Fluoride: Why It’s Important

The trace element fluoro (F) has to be contained in an optimum amount. Disadvantage, as well as an excess of fluoride adversely affect human health. This is a chemical element mainly found in the tooth enamel and bone.
Daily Demand For Fluorine
Young children: 1.0 - 1.4 mg.
Adolescent children: 2.0 - 4.0 mg.
Adults: 4.0.
Requirements for fluorine increase with osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).
Useful Properties, The Effect On The Body
Fluoride contributes to the development and hardening of tooth enamel. It helps to treat tooth decay, preventing the development of acid harmful microorganisms in the patients teeth.
This trace mineral is involved in the development of the skeleton and bone tissue healing in fractures.
Fluoride prevents the development of senile osteoporosis, stimulates blood formation, inhibits the formation of lactic acid from carbohydrates.
Trace element fluorine reduces the accumulation radionuclide bone strontium and reduces the effects of its radiation damage.
Together with calcium and phosphorus fluoride provides the strength of bones and teeth.
Sources Of Fluoride
Concentration of fluoride in food depends on the content of trace elements in water and soil.
The main source of fluoride is a green and black tea. Several studies found that drinking water contains enough fluoride, which is absorbed by the body with 60-70% rate.
Fluoride is also contained in:
- walnuts,
- cereals (buckwheat, rice, corn, oats),
- seafood (cod, salmon, mackerel, shrimp ),
- potatoes, onions, wine, grapefruit, apples,
- chicken, beef, eggs, whole milk.
If your diet is low in fluoride, you need to add foods rich in this trace element and vitamin complexes, use toothpaste and rinse teeth with fluoride to protect teeth from decay. This is especially true of children's milk teeth, which are most susceptible to the bacteria and the development of caries.
Fluorine content in food is greatly reduced when cooking in aluminum cookware as aluminum tends to wash out the fluoride from food.
Fluoride Deficiency And Surplus
Basic signs of deficiency are fluorine caries and periodontal disease.
When the body has excessive fluoride, it may develop the disease fluorosis (gray stains on the enamel of the teeth), bone destruction and deformity of the joints.
See also:
- Vitamin & Nutritional Supplement Glossary
- Periodontal Disease and Gingivitis
- Fundamental Dental Care Overview