The goal of this report is to build upon existing knowledge of the use of fluorides. Further elaboration of necessary safety precautions and proper use of fluoridated dental products. It will touch base on some of the common questions that surround water fluoridation as well. Research articles compiled from the American Dental Association (ADA), US Government., and other scholarly articles were used to bring closure to the patient’s questions. This paper will begin with explanations of the use of fluoride/fluoridated products, and how fluoridation is conducted. Next, fluoride safety and regulations will be covered to show the consideration that goes into making public health-related decisions. Methods to reduce fluoride overexposure will be
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Fluoride is often confused with its elemental fluorine. Fluorine is not readily found in nature, while fluoride is. Molecular fluorine is very dangerous because of its high reactivity, but fluorine can only be created artificially in a gaseous form. Fluoride is the elemental ion of the element fluorine, not associated with the molecular form. Consequently, the public attempts to equate the health risks of the two items. Acute overdose of fluoride is not feasible in everyday life. The consumption of a dosage of fluoride 20,000 times greater than normal is needed to cause death (ADA 2005). Health complications can occur when fluoride levels are significantly higher than the optimal levels. Dental and skeletal fluorosis are the most identifiable defects that can be related to overexposure to fluorides. It is broadly referred to as the overmineralization of the tooth or bone. Dental fluorosis only occurs in the developmental stage of a child’s life when teeth are still located under the gums. Erosion of the tooth and the formation of opaque white areas are some pieces of evidence that dental fluorosis has occurred. There are articles of research that have proposed that dental fluorosis is possible within the optimal levels of fluoridation (Prystupa 2011). From this article two ideas were proposed, the intake ability of fluorides may vary from person to person, and that a person’s sensitivity to dental fluorosis may vary as well (Prystupa 2011). Mild cases of dental fluorosis have only cosmetic consequences, no functionality is lost. Serve cases have been linked to the rapid physical breakdown, and increased spread of a dental caries, once the initial damages has been caused to the tooth. (Prystupa 2011). Researchers still debate if the more severe cases of dental fluorosis are even functionally disrupting the individual in question. A small amount of psychological research has been done
Fluoride is often confused with its elemental fluorine. Fluorine is not readily found in nature, while fluoride is. Molecular fluorine is very dangerous because of its high reactivity, but fluorine can only be created artificially in a gaseous form. Fluoride is the elemental ion of the element fluorine, not associated with the molecular form. Consequently, the public attempts to equate the health risks of the two items. Acute overdose of fluoride is not feasible in everyday life. The consumption of a dosage of fluoride 20,000 times greater than normal is needed to cause death (ADA 2005). Health complications can occur when fluoride levels are significantly higher than the optimal levels. Dental and skeletal fluorosis are the most identifiable defects that can be related to overexposure to fluorides. It is broadly referred to as the overmineralization of the tooth or bone. Dental fluorosis only occurs in the developmental stage of a child’s life when teeth are still located under the gums. Erosion of the tooth and the formation of opaque white areas are some pieces of evidence that dental fluorosis has occurred. There are articles of research that have proposed that dental fluorosis is possible within the optimal levels of fluoridation (Prystupa 2011). From this article two ideas were proposed, the intake ability of fluorides may vary from person to person, and that a person’s sensitivity to dental fluorosis may vary as well (Prystupa 2011). Mild cases of dental fluorosis have only cosmetic consequences, no functionality is lost. Serve cases have been linked to the rapid physical breakdown, and increased spread of a dental caries, once the initial damages has been caused to the tooth. (Prystupa 2011). Researchers still debate if the more severe cases of dental fluorosis are even functionally disrupting the individual in question. A small amount of psychological research has been done