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Easy Fluoride Treatments for your teeth
engineerguy posted:
Hi folks,

Background info:

My dentist prescribed some prescription grade fluoride toothpaste. For about $8, I got the generic toothpaste, with 1.8 oz of toothpaste. The fluoride concentration was 5000 ppm = 0.5% Fluoride, versus regular toothpaste 0.15% w/v fluoride ion. The prescription strength was only 3.3 times stronger than regular toothpaste.

The instructions on the toothpaste was to brush thoroughly, and spit, but do not rinse. Do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes.

If you buy ACT fluoride mouthwash, the instructions are to rinse vigorously, spit, and not to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes.


Brush with ordinary fluoride toothpaste. Spit, but leave a small trace of toothpaste in your mouth. Do not rinse. Or, rinse, and put a tiny bit of toothpaste back in you mouth. Don't eat or drink anything for 30 minutes.

I think it has a mild tooth whitening affect also. (Fluorosis, in kids due to high fluoride mineral content in water, makes white spots in teeth.)

A recent Scientific American article said that the fluoride, mixing with the saliva, is the benefit of the fluoride toothpaste.

The amount of fluoride left in the mouth this way, is small compared to the amount of fluoride consumed with fluorinated water (1ppm), and also small compared to some cities where the water is naturally high in fluoride (up to 12 ppm, in some towns in Colorado. These towns had no cavities, and led dentists to discover fluoride, after WWII.).

When you mix in Fuhrman's diet, and recommendation to eat 2 or 3 meals a day, no snacks, the teeth stay very clean. When I started eating 2-3 meals a day, my dentist asked me what I was doing. He shrugged and said, "squeaky clean", before cleaning my teeth.

My dentist has recommended gum grafting to me, because I brushed too aggressively (in the past), leaving the soft dentin exposed at the base of the tooth, as the brush pushes the gums back (especially at the upper canine teeth). About 5 years ago, the dentist explained that the exposed soft dentin is likely to get lots of cavities. With the fluoride "treatments", I've had zero cavities.

Best regards, EngineerGuy
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DeadManWalking56 responded:
Any more consideration of the gum grafts ? I need to consider it also.
An_192647 replied to DeadManWalking56's response:

Since I've had no cavities, I haven't considered it. I am trying to brush more gently, holding the brush with 3 fingers, not having the handle push against my palm.

I believe leaving toothpaste in the mouth is very effective. The prescription toothpaste (only 3.3x stronger than ordinary toothpaste) does re-mineralize the teeth, in studies.

So, I don't see the need for the grafts, if I am getting no cavities.

Best regards, EngineerGuy
dalediane responded:
I, too use 5000 PPM Fluoride toothpaste and you are WAY OFF. I am not trying to sound mean I just don't know where you got your FACTS FROM. The % of Fluoride is 1.1% NOT 0.5% Not sure how you missed that the 1.1% Sodium Fluoride is listed on every brand of Rx Toothpaste I have used. Also OTC Toothpaste has approximately "Much of the toothpaste sold in the United States has 1000 to 1100 parts per million fluoride. 4 TIMES LESS then the 5000 PPM 1.1% type" In European countries, such as the UK or Greece, the fluoride content is often higher; a NaF of 0.312% w/w (1,450 ppm fluoride) is not uncommon.. Please check using "Fluoride" as the search term.
engineerguy replied to dalediane's response:
Hi Dalediane,

WoW. Thanks for digging up the "Easy Fluoride Treatments" tip, from 3 years ago. My how time flies. BUT, it's still a very valuable tip. Thanks


The % of sodium fluoride is 1.1%, not the % of fluoride.

5000ppm fluoride means 5,000 / 1,000,000, or 5 / 1,000 or 0.5%. So, 5000ppm fluoride means 0.5% fluoride.

The difference is that Sodium Fluoride contains Fluoride. When sodium fluoride dissolves in water, it ionizes into sodium and fluoride ions.

If I may try your patience, here's a nostalgic trip back to high school chemistry:

Atomic weights
Sodium = 22.989. Let's call it 23.
Fluoride = 18.998 Let's call it 19.
Sodium Fluoride molecular weight = 23 19 = 42.
Fluoride is 19/42 or 45.2% of the weight of Sodium Fluoride.
So, 5000ppm Fluoride / .452 = 11,000 ppm Sodium Fluoride = 1.1% Sodium Fluoride.

So, prescription strength 5000 ppm (or 0.5%) fluoride toothpaste, contains 1.1% Sodium Fluoride.

Some toothpastes contain sodium monofluorophosphate. That has a different molecular weight.

My regular Colgate lists "0.15% w/v fluoride ion". That would be 1500ppm. So, prescription toothpaste, with 5000ppm Fluoride (0.5%) has 3.3 times more fluoride.

Re: "a NaF of 0.312% w/w (1,450 ppm fluoride) is not uncommon"

Your numbers agree pretty closely with my calculations: Converting NaF (sodium Fluoride) to fluoride: 1450ppm fluoride (0.145%) divided by 0.452 = .320% Sodium fluoride (NaF).

Does that help? Have you tried meditation?

Best regards, EngineerGuy

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