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Skeletal fluorosis due to excessive tea and toothpaste consumption
S Joshi1, T Hlaing, G M Whitford
1Clinical Biochemistry, Addenbrookes Hospital NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK. supriya.joshi@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
Abstract:
We describe the case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with a metatarsal fracture and was found to have a bone mineral density (BMD) T-score of +11 in the lumbar spine and +7.6 in the hip. Subsequent investigation revealed very high serum, urine and tissue fluoride levels, associated with excessive tea and toothpaste consumption. The case emphasises the need to exclude fluorosis in individuals with unexpectedly high BMD levels.
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