First let me be clear: I’m not a crazy conspiracy person (…on this) I just don’t rely on a municipal well. As far as I know adding fluoride to the private well at my houses is not a thing, good or bad. I did drink municipal water for two years when I lived on campus in college.

That said, is fluoride a benefit to adults or just children?

When I was a kid I got fluoride treatments at the dentist, but then aged out. I’ve never had a cavity in forty years, but I’d like to keep it that way. Should I still be doing it?

Also no, I’m not using the internet as a substitute for a dentist, just my next dental appointment is in four months. TIA

  • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    Here in Germany, fluoride is mandated by law recommended to be added to table salt, so I assume it is good to have in general.

    However, regular toothpaste as well as many mouthwashes contain fluoride. In particular, they can contain a much higher dosis, because you spit it back out, so if you’re worried about your teeth, these are definitely the way to go.

    • leds
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      7 months ago

      Here in Germany, fluoride is mandated by law to be added to table salt, so I assume it is good to have in general.

      Isn’t that iodine?

      • Toine@sh.itjust.works
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        7 months ago

        Both exists, and salt can have both. Fluor in the salt is quite specific to Germany and a few other countries though.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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        7 months ago

        Hmm, yeah, seems like only iodine is actually mandated by law. My table salt does have fluoride, but apparently that’s an optional add-on.

        I believe, I rarely see salt without fluoride in the shops, but that could be a regional thing (other regions might have more fluoride naturally in their tap water).

    • mlc894@lemm.ee
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      7 months ago

      Very interesting! I’ve never heard of adding fluoride to table salt, but I can’t see why not!

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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        7 months ago

        You can also find table salt with folic acid (vitamin B9) here, and apparently sometimes also with selenium.

        And yeah, quite interesting to me, too, to read up on this. I always thought, table salt is NaCl + the legally mandated additives. I guess, they do throw in these additives to give themselves a unique selling point.
        And that works for me. Will look out for table salt with iodine, fluoride and folic acid on my next shop visit.