturally occurring compound, it can still cause side effects when consumed in large doses. Dental fluorosis happens when you consume too much fluoride while your teeth are still forming under your gums. This results in white spots on the surface of your teeth. It tends to affect only children under the age of 8 who have permanent teeth still coming in.

Children are also more likely to swallow toothpaste, which contains significantly more fluoride than fluoridated water. Skeletal fluorosis is similar to dental fluorosis, but it involves bones instead of teeth. Early symptoms include joint pain and stiffness.

Over time, it can alter bone structure and cause the calcification of ligaments. It tends to result from long-term exposure to high levels of fluoride, often in drinking water. Several things can cause excessive fluoride in water, including accidental contamination from fires or explosions. Some areas, including large parts of Africa and Asia, also have large geologic deposits of fluoride, which can contaminate water supplies.

In the case of a year-old American man with skeletal fluorosis, experts concluded it was likely due to swallowing toothpaste. Researchers from around the world have conducted hundreds of studies that look at the safety of adding low concentrations of fluoride to drinking water. However, some people claim that fluoridated water causes a variety of health problems, including:. The research behind these claims is mixed.

Adding fluoride, says the ADA, is like fortifying milk with vitamin D , orange juice with calcium, or cereals with B vitamins and folic acid. A Cochrane review published in found that when fluoride was introduced to water:.

Fluoride prevents tooth decay by:. Protection from demineralization : When bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars, they produce acid.

This acid can erode tooth enamel and damage our teeth. Fluoride can protect teeth from demineralization that is caused by the acid. Remineralization : If acid has already caused some damage to the teeth, fluoride accumulates in the demineralized areas and begins strengthening the enamel.

This is remineralization. Everyone can benefit from added dental protection, but those who can benefit particularly are people who:. Most public health authorities and medical associations worldwide recommend that children and adults receive some fluoride, to protect their teeth from decay. Small amounts of fluoride are unlikely to be dangerous.

Here are some facts supporting the use of fluoride:. In , German researchers reported that tooth decay fell in cities where fluoride ceased to be added to the water. However, they called for further investigation into the reasons for this decline, which they said could be due to improved attitudes toward dental health and easier access to dental health products, compared with the years before fluoride was added.

They suggested that their findings might support the argument that caries can continue to fall if the concentration of fluoride is reduced from 1 part per million ppm to below 0. The previous figure, in force from to , was 0.

In , it was revised to the lower limit. It sets the maximum allowable level at 4 ppm , and a secondary maximum level at 2 ppm. If they do, they will let you know any restrictions to follow once you leave the office. You do not need to wait after your cleaning. A lot of times, patients come in during their lunch hour so of course they will want and need to eat relatively soon after having their teeth cleaned.

To avoid any sensitivities, it could be best to avoid anything extreme temperatures. Hot or cold foods could have more effect than they usually would, and crunchy foods may also not feel great on your gums. This is a normal reaction.