Treatment of fluorosis disease and prevention of negative effects of fluoride ingestion
Abstract
Ingestion of fluoride in excess from drinking water, foods, or industrial pollution causes chronic toxicity known as fluorosis. Many papers consider fluorosis as an irreversible disease which has to be prevented by a fluoride level in drinking water under the WHO limit. In this chapter we focus on the reversibility of fluorosis showing that this disease is not a fate. Few papers deal with successful treatment of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis in man. This treatment involves the withdrawal of fluoridated water and the use of foods supplemented with calcium and vitamins C and E. Many papers report the success in mitigation of experimental fluorosis in animals. From these results it is possible to suggest nutritional recommendations for the prevention of fluorosis diseases in endemic regions: withdraw fluoridated water, select foods with low fluoride content, and supplement diet with calcium, vitamins C and E, and antioxidant compounds arising from plants and fruits. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016.