You grew up with fluoride. Your teeth show it in the very fact that you still have them. Before 1945, by the time your nest was empty, your mouth was often empty as well. But when cities began adding it to water supplies, tooth decay took a nose dive. Most of us never gave it a second thought, just turned on the tap and downed the cure.
Fluoride reverses the demineralization of your teeth. It strengthens them, prevents plaque and caries, wards off gum disease and protects roots. So it’s not just for kids. If your drinking water doesn’t provide sufficient fluoride, ask about supplements. Take a bite out of decay.
While fluoride occurs naturally in many substances we eat and drink, if you’re drinking PURE water—from a bottle or home water-purifier—you may not be getting enough fluoride. A safe, effective level is 0.7 mg fluoride per liter of water. Check with your public water supply to see if it’s fluoridated. Check the labels on bottled water.