Does Fluoride-Free Toothpaste Work? Fluoride vs. Hydroxyapatite

How Fluoride Works

Despite the controversy surrounding it, most scientists agree that fluoride can have a protective effect on tooth enamel. Here’s what’s happening inside your mouth when you brush with fluoride toothpaste:

There’s a chemical reaction that happens when the fluoride ions in your toothpaste come into contact with the surface of your tooth enamel, which creates a material called fluorapatite.

 

If you think that sounds an awful lot like hydroxyapatite, you’re right. That’s because the fluoride actually kicks out the hydroxyl groups that are naturally present in the hydroxyapatite (which is what makes up your enamel), and replaces them with fluoride to create fluorapatite. 

This new material, fluorapatite, helps protect your teeth by creating a hard shell on the surface of your teeth that is actually a slightly harder substance than your original tooth enamel – but, this is a foreign substance that’s not naturally present in your body.

How Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Works

On the other hand, hydroxyapatite doesn’t undergo the same type of chemical transformation when interacting with your teeth; it doesn’t need to change since it’s identical to your tooth enamel to start with!

Unlike fluoride toothpaste which reacts on the surface of the teeth, hydroxyapatite’s similarity to your teeth allows it to act on the deeper layers of tooth enamel. Studies have shown that this allows hydroxyapatite to have a significant restorative effect on enamel from the inside out, resulting in additional benefits, like whitening and protecting against tooth sensitivity!

Making the Best Choice for Your Teeth

All in all, as more advances in technology are made it’s becoming clear that there are natural, effective toothpaste options out there beyond the standard fluoride toothpastes.

Hopefully you’re now armed with a bit more knowledge about the options out there, and can make an educated choice on how you can treat your pearly whites right!