Too much flouride??

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#1 Post by **LeeLu33** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:14 pm

Hi everyone,

I've had my braces for six days now. Right now I am using Crest Prohealth mouthwash in the morning, and Phosflur at night. When I use those up, I want to switch to Act Restoring in the morning and Act cinnamon rinse at night. Since both contain flouride, would this be too much? Also, my ortho has me using a flouride toothpaste 3 days a week. Is it possible to have too much flouride??? What do you guys think??? Thanks alot!!!!

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:45 pm

Mouthwash is only in contact with your teeth for the 30 seconds or so you are using it. Any remaining after you spit will soon get diluted with saliva. The same with toothpaste.

Of course, don't swallow it

Excessive ingestion of fluoride from swallowing toothpaste or drinking fluoridated water, or taking fluoride supplements in small children can cause mottling of the tooth enamel when the adult teeth come through. But the small amounts of topical fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash have not been demonstrated to cause systemic effects on the body, and will not cause mottling of adults' teeth.

People who drink a lot of tea ingest far more fluoride than is present in toothpaste, but even so, the occasional reported cases of skeletal fluorosis due to tea drinking involved the person drinking literally gallons of tea every day.

http://www.fluorideresearch.org/364/fil ... 67-270.pdf

#3 Post by **LeeLu33** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:39 am

Thanks Lisa for your reply and the link. Very interesting stuff!! I am new to this, and just want to make sure I take the best care of my teeth and my braces. I do drink alot of tea, but have cut back since getting braced. Now I use a straw with everything, then rinse my mouth with water afterwards. I'm so scared I am going to do something wrong

Well, thanks again, and take care!!

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:40 am

hi Leelu. I only mentioned the whole tea thing to highlight the fact that fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes do not contain enough fluoride to give a systemic "whole-body" impact, despite the scaremongerers who would have us believe otherwise

There are everyday items we eat and drink which are much more of a danger to our bodies.

I'm an inveterate tea-drinker and have been all my life. I probably drink about 8 cups a day and the only side effect I have is tea-stained bottom teeth which is harder to remove with the braces on. If you can cope with drinking your tea through a straw for the next two years, good on you! No way could I enjoy my cuppa through a straw.

You should probably relax with your braces in a few weeks, once you are more used to them. There really isn't much you can do that's "wrong". Just stay away from the hard sticky food, and keep your teeth clean, and you'll be fine.

#5 Post by **LeeLu33** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:03 pm

Hi again Lisa!! Thanks for easing my mind about the tea. Actually, I was talking about drinking sweet iced tea with a straw. I'm from the south, and that's always been my favorite drink. However, I have recently started drinking hot tea, and I love it!! I could never drink that with a straw!

Since getting braced though, I have not had one cup, and I have been missing it. After reading your post though, I am going to start drinking it again. I will try to relax, but still be sensible and only avoid hard, sticky foods like you said. Thanks again!!

#6 Post by **TigerLily** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:39 pm

Tea does seem to be the culprit for my staining issues.

Since I've had braces, I've found the lingual side of my lowers get really stained but this didn't happen at all when I was in South America for 4 weeks when I couldn't get a decent cup of cha.

I try and minimise it by having milky tea.