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Anyone who has played with a black light
will have noticed that teeth glow.
Recently, with the help of a cooperative
dog, I determined that dog teeth do not
glow. This dog resides in an area without
fluoridated water.
I propose that the glow of teeth is
produced by fluoride, both applied
in
toothpaste and ingested with fluoridated
water. I predict that a very young baby in
an area without fluoridated water would
initially have nonglowing teeth.
This glow could be used to monitor
adequate fluoridation. There is no doubt
an ideal amount of fluoride in teeth -
making them optimally hard but not
brittle. Less glow would mean more
toothbrushing or supplimental fluroide -
too much glow would mean you should
cut back.
Patent: Toothbrush for creating a whitening effect
http://www.freshpat...hp?type=description
"...an ultraviolet light source is used for directing ultraviolet light against the teeth so that the whitening effect would be created and easily visible to the user" [ldischler, Sep 20 2006]
Fluorescence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescence
[webfishrune, Sep 20 2006]
Dora's toothpaste
http://www.colgate....oraTheExplorer.cvsp
For ages 2 and up. [bungston, Sep 24 2006]
[link]
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//I propose that the glow of teeth is produced by fluoride, both applied in toothpaste and ingested with fluoridated water.// |
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You are indeed right Bungs', fluoride does fluoresce. This is used as a method of detecting flouride presence already. |
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However, the "glow" from teeth is more directly associated with the optical brighteners that are put into toothpaste precisely for this effect. Many reasearchers now beleive these are dangerous and ireversably bind to the human body. The same is true for washing powders. This is the main motivation for the sale of washing powders and toothpastes that do not contain optical brightners. |
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fluoride fluoresces? Ya think? Could it possibly be more than a coincidence? |
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<quote>Fluorescence is named after the mineral fluorite, composed of calcium fluoride, which often exhibits this phenomenon.</quote> |
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One could test whether tooth glow is produced by fluoride or by optical whiteners by checking young children - toddlers use toothpaste gels that do not (I think) have the whiteners found in grownup toothpastes, but do have fluoride. |
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/fluoride fluoresces? Ya think? / - you're killing me, GB. |
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//but do have fluoride.// |
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Young childrens toothpaste (below seven years) does not contain fluoride. Fluoride posioning affects young children more and because of their smaller body mass a smaller amount is damaging than in adults. |
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Fluoride is only recommended for those over seven years of age. |
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It seems to me that if a municipality
puts fluoride in the water, it is pretty
certain that kids younger than 7 will be
getting fluoride. Unless they all stick to
milk and Perrier. |
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[web], linked for you is a fine site
detailing Colgate's Dora the Explorer
toothpaste, which contains fluoride. |
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