Bad oral health is a HUGE factor in heart disease. It's the easiest route for bacteria to get into the blood stream. Not staying on top of that, and you can't DIY this (wife and I have tried), is just begging for a markedly shorter lifespan. Cleaning doesn't do anything to the enamel. As for fluoride, my research shows it's bad to ingest... but good fucking luck with that. It's so prevalent in water supplies, and has been for so long, that its in all the food supplies. I haven't seen a good argument to deter me away from topical use (rinse and spit). Personal choice man, do your thing. FWIW, my teeth were healthy too when I was in my 20's (and I didn't do dentist visits). Took till my late 30's for things to get bad, and it was Another decade to get course corrected again. Daily brushing and flossing the whole time and I'm not a sugar/sweets addict. As for the "ripping up gums" thing, dude, if your gums "rip up" from a cleaning, you're already on the downhill slide and moving fast towards the bottom.