The Difference Between Fluoride & Hydroxyapatite

When harmful bacteria appear in the mouth, it creates an acidic environment, which can strip away healthy calcium and phospahtes on the surface of teeth. Fluoride is a naturally found element and in toothpaste it works by building a stronger, more acid resistant tooth surface. It does not cure tooth decay. Fluoride is not meant to be ingested. Higher doses of fluoride are seen to be possibly unsafe and can weaken bones and ligaments. The amount you’re likely to use in your toothpaste, under 20mg, is safe.

Hydroxyapatite – the new kid on the block.

Hydroxyapatite is a natural form of calcium that makes up 97% of our tooth enamel. The remaining 3% being made up of collagen, water and proteins. Our mouths recognise hydroxyapatite, seeing as it’s the same material as our teeth, it’s absorbed by the teeth and fills in the little fissures and grooves that acids from bacteria have made. It can insert into really small spaces, meaning remineralization can work from the root up. It is natural, with no known side effects.

Hydroxyapatite – natural, non-toxic, teeth whitener.

Hydroxyapatite keeps the oral microbiome in it’s natural state, it prevents bacteria from attaching to enamel as opposed to fluoride that kills bacteria. They work in very different ways. Unfortunately, fluoride kills the bad as well as the good bacteria. Hydroxyapatite strengthens tooth enamel, and there are no known negative side effects, and is safe enough for kids to use. It also has a positive side effect of whitening teeth, without the use of abrasive chemicals.

Fluoride in the water supply.

Fluoride causes a lot of debate and heated dinner table discussion, primarily because it was added into our water supply systems. This happened to help with the growing levels of tooth decay in the population. Interestingly, dental decay has only existed in it’s current form for about 200 years – exactly when our diets transformed into the global business that food is today (think processed foods).

Bad diet causes tooth decay.

Unfortunately adding fluoride to our water supply as a quick fix hasn’t really solved the issue of tooth decay. As a matter of fact tooth decay is considered by the CDC one of the country’s most prevalent diseases and has been dubbed the silent epidemic. This has nothing to do with whether or not there’s fluoride in the water, it all come down to our diet. Refined sugars and processed carbohydrates are at the heart of the problem. This diet results in the rapid increase of microbes which directly result in the destruction of our tooth surface.

Choosing between fluoride and hydroxyapatite is like picking your favourite band-aid. What causes tooth decay is a bad diet. They both pretty much do the same job except fluoride may have some underlying side effects whereas there have been none noted with hydroxyapatite use. We will see how or if this changes over time. The bottom line is, ensure your toothpaste and/or mouthwash has a cavity fighting agent that works - like fluoride or hydroxyapatite.