[Fluoride intake in a community with low fluoride concentration in drinking water]

The fluoride content of representative samples of the drinking water and diet of the inhabitants of Tshikundamalema (Republic of Venda, southern Africa) was determined according to the potentiometric method of fluoride analysis. The mean daily intake of fluoride of the inhabitants was compared with the recommended daily intake of fluoride, as advocated by the Mayo Clinic (USA). Despite the low fluoride ion concentration ([F-]) of the drinking water (less than 0.05 mg/l), there exists an optimum to above optimum (3,54-5,32 mg F-) daily intake of fluoride for the adults in Tshikundamalema. The main source of fluoride intake was from beer and green leafy vegetables. The intake of fluoride for the children in Tshikundamalema is sub-optimal (0.598 mg F-/day).