Fluorosis is a condition caused by excessive fluoride intake. This disease can manifest itself in the form of skeletal fluorosis, attacking the bones of the body and creating malformations in them, or dental fluorosis, mainly affecting the enamel of the teeth. The damage caused by fluorosis is permanent, so prevention is very important in regions of the world where the problem is endemic, such as in countries such as Mexico, China, India, Ethiopia, etc.
For fluorosis to occur you need to consume approximately 10 times the recommended daily intake, but this in countries like Mexico, where concentrations of up to 14 milligrams of fluoride per liter are found, is not at all exaggerated.Dental fluorosis usually appears earlier than skeletal fluorosis, so it can allow medical professionals to detect it early.Excess fluoride can come from a number of factors, such as eating foods with a lot of fluoride or soft drinks with high concentrations. However, in this way it is difficult to generate fluorosis, the most common cases are due to the consumption of water with fluoride concentrations above 1.5 milligrams per liter, a concentration stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the maximum allowed.
Dental fluorosis begins with small marks and stains on the teeth, sometimes accompanied by a slight transparency of tooth enamel. If it is not remedied once these symptoms begin to appear, the teeth will become chopped, cracked and brittle. If it is identified that the patient suffers from dental fluorosis, he receives information about the disease and how to prevent it from spreading, because once the fluorosis is generated there is no method to cure it. It is usually due to the consumption of water with high concentrations of fluoride, so it is advisable to acquire a water filter with capacity for fluoride removal.
Dental Fluorosis
Skeletal fluorosis causes fragility in the bones and pain in the joints, so the likelihood of suffering bone fractures is multiplied. It can be quite difficult to identify, as the bones are not easily visible and there are also other conditions that can cause similar problems. >In regions of the world where fluorosis is endemic these symptoms are often taken as a sign that a patient is suffering from the disease. However, in areas where the condition is rarer, it can take time to get diagnosed.
Fluoride is an important dietary supplement that has been shown to be very effective in preventing cavities in numerous studies. The fact that fluorosis exists is not a reason to stop using fluoride toothpaste in dental care. People with a higher intake of fluoride or those who are aware that the water in their region has large amounts of this pollutant should be careful with fluorosis and start using filters with the ability to remove fluoride from the water, such as Hindrop. In other posts we will talk about the different methods that exist to remove fluoride from drinking water and
its characteristics.
Skeletal fluorosis
