Oral Biology and Medicine Fluoride: Benefits And Risks of Exposure

This report describes the benefits to dental health of exposure to fluorides and the toxicologic effects of fluorides based on the relevant scientific literature published through September 1988. In general, original reports were used for evaluation of results between 1980 and 1988, and review articles were used for results published prior to 1980. This report is confined to effects of inorganic fluorides. Throughout this report the term "fluoridation" refers to the addition of fluoride to drinking water supplies. The halogen fluorine is the most electronegative and one of the most reactive of the elements. Consequently, it does not exist in the elemental state in nature, where in combination it comprises 0.065% of the Earth's uppermost crust. Fluorine forms numerous inorganic salts and also occurs in countless organic compounds, substituting for hydrogen. Fluorides are used in wire and cable insulations, pipe linings, rocket propellants, rodenticides, refrigerants, aerosol propellants, polymers for plastics, in the separation of uranium isotopes, and in the aluminum, beryllium, antimony, superphosphate fertilizer, glass, electronic ceramics, fluorspar, and the brick industries. In 1945, fluoridation of public water supplies to the optimal concentration of 1 mg/1 was initiated in three communities in the U.S. In a census conducted in 1985, it was estimated that 121 million Americans receive supplementary fluoride via this vehicle. There are, however, other sources of fluoride that must be considered in any overall assessment of fluoride intake. Average daily dietary intakes of fluoride are shown in Table 1. Differences in fluoride analytical techniques and in methods of selecting the foods comprising the diets make comparisons between current food fluoride concentrations and those determined prior to drinking water fluoridation somewhat tenuous. Nevertheless, there are apparently no major increases in current concentrations of fluoride in food associated with water fluoridation. Fluorides in the atmosphere arise from fluoride-containing dusts, industrial waste, the burning of coal fires, and volcanic gases. In nonindustrial urban areas, the highest fluoride quantity available for inhalation is approximately 0.04 mg/d but near fluoride-emitting factories this could increase to 4 mg/ d. Fluoridated toothpastes can provide another major source of fluoride intake, particularly to children. Toothpastes contain 1.0 to 1.5 mg fluoride per gram and based on estimates of an average ingestion of 0.5 g toothpaste per use for 2to 5-yearold children, could result in the intake of 0.50 to 0.75 mg fluoride per use. For 7 to 13 year olds the estimate was 0.4 to 1.2 mg fluoride per use. These recent estimates are higher than in earlier reports. Fluoride-containing mouth wash could contribute 0.2 to 0.4 mg fluoride per use. Fluoride tablets and topical gels represent additional sources of fluoride exposures.