HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT’S *ACTUALLY* IN YOUR TOOTHPASTE?

2. BUT WHAT ABOUT FLUORIDE?

Oh, the debate of the century. Go to a handful of dentists and you could hear something different from each one, although most do believe that it is one of the best ingredients for preventing cavities. “Regular toothpaste gives us the fluoride we need to fight dental decay,” explains Dr. Lowenberg. “So it’s necessary to keep it as part of a daily regimen.” And Dr. Maddahi is on the same page: “In people with cavities, fluoride seems to be most effective.” But he adds, “toothpastes containing fluoride can cause fluorosis, which causes white spots.” Dr Lowenberg attributes this side effect to overuse. He also explained a great emerging concern, which is that “an excess of fluoride will have an impact on the neurological tissue of developing children. Because of a new development classifying fluoride as a neurotoxin, parents and dentists are moving towards natural toothpastes and other dental products that do not contain fluoride.”