Is fluoride harmful to the human body?

Fluoride is a trace element in our body. It is in a balanced state under normal circumstances and is beneficial to the human body. If there is too much or too little, it will be harmful to the human body. We are exposed to fluoride in many situations in our lives, such as toothpaste and water. Appropriate contact will not cause any serious harm. Is fluoride harmful to the human body? Let’s take a look.

Fluorosis is a chronic endemic disease that seriously endangers human health. Its characteristic is that in high-fluoride areas, people or animals ingest excessive fluoride for a long time, which accumulates in the body and causes the disease. It is a systemic disease that mainly damages teeth and bones and affects the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Fluoride poisoning in children mainly manifests as dental fluorosis; in adults, it mainly manifests as skeletal fluorosis.

Dental fluorosis (also known as mottled enamel tooth and volcanic disease) is the most obvious symptom of fluoride poisoning. Children who live in high-fluoride areas for a long time generally develop varying degrees of dental fluorosis. Too much fluoride reduces the activity of tooth calcification enzymes, making it impossible for teeth to calcify normally. Pigments are deposited on the surface of tooth enamel, forming fluorosis.

Dental fluorosis is called "volcano disease" in foreign countries. Because it was discovered in the early 20th century that residents living near volcanoes were more likely to suffer from this dental disease, it was named after the local volcanoes, such as "Mensu Volcanic Disease" in Japan, "Texas Tooth" in the United States, and "Darls Disease" in North America.

Skeletal fluorosis is another serious damage caused by fluoride poisoning. The course of the disease can last for decades. In severe cases, it can cause disability or even death due to chronic exhaustion or serious complications. In the early stages of the disease, patients feel general weakness, dizziness, headache, abdominal distension, intestinal rumbling, loss of appetite, diarrhea or constipation. Some patients also experience itchy skin and decreased libido. Soon the bones begin to deform and the ability to work decreases. In the later stages of the disease, large joints become flexed, stiff, and the pain worsens. Due to muscle contracture or atrophy, the patient cannot stand upright or squat, and the body becomes hunchbacked and deformed. Because his neck was flexed and stiff and he could not raise his head, he had to curl up in bed all day, unable to take care of himself. He completely lost his ability to work and became disabled. In addition, excessive intake of fluoride can disrupt the normal metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the body, leading to osteoporosis and frequent fractures.

Through the above introduction, we now know whether fluoride is harmful to the human body. In our daily normal life, we must prevent fluoride poisoning. At the same time, we must also prevent excessive fluoride intake or the presence of too much or too little fluoride in the body. This is not good for our body. In addition, we must also pay attention to our daily living habits.