Fluoride has been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of dental caries in teeth when used topically that is either in toothpastes or mouth rinses or varnishes. the first two we can buy off the shelf and use at home whereas the last one has to be taken care of by a dentist. yes it is true that India has some areas which have a lot of fluoride in water and which can and has caused a lot of problems like fluorosis in people across the age spectrum but at the same time it is also true like I said earlier that fluoride is beneficial too.
therefore I recommend that one must check with one’s dentist first whether one needs to use a toothpaste with fluoride. care is to be taken specially in the case of children below the age of six years as they tend to swallow a lot of toothpaste and if their toothpaste contains fluoride it can be hazardous to them.
switching from a fluoride toothpaste to one which does not contain fluoride will not lead to dental decay by itself. dental decay is a multifactorial disease and therefore can not be caused by just one factor like switching toothpastes.
i can’t overemphasize the importance of dental consultation before one embarks on the fluoride road.