Need advice/have questions re: floride, toothpaste
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free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:00 am

After a certain age, do you still need to have a toothpaste containing flouride?

I have recently switched to Tom's of Maine and their toothpaste does not contain flouride.

Should I still brush with a typical flouride toothpaste at night?

I think after many years, that I have come to realize that traditional toothpaste leaves a gunky film on my lips, no matter how well I rinse or exfoliate. I experimented by applying lipstick in the morning - without having brushed my teeth first(gross, maybe, but I was home and experimenting)and I did not get that waxy filmy stuff on my lips like I do after I brush my teeth, then apply lipstick. Then, the next day, I brushed my teeth in the a.m., put on my liptick and headed to work, and by the time I got there, I had this white film on my lips, and I had to take off my lipstick, b/c it was nasty. I've been dealing with this for as long as I've worn lipstick - no matter WHAT brand. The only brand that has alleviated this somewhat has been Bare Faced Mineral lipbalms, the filmy stuff is almost non-existent with it.

I keep my lips well moisturized, put Lamas balm on them every night, and have finally concluded it must be an ingredient in the toothpaste. Am I nuts or does anyone have the same problem? Is it the lipsticks or toothpaste?

Thx. Maria Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:33 am

I really do not think that it is important to have Fluride in toothpaste, from what I have read about it, it's prety bad stuff and just think every time you brush your teeth you are absorbing the chemical of the toothpaste through your mouth membrane. I would carry on using the Tom's of Maine.

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 4:00 pm

When my daughter was tiny, the doctor's put her on flouride pills as there was no flouride in the water...we were reluctant to give them to her, but did.

So many things, years later, come back to bite you in the butt, for instance, all of my metal fillings - now they say they contained mercury "back in the day" and that I should have them all removed and replaced. I have four molars that I would have to do that for.

I think I still will stick to Tom's.

Maria! Surprised

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 6:55 pm

Actually, flouride is important. If you consume too much, then it is bad for you and can have negative effects, like depression. If there is flouride in your water now, you should be okay. If not, you can just get flouride drops, and use whatever toothpaste you like.

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 7:34 pm

Maria,

I believe Floride is very important. If you are getting it in your water it would be OK not to have it in tooth paste. Maria, I am still kicking and have a family full of dentists, dental assistants. I am sixty and still have all my teeth. Laughing

As far as I know I am very healthy. Nightly I rinse with a floride RX as I have some recession around my molars and floride prevents root caries. Wouldn't want to lose my teeth. Shock

Studies are always being done on Floride and the benefits out weigh any risk. My daughter has well water and gives her babies floride suppliments. She worked for her cousin for years as his office manager and dental assistant in a Pediactric dental practice. For as long as I can remember I go to the dentist every three months for a cleaning. I too still have a couple of amalgam filling (mercury). Very few dentist use them anymore. The only time they are used is when a patient can't afford resin fillings. The last I heard insurance companies will only pay for resin filling toward the front of your mouth but not in molars. The patient has to pay the difference.
http://www.dentalhealth.org.uk/faqs/leafletdetail.php?LeafletID=17

Sun Jun 19, 2005 8:30 pm

and we have to remember that all of the bottled water we drink does not contain flouride. the only bottled water i notice with flouride is infant water.

free skin care · Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:28 pm

I think it would be best to speak with your dentist. I remember reading an article that said that floride was particularly important for young children and again when you are getting up in age. The times in between aren't critical for floride toothpaste. again, it would be best to consult your dentist.

free skin care · Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:11 am

I’ve had too many problems with my teeth over the years to take the chance of not using fluoride any longer – I’d like to keep my teeth for as long as possible!! The irony is that I’ve always taken good care of my teeth throughout my life, and have consumed great quantities of calcium, as well (ice cold milk is my all-time fave beverage!).

