• Rookwood@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    Fluoridated toothpaste is more effective than drinking water. The fluoride works by direct contact with the enamel. Another reason it doesn’t make sense to put it in drinking water.

    • SuperIce@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Fluoride in the water is beneficial in the pre-eruptive phase (when teeth are still growing). Fluoride ingestion increases tooth resistence to cavities if the ingestion happened while they were growing.

      This does mean that fluoride in water isn’t really useful after you have all your permanent teeth though.