It's the concentration that matters. Toothpaste has over 1000x the concentration of fluoride vs 0.7mg/L as tap water. Many well water sources have naturally occurring fluoride that exceeds the additive levels.

Very low concentrations of medicine are usually ineffective at its stated purpose outside of pseudo scientific theories, so even if it is safe to ingest, it is not clear it is able to do anything for people’s teeth.

That is why I do not understand how the two can co-exist. Either the concentration is so low that drinking it for dental health is pointless, or it is not something people should be drinking. If there was a middle ground, we would have a 1 a day pill for this and not bother brushing our teeth or putting fluoride in water.

> If there was a middle ground, we would have a 1 a day pill for this

We do; fluoride tablets are common.

> and not bother brushing our teeth

Brushing your teeth does a lot of things besides applying fluoride to the surface. It's mostly about getting stuff that's already there off the surface.

My initial searches suggest that these are by prescription only. Do you have any information to the contrary? I did find toothpaste tablets, but those are meant to be used as toothpaste from what I can tell.

> My initial searches suggest that these are by prescription only. Do you have any information to the contrary?

No, I don't. Does that matter?

This is not a one a day pill then. If ingesting it is regulated, that would be consistent with it not being something regular people should ingest regularly.

It is exactly a one a day pill. What are you imagining?

Maybe another example will help?

Chlorine for water treatment in the backcountry when applied to a liter of water: Ingest.

Chlorine straight from a household bleach bottle: Do not ingest.