NUTRIENT LIBRARY

Nutrient Library - Fluoride

Fluoride

What does it do?
How much do you need?
What are the best food sources?
What happens if you don’t get enough?
What happens if you get too much?
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What does it do?

Fluoride is a mineral probably best known for preventing tooth decay because it helps to harden tooth enamel. Fluoride stimulates new bone formation throughout the life cycle, thus offering some protection from developing osteoporosis.

How much do you need?

The following table lists the recommended intake for healthy people based on current scientific information.

Life Stage Group	Recommended Dietary Allowance / Adequate Intake (see note below)	Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
Infants	(milligrams/day)	(milligrams/day)
0-6 mo. 7-12 mo.	0.01* 0.5*	0.7 0.9
Children
1-3 yr. 4-8 yr.	0.7* 1*	1.3 2.2
Males
9-13 yr. 14-18 yr. 19-30 yr. 31-50 yr. 51-70 yr. > 70 yr.	2* 3* 4* 4* 4* 4*	10 10 10 10 10 10
Females
9-13 yr. 14-18 yr. 19-30 yr. 31-50 yr. 51-70 yr. > 70 yr.	2* 3* 3* 3* 3* 3*	10 10 10 10 10 10
Pregnancy
< 18 yr. 19-30 yr. 31-50 yr.	3* 3* 3*	10 10 10
Lactation
< 18 yr. 19-30 yr. 31-50 yr.	3* 3* 3*	10 10 10

NOTE: The table is adapted from the Dietary Reference Intakes reports. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), when available, are in bold type; Adequate Intakes (AIs) are followed by an asterisk(*). RDAs and AIs may both be used as goals for individual intake. RDAs are set to meet the needs of almost all individuals (97 to 98 percent) in a group. For healthy breastfed infants, the AI is the mean intake. The AI for other life stage and gender groups is believed to cover the needs of all individuals in the group, but lack of data means the percentage of individuals covered by this intake cannot be specified with confidence.
UL = The maximum level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse effects. Unless otherwise specified, the UL represents total intake from food, water and supplements.

What are the best food sources?

Few foods contain fluoride. Exceptions are fluoridated water, beverages and infant formulas made with fluoridated water, and some marine fish. See more food sources and calculate your daily intake.

What happens if you don’t get enough?

Inadequate fluoride intakes result in an increased risk of tooth decay. Symptoms may include visible pits or holes on the teeth and toothaches.

Infants and children who live in areas with nonfluoridated water may be at risk for fluoride deficiency. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend fluoride supplements for these children.

What happens if you get too much?

Fluoride is toxic when consumed in excessive amounts. Large doses consumed at one time could result in nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting.

Long-term excess fluoride intake can result in fluorosis, of which there are two types: enamel fluorosis or mild to extreme skeletal fluorosis. Enamel fluorosis is characterized by brown stains and pitting of the teeth in children and is the result of excessive fluoride prior to the eruption of the first permanent teeth. Mild to extreme skeletal fluorosis is rare in the United States—only five cases have been confirmed since the mid-1960s. This condition can begin with pain and stiffness of the joints in its mild form and develops into crippling calcification of ligaments, muscle wasting, neurological problems, immobility and possibly osteoporosis.

If your community water supply is fluoridated, you may wonder—is it safe? Critics claim fluoridated water is unsafe, may cause cancer and is ineffective in preventing tooth decay. However, a critical analysis of the science conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2001 and endorsed by the American Dental Association concluded, “When used appropriately, fluoride is a safe and effective agent that can be used to prevent and control dental caries. Fluoride has contributed profoundly to the improved dental health of persons in the United States and other countries. To ensure additional gains in oral health, water fluoridation should be extended to additional communities, and fluoride toothpaste should be used widely.” Additionally, the American Cancer Society asserts there is no strong evidence for a link between cancer and fluoridated water.

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USER COMMENTS — Add Your Comment

Are you serious Eating Well? I was totally willing to overlook your constant endorsements of processed soy. (Which is incredibly harsh in the body's system due to its high phytic acid content that inhibits the body's ability to absorb calcium and other minerals.) But endorsing fluoride? I encourage people to do their own research into this highly misunderstood "nutrient." I recommend the Weston Price Foundation. Healthy teeth comes from a healthy diet. Fluoride is a waste product that's been fed to us through lies. But don't listen to me, do your own research and then make your own conclusions.

Rosalee, Twisp, WA

If fluoride is not readily available through any source but artificially fluoridated water, how did our ancestors get their recommended daily intake? And why do more Americans, with our great dentistry and fluoridation, have less of our whole natural teeth by age 70 than our European counterparts, who have stopped adding fluoride to their water?

Diane, Westmont, NJ

This is a very contraversial subject but it is clear to me that anything that may be linked to Cancer wether it is strong evidence or week evidence should not be included in our diet. Why do dentists tell us to spit out the flouride? Why do they tell us to spit out toothpaste with flouride? My guess is that we should not be consuming it.

Lee, Benton, AR

I note the comment that fluoride is not naturally occurring in many foods at all. Ever wonder why? Also the naturally occurring fluoride from rocks is not the same as the artificial substance added to water supplies. If manufactured foods contain fluoridated water, and if they are concentrated thereby increasing the fluoride, how can you across the board, control anyone's daily intake? The concept of using a chemical substance with recorded scientific studies concluding "no known benefit in growth or reproduction of humans" is at best absurd, at worse, grossly negligent. I note that the Victorian GOvernment passed a law preventing them from being taken to court over fluoridating their water supplies. Hmmm...not very confidence inspiring. WOuldn't supplying tablets directly to the "lower socio-economic" groups be more targetted and retain people's choice to ingest it or not??

Sue, Lismore, NS

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