Significance Of Fluoride In Human Nutrition!

Fluoride appears to be essential for man. The regular presence of fluoride in minute amounts in human bones and teeth and its influence on the prevention of dental caries justifies its inclusion as an element of importance in human nutrition.

• Most adults ingest between 1 and 3 mg of fluoride daily. The chief source is usually drinking water, which, if it contains 1 part per million of fluoride, will supply 1-2 mg/day.

• Soft waters usually contain no fluoride, whilst very hard waters may contain over 10 part per million compared with this source, the fluoride in foodstuffs is of little importance.

• Very few contain more than I part per million; the exceptions are sea-fish which may contain 5-10 part per million and tea.

• Epidemiological studies in many parts of the world have established that where the natural water supply contains fluoride in amounts of 1 part per million or more, the incidence of dental caries is lower than in comparable areas where the water contains only traces of the element.

• Fluoride becomes deposited in the enamel surface of the developing teeth of children. Such teeth are unusually resistant to caries. It may be that traces of fluoride in the enamel discourage the growth of acid-forming bacteria; alternatively, the calcium hydroxyapatite of the enamel may be rendered more resistant to organic acids by combination with traces of the element. It should be noted that fluoride is not deposited in fully developed adult teeth. So that little benefit to adults can be expected when they begin for the first time to drink water containing traces of fluoride.

• The deliberate addition of traces of fluoride to those public water supplies which are deficient is now a widespread practice throughout North America where about 100 million people are now drinking fluoridated water. In at least 30 other countries similar projects have been started.

• In parts of the world where the water fluoride is high (over 3 to 5 part per million) mottling of the teeth is common. The enamel loses its luster and becomes rough, pigmented and pitted. The effect is purely cosmetic; fluorite teeth are resistant to caries and not usually associated with any evidence of skeletal fluorosis or any impairment of health.

• The main clinical features are referable to the skeleton which shows sclerosis of bone, especially of the spine, pelvis and limbs, and calcification of ligaments and tendinous insertions of muscles.