What is dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis ? Is there growing evidence of other even more serious medical consequences?
Dental fluorosis is a fluoride-induced destructive process that appears as mottling of the teeth that are in contact with fluoridated water when drinking it. The mottling may be slightly or severe, in which case the teeth have dark spots that socially undesirable and difficult to treat. In addition, the strength of the enamel is poor in children with dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis should be considered a marker for fluoride toxicity elsewhere in the body, such as the bones. It causes accumulation of calcium fluoride in bones, joints, and ligaments, and may even make the bones look more dense on X-ray. However, the quality of the bones (and specially bone strength) is decreased by fluoride. An Editorial in the NEJM of decade or more ago was entitled ” Fluoride and Bone-Quantity Yes, Quantity No.” Over time, the spinal bones become more rigidly bound together, thus inhibiting normal flexion, and the spine becomes essentially rigid (known as poker-back spine).
