Fluoride

Fluoride is added to public supplies of drinking water as well as to toothpaste and mouthwash because of its capacity for protecting against tooth decay. Tooth decay is also described as dental caries or cavities.

Fluoride supplementation has been found to prevent the process of tooth decay in infants, children, and adults. Fluoride exerts this beneficial effect on teeth through direct contact, and it also protects developing teeth that are still underneath the gums from the eventual development of cavities.