Is fluoride harmful?

Fluoride has been used for over 70 years as a sole active ingredient to prevent dental cavities and the demineralisation of tooth enamel. For over a decade, many contraindications to the use of fluoride in cosmetic products and especially in toothpastes have been found, and the advice now is to limit ingestion to 0.1 mg per day per kg of body weight. If you search for "fluoride" on Google, you will see for yourself. We should also bear in mind that we regularly ingest fluoride in our everyday food and drink, and that even in Italy there are various places where a large amount of fluoride is already present in the environment.

"Fluoride is not essential for human growth and development and its content in the body is not under physiological control."

"Adsorbed fluoride is rapidly distributed by circulation to the intracellular and extracellular fluid, but is retained only in calcified tissues."

"The (EFSA) Scientific Panel considers that the upper level for fluoride is 0.1 mg fluoride/Kg/day in children aged 1-8 years (which is equivalent to 1.5 and 2.5 mg fluoride per day in children aged 1-3 years and 4-8 years respectively)."

For over a decade, there has been a clear alternative to fluoride that does not present the contraindications mentioned above: an alternative in the form of microRepair® biomimetic hydroxyapatite, which also acts as a bone supplement. So why continue to risk dental and skeletal fluorosis?

Biorepair toothpastes are a valid alternative to fluoride because they incorporate microRepair® as their active ingredient: crystalline particles of biomimetic hydroxyapatite that penetrate into tiny scratches on the enamel and gently coat the surface, repairing it totally and immediately. Furthermore, in vitro tests on enamel erosion indicate that Biorepair® is twice as effective as any normal fluoride toothpaste. This is because microRepair® adheres to the enamel, forming a layer of hydroxyapatite that protects it effectively against acid attack. We can therefore conclude that fluoride is not harmful for adults, but that it is less effective than Biorepair® toothpastes, especially with regard to enamel erosion. Biorepair® also does not pose any health risks, but instead is an aid to bone growth.