I don’t know if this is the same thing that Maria talked about, but I’ve noticed with certain toothpastes that I get this pasty film inside my mouth which sorta balls up into little wads. I can sweep my tongue around my mouth and feel them clinging to the inside of my cheeks and/or gums, and it’s NASTY!! If I use anything other than a toothpaste containing peroxide (or a non-peroxide toothpaste and I don’t use my tooth-whitening ear drops after I brush), I end up with those nasty, pasty filmy wads. It’s disgusting because it makes my mouth feel like I didn’t even brush my teeth.

free skin care · Mon Jun 20, 2005 7:02 am

I come from a family of dentists and hygenists too Winnie!
Anyway, just wanted to point out as we are on the topic, that too much flouride will not do you any good, so if you are reading this thread and think you want to take more flouride, thinking it will help your teeth, please don't without knowing the recommended daily amount.

As a child, I had a well too, so my mom gave me flouride drops everyday. Well, as children can sometimes get into mischief, I decided to do some self medicating, and I used to steal extra drops when my mom wasn't looking. Don't ask me why I did this, but I now have some flouride deposits on some of my teeth. They are very faint, so I am not concerned with them, but, had my mom not caught me when she did I could have seriously discoloured my teeth.

free skin care · Tue Jun 21, 2005 1:57 am

hi carekate-- about your problem with the filmy gunk after brushing..

I also had the same problem when I first decided to use the ever popular colgate whitening toothpastes.. EVERYTIME after brushing my teeth, I would be able to lick off layers of skin in my mouth!!! I'm sure we're just extra sensitive to whatever the active ingredient is.. because if it happened to everyone then they would have surely stopped the product by now..

I am considering to switch to a bicarb,essential oil toothpaste soon. But I am afraid that they won't have enough cleansing/protective power to keep plaque build up off for the whole day.

Once i forgot to brush my teeth in the morning, and later in the day my teeth were covered in this rough coating (plaque?)..

Do you guys who use non-fluoride toothpastes have the same problem?? Or is fluoride not really the ingredient that stops that?

Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:15 pm

Fluoride is a Topical treatment. What are people doing swallowing it?

Tom's of Maine and other natural brands carry both fluoride free and fluoride toothpastes. If you want a natural toothpaste with fluoride it's available. Fluoride can be toxic though and cause nerve damage, so be careful not to get too much of it, and don't swallow it!

There is another toothpowder out there that supposedly has been proven to harden and strengthen enamel as much fluoride. Called Eco-Dent.

"University proven to harden and strengthen dental enamel as effectively as fluoride toothpastes -- but without harmful fluoride additives!"

http://www.eco-dent.com/

Read this article on Fluoride. The stuff they put in the water is not even real fluoride, but fluorosilicic acid. And you're not supposed to ingest it. It's not an essential mineral.

http://www.newstarget.com/005900.html

You should also use an irrigator daily to clean below the gums, not just the surface teeth.

free skin care · Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:28 am

sexy28 wrote:

Fluoride is a Topical treatment. What are people doing swallowing it?

Uhhh, it's in the water supply of most towns and cities in the U.S., so unless you only drink bottled water, you're going to be swallowing some fluoride....

free skin care · Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:56 pm

Yes...stick to your natural toothpaste...Tom's is fine! You can even brush your teeth with pure salt...takes time getting used to though Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:14 pm

White on your lips? I don't quite understand...When i brush my teeth i rinse with water..and make sure my lips are washed clean as well. ingesting flouride isn't good either...

free skin care · Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:16 pm

Also, i firmly believe flouride is important. you need to get the bacteria out of your mouth..i hardly doubt natural toothpaste would work to the advantage of flouride...any dentist will argue that. Also..floss!

free skin care · Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:45 pm

Purpleturtle -

Of course I make sure I've rinsed well, and exfoliate my lips often - but no matter what - with regular toothpaste - I get a white film on my lips when lipstick is applied -like a wax buildup that forms right where my lips would part.

As Carrie pointed out - many of the towns have floride in the water, so it's tough not to ingest it. I may just do the floride toothpaste at night and stick to Tom's during the day.

Carrie -

OMG, I get the same stuff on the inside of my mouth with the Colgate! That's so weird! It's like you can sweep it out of there! Gross!

So far so good with the Tom's this week. No gross white stuff to speak of. Who knows....maybe my lips just don't like lipstick. Such a shame because I do love it!!!

Maria

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