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Fluorine fights tooth decay
Fluoride is the ionized form of the trace element fluorine. It helps strengthen the enamel coating around your teeth and builds strong bones all over your body. Fluoridated drinking water reduces cavities in children by 20% to 40% and in adults by 15% to 35%. Toothpaste incorporates some forms of fluoride to help strengthen your teeth, but fluoridated water is better.
Quick Facts About Fluorine
- There is no RDA for fluorine, but in areas where fluoride is added to the water supply, adults consume about 1.5 to 4.0 mg per day just by drinking tap water.
- Found in fluoridated water and toothpaste, but the only considerable food source of fluorine is tea, which contains about 0.3 mg per cup.
- Fluorine deficiency causes a significant increase in dental caries, more commonly known as cavities.
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You May Need More Flourine if You Have (or Have Had)
Chronic malnutrition
Or if You're
- Living in an area with low fluoride water content
- A child who consumes large amounts of sugar
What Works Best -- and Worst -- with Flourine
Interaction with aluminum hyroxide or calcium supplements causes decrease in absorption of fluoride.
Forms Available
- Tablets
- Drops
- Rinses
- Gels
- Paste
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Chemical Forms of Flourine
- Sodium fluoride
- Sodium monofluonophosphate
Comments on Flourine
- Fluorine is a toxic and noxious gas. Fluoride is the negatively charged form of fluorine and is less damaging.
- Fluoride is a biologically usable form of fluorine.
- Local drinking water supplies usually contain fluoride.
- Many toothpastes contain sodium monofluonophosphate.
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Known Benefits of Flourine
- Prevents tooth decay and cavities by making teeth more resistant to acids
- Crystallizes bone matrix
Unproven Claims
- Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
- Prevents hearing loss in the elderly due to changes in the ear's inner bone structure
Flourine May Prevent These Signs of Deficiency
- Tooth decay and other dental problems
- Abnormal skeletal formation leading to osteoporosis or osteosclerosis
Recommended Dosage Range for Flourine
- Our pharmacists suggest that healthy adults may take 1.5 to 4 mg daily to supplement a well-balanced diet.
- Consult your physician before starting any high-dose supplement regimen.
Dietary Sources
Food Tips
- Most tap water is fluoridated, but not bottled water.
- Tea and shell fish are good sources of fluorine.
| Foods High in Flourine |
|---|
Drinking water
Tea
Seafood
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When and How to Take Flourine
- Swallow tablets whole with a glass of water.
- Take with food or immediately after meals to enhance absorption.
- Divide large daily doses should into three to four smaller doses throughout the day for better absorption.
What to Take with Flourine
Protein and dietary fat enhance the absorption of fluoride.
What Not to Take with Flourine
- Since calcium decreases absorption of fluorine, delay taking the supplement at least two hours after drinking milk.
- Aluminum and magnesium also interfere with fluoride absorption, so avoid antacids to maximize fluoride absorption.
Storage
- Keep fluorine in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and air.
- Don't freeze fluorine.
- Don't store fluorine in your bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture may make it less effective.
- Store safely out of children's reach.
- Fluorine can decompose glassware, so keep it in its original plastic container.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| AGE/GROUP | RDA |
|---|
Infants
0 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
4 to 6 years
7 to 10 years
Males
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Females
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Pregnant
Lactating
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
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mg (milligrams)
0.1 to 0.5 Provisional, No RDA
0.2 to 1.0 Provisional, No RDA
0.5 to 1.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.0 to 2.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 2.5
1.5 to 2.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 2.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0, Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 2.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 2.5 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0 Provisional, No RDA
1.5 to 4.0, Provisional, No RDA
No RDA
No RDA
No RDA
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Warnings
Consult a physician before use or do not use fluorine if:- You are about to start a high-dose supplement program.
- You have osteoporosis. If you plan to treat osteoporosis using fluorine supplements, consult your physician.
Flourine May Have Interactions with
- Aluminum hydroxide: decreases the absorption of fluoride.
- Calcium supplements: decrease the absorption of fluoride.
Side Effects of Flourine
- None anticipated at normal dosages.
Signs of Overdose
Fluorosis can be divided into three categories: acute poisoning, crippling fluorosis, and mottled tooth enamel.
Acute poisoning- Death results in two to four hours with ingestion of 5 to 10 grams, averaging a lethal dose of 5 grams for adults.
- Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, cramping, and coma.
Crippling fluorosis- Chronic exposure of 20 to 80 mg per day of fluorine for 10 to 20 years.
- Symptoms include excessive bone mineralization, exostoses (abnormal bone-cartilage formations), and ligament calcification.
Mottled tooth enamel.- Brown, yellow, or white, mottled, discolored teeth.
- This is not a dangerous disorder, and is mainly cosmetic.
What to Do in Case of Overdose
Stop use and contact your physician immediately.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. Dell, BL and Sunde, RA.Handbook of Nutritionally Essential Mineral Elements. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY 1997.
- 2. Fauci et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Fourteenth Ed. McGraw-Hill Co., Inc. 1998.
- 3. Groff, JL, Gropper, SS, Hunt, SM.Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, Second Ed. West Pub. Co. St. Paul, MN 1995.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Aoba T.The effect of fluoride on apatite structure and growth. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med, 8(2):136-53 1997.
- 2. Bowen WH.Caries prevention--fluoride: reaction paper. Adv Dent Res, 5():46-9 1991 Dec.
- 3. Clarkson BH.Caries prevention--fluoride. Adv Dent Res, 5():41-5 1991 Dec.
- 4. Grodberg MG.Professionally applied and prescribed fluoride products. J Public Health Dent, 52(6):346-9 1992.
- 5. Grynpas MD; Rey C.The effect of fluoride treatment on bone mineral crystals in the rat. Bone, 13(6):423-9 1992.
- 6. Ismail AI.Fluoride supplements: current effectiveness, side effects, and recommendations. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 22(3):164-72 1994 Jun.
- 7. Kleerekoper M.The role of fluoride in the prevention of osteoporosis. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am, 27(2):441-52 1998 Jun.
- 8. Lewis DW; Banting DW.Water fluoridation: current effectiveness and dental fluorosis. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 22(3):153-8 1994 Jun.
- 9. Mamelle N; Meunier PJ; Dusan R; Guillaume M; Martin JL; Gaucher A; Prost A; Zeigler G; Netter P.Risk-benefit ratio of sodium fluoride treatment in primary vertebral osteoporosis. Lancet, 2(8607):361-5 1988 Aug 13.
- 10. Pendrys DG; Stamm JW.Relationship of total fluoride intake to beneficial effects and enamel fluorosis. J Dent Res, 69 Spec No():529-38; discussion 556-7 1990 Feb.
- 11. Turner CH; Akhter MP; Heaney RP.The effects of fluoridated water on bone strength. J Orthop Res, 10(4):581-7 1992 Jul.
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