Total fluoride intake and implications for dietary fluoride supplementation

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Pediatric Nutrition
• Toxicology

Background:

• Recommended optimal systemic fluoride intake levels have historical and validity considerations.
• Fluoride exposure in young children originates from multiple sources, including water, food, dentifrices, supplements, mouthrinses, and gels.
• Existing data show substantial individual variation in fluoride ingestion and limitations in determining total intake distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the history and validity of recommended optimal systemic fluoride intake levels.
• To analyze available information on fluoride intake in young children from various sources.
• To assess the potential for excessive fluoride ingestion and associated risks.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical and current literature on fluoride intake recommendations and data.
• Analysis of fluoride intake from foods, beverages, water, dentifrices, supplements, mouthrinses, and gels.
• Presentation of hypothetical daily fluoride intake combinations for children aged 6-36 months.

Main Results:

• Significant variation in individual fluoride ingestion is common across all sources.
• Some children exceed optimal fluoride intake levels from single sources or combinations.
• Potential for increased risk of dental fluorosis if actual optimal levels are lower than empirically derived recommendations.

Conclusions:

• The complexity and variation of fluoride ingestion from all sources must be considered.
• Current recommendations for dietary fluoride supplements may need re-evaluation based on total fluoride intake.
• Excessive fluoride intake poses a risk of dental fluorosis in young children.